QuestionParked the MG and she was running great. I have had medical problems that kept me from driving her for a year. Started the MG after sitting a year with a jump start, motor turned over great. Clutch would not engage. What have I done to the old girl. Love her greatly, want her back, Please help!
AnswerI would guess that either (1) you've had a leak in the clutch hydraulics and you're out of fluid, or (2) if not actually a leak, a rubber seal in the clutch master cylinder has gone bad. I would rebuild the master cylinder (only some seals to change, and quite easy), and of course flush/bleed the system.
If possible, when doing the job (I don't remember the ease of this in the 70s MGB), dismount the cylinder and inspect the inside bore by eye and fingernail. If not completely smooth (e.g. a ring of corrosion), replace the complete cylinder.
I would rate the likelihood of problems in the slave cylinder (rear of the engine block, beside the clutch housing) a bit lower, but that is a possibility. Easily determined by bleeding the system and pumping the clutch: a leak will be fairly obvious--a puddle.
While contemplating clutch hydraulics, you should also at a minimum flush out the brake hydraulics with new fluid: they're a bit more important!
