Transmission pops out of first gear

[Marv]

We have a 1987 Honda Prelude with a manual 5 speed. When I try to put it into 1st gear it grinds. When I get it in, I have to push on the shift lever to keep it in gear. The other gears, 2-5 seem to work fine.
Question. What should I be checking/adjusting to make it shift into first gear and stay there without grinding or pushing on the shift lever?

Topic

[Mike]

This page gives a description of how to adjust your clutch cable, clutch pedal height release point, and clutch pedal free play. The description is a bit blurry, and the way it’s composed makes it easy to link the wrong specs to the wrong year of car. You’ll have to pay attention and do a bit of deciphering to fully get it.

If that doesn’t cure your issue, I’d say you’re looking at replacing the clutch and throw out bearing. What you describe are classic symptoms of a failing clutch.

[Ole Eggers]

Even if the clutch is failing, you should be able to put in first gear and start the car while it is in gear. It should be able to run without holding the gear stick. If not, it´s the locking mechanism for that particular gear. It´s basically a steel ball that is spring loaded and the stell ball will match a notch on an axle. On some transmissions, you can get to the lock without taking the gearbox apart…… on others, you can´t.

If you do try to start the car in gear without using the cluch, please be careful and don´t do it on a crowded street.

Well, actually, if the clutch is cable operated and the cable has snapped, you can still drive your car home. Just release gas pedal a tad, put in neutral, press the gas a tad and release again before changing into the desired gear. That was the way it was done before gearboxes was sync´ed.

[Author]

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