air in master cylinder

[hound dog]

I think that I have somehow gotten some air into the master cylinder for my clutch. Sometimes I have clutch and sometimes I don't. If I pump the clutch pedal I can get enough clutch to shift or stop, but what fun is that? I tried bleeding the slave cylinder on the bellhousing last night but that didn't do any good. Another curous thing, when I depress the clutch pedal the fluid level rises in the master cylinder. Anybody got any bright ideas?
h dog

[Mike Simard]

It could be that the piston is retracting too far at rest, like if the clip that limits its travel were missing but I would just replace the whole unit anyway.

[GUMBALL928]

Have you tried bleeding the system? What do you get?
Is there free play in the linkage between clutch pedal and master cylinder?
Is there fluid leaking from piston end of master cylinder?