'87 GL 4MT clutch problems

[SirFireWolfe]

Hello all,

I've had my '87 hatchback since August, but as of the past couple of days the clutch has had some issues. See, I had the cable out earlier this week because the pedal end hadn't been properly installed by the previous owner. The pin holding it in fell out, and the whole fork connecting the cable to the pedal was bent out of shape. I got it back together but now it seems as if the clutch isn't fully engaging, the gears often grind when shifting even with it fully depressed, especially going into reverse, 1st, and 2nd, and when the car is starting, it'll creep forward even with the clutch fully depressed.

If it helps,  the car has an ea81 with a 4-speed transmission and a "hill-holder" clutch.

Any help y'all can provide on the matter would be a great help.

Edited October 17, 2021 by SirFireWolfe
Spelling corrections

[DaveT]

Sounds like you need to adjust the cable at the fork on the side of the bell housing.  If the pedal end was messed up, and they adjusted it to work like that, it might not be releasing now.

[Step-a-toe]

There is a measure, and a point to do it, to test if you are getting enough pull. The clutch fork, possibly black in an 87, often blue in earlier models. At about here is where you measure. From memory EA81 4 speed is  ¬ 15mm.....

EA82 is 25mm, so when i fitted EA82 in my EA81 body you can imagine the stuffing around I got up to to sort the 15 mm to 25mm to make it shift properly - installed EA82 clutch pedal to match the EA82 cable and drivetrain.

Also check to ensure the bracket on engine side of firewall is not detaching from firewall. Can also get fatigue flex in the pedal box that takes up cable pull length