I am new to the board, I am looking at purchasing a 1989 CRX. Here is the deal, it has 200k all stock. When you start the car up, you can put it into gear, but if you take it out and try to put it in any gear, it wont go. The clutch isn't disengauging, the linkage is moving when you push the clutch down. I am thinking its a stretched cable, but thought I would check here first. I did some searching, but nothing conclusive. Also, what kind of cable do you recommend, OEM? I have had problems with aftermarket cables on my Suzukis.

 

if it was the cable then it wldnt disengage at all, but your saying you can pull off from first but when you shift into second it wont disengage?

 

It doesn't have tags on it, so all I was doing was moving it back and forth. The car was sitting for an unknown amount of time in someones garage, which I forgot to mention. I started it up, put it in first it moved no problem, then I tried to put it in reverse to back up and it wouldn't go. I tried 1st, and every other gear and nothing. I was able to force it back into first (but it didn't grind), and was able to shift into second. I tried to put it in reverse and and it wouldn't go, just grind. We shut it off and restarted it after a few minutes and it went in again? So something funny is going on, so I was thinking of starting with the cable.

 

try adjusting the clutch cable inside the engine bay...!!!

 

Update: So I got it on the road, and here is what it is doing. I haven't tried adjusting the cable yet, it has been bitterly cold and I have been working quite a bit.

The car shifts fine sometimes, but mostly you have to slowly let the clutch out and slide it into gear. This is mainly on 1st and reverse, reverse being the worst, sometimes it will just grind. It feels like the synchro's are worn, but would adjusting the cable help? Fluid change?

 

do the adjustment first. just tighten the **** until you can get it to engage. If it still feels like ****, I'd replace the clutch. New fluid would be nice as well. I personally always use Oem Honda MTF. BTW, there is no reverse synchro. It's a straight cut spur gear.

 

Would a blown motor mount do the same thing? I have a buddy who had it happen to his mazda, and he said he had similar issues. Visually the mounts look fine. I tried tightening the ****, and it didn't seem to make it better, it may have made it worse. I loosened it up more then it was initially and it seems better.

Any info would be appreciated.

 

take it apart and inspect the clutch.

 

Your clutch cable is sticking lubricate it wit liquid graphite lube.i had the same problem when i bought my ef cause it sat for 4 years

Edit oh yeah when it happen to me it was worse cause i was on a steep hill