re: slave cylinder removal
Caveat: its been a long time since I looked at one of these cylinders and I am doing this from memory.
First, it is always a good idea to squirt the slave cyl with loads of penetrating oil. If possible, allow enough time for the lubricant to work for you.
Next, you need to consider that there is a tang somewhere toward the rear of the cylinder. That tang fits within a rectangular groove on the side of the cylinder. The purpose, I believe, is to prevent the cylinder from rotating. Since you state you removed both shims (I hope you are referring to the pain-in-the-butt "C retaining clips"), I expect you noticed the tang. (I should not mention this but, I will admit to having removed and reinstalled these clips with the use of a couple of flat head screw drivers - when I was too impatient to locate my snap ring pliers. The point is there are many ways to approach this dilemma.)
Third, assuming you have the standard Getrag 4 speed, I seem to recall that the slave cylinder needs to be extracted forward. If you remove the bleeder screw and hose attachment, there is a nice blunt end upon which you can bang to get it loose. I recommend using a plastic faced hammer for this purpose, but other objects may fit the bill equally well. Of course a lot depends upon whether you intend to reuse the cylinder! Please, although you may want to, don't hit the aluminum bell housing that holds the cylinder. If you are good at heliarcing and enjoy fixing broken aluminum, then disregard that advice.
If you have another slave cylinder, I suggest you examine it closely and visualize its correct orientation - as installed. Everything should be much clearer then. Once you fully appreciate the fit, you will note that breaking the rust/grit/crud bond should be a simple matter. As an aside, unless your car sits in a museum, you can see why coating the replacement cylinder with molylube or anti-seize grease is a good idea.
Assuming all of the above is old hat, and you are still stuck, consider taking a big pair of vice grips, attaching them to the cylinder and wiggle the cylinder. (As noted above there is a tang that limits any "substantial" lateral movement. At this time, I can't recall if you can remove the plate which contains the tang or if there is another means of working around the tang.) In any event, a little movement is all it takes to get the whole item loose. If you can't wiggle, then alternate with a couple stout blows to the rear of the cylinder as indicated or wiggle while hitting the vice grips. And, if the vice grips don't provide enough grip or leverage, you can always try giant channel locks or the equivalent.
I am sure there are those who will advocate using heat, in several forms. While I like heat to break things free, I caution against its use because it tends to render things un"reusable" and can pose a considerable danger to and for the uninitiated. The smell of melted undercoating is unpleasant.
IN the end, the fit and removal of the cylinder is rather intuitive. Once it breaks free, you will wonder why you had any problem with it.
Good luck and please tell us of your success!
