I bought a 87 fiero that had a broke shifter cable. I replaced the shift cable expecting to be able to put the tranny in gear and to move on. I can shift in all five gears and reverse but when i let off the clutch the care does not move. It doesn't even dog the motor down. What do you think is the trouble?
Also i can shift while the motor is running and the cluch is out and i don't hear any grinding.

If you're really lucky, maybe one of the axles popped out of place? Check where the inner CV joints go into the transaxle.

That doesn't sound like the problem.. sounds like for some reason the clutch isn't engaging at all. This could mean the clutch it totally worn, or that the tranny isn't actually in gear (or faulty).
You mentioned you can shift while the engine is running, with no grinding. Can you shift without the clutch pedal depressed? There is pressure in the pedal, correct?
Does the shifter linkage "feel" right when you are shifting through gears?
Somehow, it is either stuck in neutral or the clutch isn't engaging with the flywheel.

If it feels okay, then see if the slave cyl piston is moving? It should move about an inch or a lil more. Sounds like yours may be stuck open or something.

Phil

------------------
GTDude
OVER 25 years GM experience

my car had the same thing when i bought it is most likey it it the cluch

Could be the throwout bearing binding on the shaft not releasing.

It is the clutch, because if it had a broken shifter cable when you purchased it, then the clutch locked up and trhe pervious owner had no clue and clutch was stuck in one gear, and so what the pervious owner did was try to forcefully shift gears, but by doing so he broke the shifter cable, so to get it towed he/she disengaged the clutch by going back in the engine compartment and dis-engaging the clutch manually by hand not by shifting. This way it was in neutral. Have the clutch replaced and calibrate your shifter cable..everything should be ok.

I can have the engine running with the cluch out and shift the gears. I can feal it shifting in the tranny but i don't hear any grinding. I can shift it mannually at the tranny and nothing happens. all 5 gears and REVERSE.
Also when removing the transmission where can i get the fixture that goes across the engine compartment to hold the engine.
The book also says to hoist up the back of the cato remoce the cradle. Where do you hook up the hoist?

Clarification:
If one axle pops out of engagement with the side gear in the transaxle, that (nonengaged) side will just spin (because it's a differential), and neither wheel will be driven.

Saw this happen on a Nissan Sentra (FWD) once, after a shop had replaced the clutch. The car worked fine for a few days, then suddenly there was no "go." Found out one of the output shafts had slid partially out of the trans.

The GM axles are retained in the transaxle with snap rings; I suppose it is possible for a snap ring to fail or be omitted. I didn't say it was likely - in fact it's probably very unlikely - but it is worth checking, before you bother pulling the transaxle out. Real test is: raise and support rear of car, rotate one tire forward and observe the other tire - it should rotate the opposite direction. If it doesn't, check axle engagement to the transaxle.

Do measure the stroke of the clutch slave cylinder as suggested, to verify that the external (hydraulic) linkage is working properly. Finally, if you determine you are going to pull the transaxle and replace the clutch, please read this: http://members.yourlink.net/dragon/parks/clutch.htm

Thanks. Stu shut up now .

[This message has been edited by StuGood (edited 07-02-2002).]