Hi,

I have a '98 XJ with 187k miles on it. Ever since I got it 8 months ago,
the clutch has been hitting the floor when fully depressed. Now, it
often doesn't shift as smoothly as it used to. (Pops out fine, but
doesn't go into next gear as easily.) It's always had a longer clutch
spin down time than other cars I've had, but until now I thought that
might be normal.

The part that seems strange to me, is that it isn't very consistent.
Sometimes, if I take too long moving through neutral, it will make noise
when I put it in reverse. Other times, I can put it in neutral, release
the clutch, press the clutch, wait a few seconds, and put it in neutral
without any noise. So sometimes the clutch will spin down in a few
seconds, and other times it spins up when it should be disengaged.

Any idea what could be causing this?

The fluid reservoir is filled to the top, and has been since I got it.

Another thing is that it is sometimes a bit shaky when starting from a
stop, but it only seems to happen if the engine is spinning slower than
1krpm while engaging the clutch.

Is there anything worth trying that doesn't involve removing the
transmission? Is it worth bleeding the hydraulic system? Everything else
the Haynes manual suggests involves taking appart the clutch, which I
don't think I'm comfortable doing yet.

Thanks,
Ivan