I've noticed that when people drive my car they say it needs the clutch bled when i have no problem. Has anybody else had this problem? One of my friends couldn't get it into first, but then i hop in and get in first a couple times get out and let him try again......nope still can't do it. Then my dad drove it and said do you still need to bleed your clutch? I said not why? he said he had trouble getting it into first and second all the time. Then i took it for a drive again and it was exactly as it always was.

Tell them they need to actually push the clutch to the floor not till you feel good, those lazy b*st**ds. I had someone say that to me, and I dont have a short shifter.

when I first did my auto to manual conversion, I had a helluva time finding 1st too. going to 2nd, the pushing forward seemed to be the only way untill I got used to the shifter. its not "normal". I'm used to nuetral being the "center" spot of the shift pattern, not 3rd gear. going straight to 1st from 4th feel like your going for reverse.. and this is all with a normal sized shifter. with a short shifter, I'm sure this gets amplified, due to the smaller range of movements.

Tell them its a fiero, and you don't even really need first gear LOL

back in the 80's I had a Dodge Charger Shelby with 5 speed, and I don't know if this was normal or not, but to get reverse you had to push the shifter down/IN. Not down as in down from 1st to 2nd, but physically put down on it, and then over to the right and UP. Now I took off the small sticker showing this, and whenever anyone asked to borrow my car, I told them if they could get it out of the parking spot they could borrow it. Being they could never find reverse, they never got to use my car.

doesn't the short shifter make it take more effort because we have cables as opposed to straight in to the tranny?

I haven't even gotten the lingage thats goes on the tranny to make it shorter yet. Then it will be crazy. I guess thats an anti-theft device. If they can't drive it they can't steal it.

I've had a couple of friends try my car, one isn't on the forum, the other is sonic50. Both could not get my car into first at all, I couldn't do it left-handed so I had to get in the driver's seat. Did it as easily as ever. They get back in.....still can't reach 1st. This is on a '86 SE 4-speed with stock shifter. When I drove their cars (5-speed honda and a 4-speed '86 SE like mine) I just got right in and shifted easily, a lot more easily than in my car. I haven't driven my car in a week, because I've been trying to get the clutch pedal replaced (just need to get the banjo on....I have a thread in Tech on it). Hopefully the new pedal will help make the shifts a little less rough.

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thats exactly how it was with me, i couldn't do it with my left but then i got in and it was fine. The only exception would be my g/f. She did ok with it all when i taught her how to drive stick.

I have a short shifter (cut down 84) along with Rodney Dickman's ultimate getrag kit and I have ridiculously short shifts. During vehicle inspection one guy gave up trying to shift it and had to call another guy who had more experience.

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88 GT T-Top, 88 Fastback Chop-top (Archie #14), 1984 Indy, and 88 Chop Top T-top
Firebird Interior Installation Website

Pussy's
i have like the shortest shifter possible and all is good (V6 4 speed)
make sure the cables are adjusted properly

from the bottom of my knob to the part where the shifter rod is welded, there is lile 1/4"-3/8" of arm showing, and thats with a leather Hurst TA knob
from the ashtray door to the top of the knob is under 4" like 3-3/4"
all is good
suck it up!!

Oh my God you let other people drive your car

Hell i don't care that others have problems driving my car. I can drive it and thats all that matters.

quote Originally posted by Jake_Dragon: Oh my God you let other people drive your car

EXACTLY
I can probably count on one hand the amount of people that have driven my car and only a finger or two since the V8 swap.

The only place i've really let anyone drive my car besides my dad is in parking lots and a couple back roads. Even then only a couple people have driven it.

Usually it was they drive my car then i drive theirs. Like my friends Mustang, or my other friends thunderbird.

[This message has been edited by 865spd (edited 01-22-2006).]

I don't understand this whole "other people driving my car" concept...

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Patrick W. Heinske -- LZeitgeist@aol.com
1988 Red Fiero Formula Convertible
*Desktop Photo Here*

I went from my craptastic but reliable and easy-to-drive 97 ranger to my 87 Fiero. Pain in the ass to shift compared to the ranger. I have to shift into 1st, then 5th, then reverse, just to back up. Silverdosica had to back my GT out of the previous owner's driveway after I purchased it, and of course he took that as an opportunity to test drive it. I just stood in the middle of the road calling him a bastard while he took the first drive in my new old car.

As to who drives my Fiero... three people, for now. IROCTAFIERO, Silverdosica, and myself. Perhaps one day other Fiero fanatics will be allowed to, but I doubt if I'll ever let more than a handful of trusted friends drive my car.

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'87 Pontiac Fiero GT

I had a problem with my car staying in first gear with my short shifter. I need new shift/select cables though. If i was from a stop i'd have to go 5th 4th 1st before moving to get it to stay in first. I've let my brother and my dad try to drive my car. no one can find any gear cept 2 3 and 4

I have the perfectly stock '84 4 speed, which means it has a fairly short shifter to begin with. if I use both hands I can CLUNK it into reverse.
Normal gears require a fair bit of forcing. It's not a clutch or a gear problem, it's completly consistant with the engine on or off. Near as I can tell, it's really badly binding cables. And you know what? I kinda like it. On a normal car I have utterly no idea where I am by feel. No feedback.
With the Fiero on the other hand, you know where you are, and you need to be damn sure of where you want to go to get there.

I dont feel so bad now, my wife hasent even driven my car/s (her choice)
My shifter has been cut down and it goes into every gear. I do have to sometimes hit second before it will down shift into first but only if my RPMs are kind of high. Reverse is easy if you adjust the shifter.

I've got the 4 spd in mine. Reverse is a pain in the ass for the few that I've let drive my car. I admit, it was a pain when I first got it. You really have to knock it over to hit reverse.

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FORMERLY KNOWN AS: sqoach

My dad's '86 4 speed is somewhat hard to shift to first. You have to throw it to the left to get it lined up. I think that's how all those 4 speeds are though. My Isuzu is fairly easy to shift, even with it being a short shifter.

quote Originally posted by iced_theater: My dad's '86 4 speed is somewhat hard to shift to first. You have to throw it to the left to get it lined up. I think that's how all those 4 speeds are though. My Isuzu is fairly easy to shift, even with it being a short shifter.

The shifter sits to the right in neutral, between 3-4. This is fine by me, as the reverse-clunking part means a solid stop to the left between 1-2 to move the shifter against.
At least I dont ever fear going into reverse by accident. I have a hard enough time getting there on purpose.

For reverse if i don't go up into fifth first it will grind other than that it goes in no problem.