1993 Nissan NX Cranks but won't turn over.

Ok so I just got a 93 nx 1600. Learned to drive a stick just to get this car.

Problem 1:
Car was running rough due to the cv axles needing replacing. I was driving the car around and when I finished at my final destination and went to start the car I hit the clutch pedal and it popped and hit the floor. Spent 2hrs in the cold replacing it just to have the cable (ca-810 from autozone) appear to be too long because the pedal now has a slow return and it still doesn't pop all the way back up and we've tightened it as far as it can go. It was still drivable, but the shifting into first and reverse became HARD AS HELL, literally have to slam it in, but 2nd-5th gears are smooth as butter. ANY IDEAS ON THAT?

Problem 2:
Now the cable was working out fine, car did all I needed it to even with the difficult shifting. We replaced the cv axles yesterday and checked all the fluids before testing them out, everything was great aside from the gas tank. I drove it up the street and back then my friend took it for a spin to get a feel for the hard shifting. He drove it in circles and then parked it and cut it off. It sat for 5 minutes while we tried to figure out the clutch cable and the shifting. Drove it to auto zone a mile or 2 away, parked it, went in for about 15min then the store for another 10-15min. Came back and when I went to start my car it wouldn't start, it just cranked. Thought it was the low fuel so we got some and filled up the tank, pumped the pedal and tried it again and still nothing. So popped the hood checked the fuses and spark plugs and everything was good. Late and cold so he pushed it back home with his car. Checked it again today spark plugs are fine, distributor was oily we cleaned it and did a temporary fix on the rubber seal/gasket. Put it all back together and it's still just cranking. We need som help here were stumped on what to check for.

Help please!