Stiff/Resistance Gearstick

Hey All,

Anyone experienced a mechanical resistance when pushing your gearstick to the left to go into first or second and resistance when pushing right to go into fifth gear and reverse?

I have no problem getting into the gears there just seems to be resistance when pushing the gearstick over. Def feels mechanical and with a bit pressure the gearstick goes over and the gear can be selected. The gearstick returns to centre so I dont think its the spring.

I have lubed up all the rods underneath the car and the nylon ball thingy at the end of the gearstick under the trim but it remains to some degree.

Anyone got any ideas? Seems am having constant problems with this gearbox. Apart from that a nice reliable car, once I get all the faults sorted! Thanks in advance.

Fejao.
 
OP
OP
F
No the gears go in fine, the clutch works fine its just when your pushing the gearstick over there is resistance before you push it up to put it into gear.
 
could be the spring which makes the gearstick return to the central position.
to get to all that business you will need to take off the exhaurst heat shields (a few 10mm bolts) and get at it from under the car.
 
As frank mentioned, it will probably be the universal joint thingy at the gearbox end of the linkage.
Try taking the bolt out, soaking it in oil (3 in 1 oil seems to work best IMHO) then stick a screwdriver where the bolt usually goes and work it back and forward, side to side for a few minutes until it moves freely.

Have a look at the spring Noddie mentioned directly under the gearstick while the heatshield is off. It won't affect the effort required to select gear but if its broken the gearstick flops about a bit. You can fix it by bending one of the coils round and hooking it back on where the spring should locate. You'll see what I mean when you find the spring!
 

pollyp

Club Member
aye universal joint needs an overhaul as it's exposed to the elements and the bushes tend to dry up, rust and seize solid against the nylon and the middle bolt (makes disassembly difficult).

take out the gear linkage shaft, take apart the bushes (maybe the riveted one too with a grinder if it feels seized too then replace with nut/bolt), wirebrush n clean the bushes, regrease, bolt back up.

or just try a dab of oil as mentioned above, unbolt from gearbox and move the linkages to their full extent to work the oil through the whole bush surfaces, rebolt up
 

frank

Club Member
Okay,

Looks like I will be doing this at the weekend, fairly easy job to do?

if its the riveted one thats seized, you would have to grind the pin off and open up the hole to fit a bolt instead, (the bolted one is straight forward tho)
i would try some oil on it first
 

Manny

Ex. Club Member
if its the riveted one thats seized, you would have to grind the pin off and open up the hole to fit a bolt instead, (the bolted one is straight forward tho)
i would try some oil on it first

will you be able to see this joint if you look under the car?
 
OP
OP
F
Yeh I have greased the bolt joint near the gearbox with vaseline as its all I had at the time, will take it off and have a look this weekend.

However thinking about it I do think its the gear linkages, cause going into 1 or second and 5th and reverse, cause the gear linkage to rotate, while 3rd & 4th it does'nt and I have no problems in these gears with stiffness.

However just to clarify its not an issue getting into any of the gears, the problem is mechanical resistance when pushing the gearstick over to select 1&2 & 5&R and the gearstick centers fine so its not the spring under the heatshield.

Is the gear linkage assembly easy to remove totally, push rods and gearstick assembly? Do I need to remove the exhaust? I will post my results after I take it all apart.

Regards

Fejao
 

pollyp

Club Member
yea dead easy. unbolt and slide the front heatshield back, removing the 2nd cat makes access abit easier. unbolt linkage from the gearstick. unbolt the universal joint from the gearbox selector, pull off link arm and overhaul.
 
OP
OP
F
Hey all,

Just a wee update on this thread. Took off heatshied and WD40 the hell out of it, all looked clean and rust free but decided just to oil it up. Front universal joint pulled apart, cleaned, WD40 it. Now have a great smooth gearshift :)

fejaouk
 
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