I test drove a black 87 GT with 35,000 miles today that is for sale locally. The car is bone stock. It's a beautiful one owner car. The 5-speed Getrag clutch and shifting operation is perfect, but it seems a little high on the pedal compared to mine.

Here is what it looked like...

I was curious what some other Getrag 5-speed owners here had to say about theirs. When comparing it to your Getrag 5-speed, please be sure to mention 3 things.....

1 - mileage on clutch
2 - original clutch or replaced
3 - stock hydraulics or modified (adj banjo, modded slave rod, etc)

I've read some long term Fiero owners replaced their clutch at 100,000 miles. Where was the engagement/disengagement points when it was new? Where was it at 50,000 miles? How about at 100,000 miles when it started slipping?

Thanks!

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 06-06-2005).]

Ok... guess nobody owns a Getrag here

People will often say if it's toward the top of the stroke the clutch is worn out, but that is way too general. For some people "at the top" means the very top, for others it means "toward the top"

Also... people will say 1" off the floor fully engaged is a "like new" clutch. I have a very hard time with this. That would mean the clutch would start to grab right off the floor. It would also mean you would have to push the pedal into the floor to get complete disengagement. This is not normal, this is not how these cars left the dealerships new.

I don't think people realize how small 1" is when they are lifting their foot. I think when people say 1" they really mean 2" or more. There is no way it's normal to be fully engaged 1" off the floor with 7" of pedal travel. If your clutch is fully engaged 1" off the floor, then you have a problem with your hydraulic system or a modified system.

We all know how problematic Fiero clutch hydraulics can be. It is my opinion that in many cases people are used to very low clutch engagements/disengagements because their hydraulic system is not working 100%. We read about those promblems all the time.

I'm trying to figure out what a stock Getrag with VERY low miles is like in comparison. (like 5k to 15k miles)

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 06-07-2005).]

people basing where it grabs as clutch life is leftover from cable clutches that required adjusting and the pedals position actually changed for when it grabbed and released - a hydraulic system is self adjusting so there are only a few things than affect its possition.. being slave and master rod lengths, pedal shape, and air in the system - typically the lower to the floor the mroe air is in the system

ideally the clutch should be fully disengaged at about 66-75% depressed and be fully engaged at 33-25%

Thanks for the input Kohburn.

This is what I was looking for to explain my hunch. I guess I needed somebody to explain it to me in another fashion. If anything is wrong with the external system (master, slave, air, bent pedal, banjo, etc) it will bring the engagement/disengagement points lower to the floor. A healthy system will have no disengagement problems and you shouldn't have to jam your foot into the floor to get it.

I would also like to add that the Getrags are the only ones with a larger slave bore (15/16") so they have a shorter slave throw. You often hear the Fiero needs roughly 1" slave throw for full disengagement, but that only applies to Muncie 4-sp and Isuzu 5-sp with 13/16" slave bore.

All Fiero clutch master cylinder bore = 11/16" (roughly 1.5" throw)
Muncie 4sp & Isuzu 5sp slave bore = 13/16" (roughly 1" throw)
Getrag 5sp slave bore = 15/16" (roughly 3/4" throw)

Reguardless what the Fiero experts say on their websites, it's impossible for all Fiero's to have the same slave throw, physics will not allow it.

I wonder how this would affect pedal position if at all?

The 87 GT with 35,000 miles I test drove might need a clutch in 1000 miles, or it might last till 100,000 miles, nobody knows because there is no way to tell and I don't know how it was driven. My 88 GT with 50,000 miles feels very similar with all new factory GM hydraulics, and 40,000 of those miles are all highway miles in 5th gear. There is no way that clutch is worn out from 10,000 miles of city use driven properly.

I guess there is really no way to tell via the pedal. <shrug>

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 06-21-2005).]

First of all, Skybax, thanks for posting the data .

How were you able to obtain those measurements? Meself, uncoordinated as I am, would have real tough time "pulling out from a dead stop," while taking a reading from a ruler on the floorboard. Same goes for "pushing pedal in while moving in gear," and taking a measurement. Second thought, don't think I'll try it... I'd likely create a pedestrian hazard, and/or hurt my back, what with my head down there at the floorboard .

Did you have a helper do the measurements, perhaps? Not trying to be a smart aleck here, just wondering how you managed to get it done. I have a working Getrag (mileage unknown), but was thinking about how I'd even go about getting those measurements.

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[This message has been edited by StuGood (edited 06-07-2005).]

Good question Stu...

They are "rough" measurements but very close.

The pedal is 7" from the floor, the halfway point is 3.5".

If you go into a empty parking lot, where nobody is in front of you, and no chances of hitting something, turn the interior lights on, place your foot on the lower half of the pedal so you can still see the pedal, and watch it as you bring it up from the floor. You can calculate the distance because you know the halfway point and final resting point measurements.

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 06-07-2005).]