Clutch frozen, 2000 Miata

My 2000 Miata has been sitting in garage for many months. When I tried
to move it, I found that the clutch pedal is frozen. Steady (but not
100%) force with my foot does not budge clutch pedal. When car is
running, clutch does not depress, manual gearshift changes gears, but
car does not move. Fluid reservoir is full.
Anything I can do at home to get car going, or do I need to have it
towed to Mazda repair? Thx.
T-L

Your description seems to say that the clutch is stuck in the disengaged
position. I don't see how you are going to fix the problem without removing
the transmission from the engine. It sounds like the throwout bearing is
stuck on the shaft in an unusual position.

Usually, you can start a Miata with the clutch in either engaged or
disengaged if the tranny is in neutral, and the clutch pedal is pressed in
far enough to operate a safety switch, or the safety switch is defeated.
You stated that the clutch pedal does not move properly. I would open the
bleeder valve at the slave cylinder and try pressing the clutch pedal to the
floor. If it moves to the floor, brake fluid will normally squirt out from
the open bleeder valve. If the pedal moved to the floor, it sounds like the
slave cylinder, linkage to the tranny throwout bearing (Yoke), and the
throwout bearing are suspect. The slave cylinder may be stuck as a result of
sitting for an extended period of time. In any event, you will need to
flush the clutch system and brakes to remove the old water contaminated
fluid.

"Trent-Lion" > wrote in message
...
> My 2000 Miata has been sitting in garage for many months. When I tried
> to move it, I found that the clutch pedal is frozen. Steady (but not
> 100%) force with my foot does not budge clutch pedal. When car is
> running, clutch does not depress, manual gearshift changes gears, but
> car does not move. Fluid reservoir is full.
> Anything I can do at home to get car going, or do I need to have it
> towed to Mazda repair? Thx.
> T-L

In article <Tn0Be.8611$Eo.8339@fed1read04>,
"Chuck" > wrote:

> It sounds like the throwout bearing is
> stuck on the shaft in an unusual position.

Agreed. I would try whacking the throwout arm/fork with a hammer and see
what happens. Don't go crazy and break anything, but you might free it
up enough to drive to the shop for further inspection.

---
Lanny Chambers
'94C, St. Louis
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

In article
>, Lanny
Chambers > wrote:

> In article <Tn0Be.8611$Eo.8339@fed1read04>,
> "Chuck" > wrote:
>
> > It sounds like the throwout bearing is
> > stuck on the shaft in an unusual position.
>
> Agreed. I would try whacking the throwout arm/fork with a hammer and see
> what happens. Don't go crazy and break anything, but you might free it
> up enough to drive to the shop for further inspection.
>
> ---
> Lanny Chambers
> '94C, St. Louis
> http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

Chuck and Lanny, thanks for advice. I will proceed ahead in the general
direction you suggest. And will run this car more often in future! T-L