Re: Sticking shifter on manual transmission

[Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>]

Column shifters get notoriously sloppy with age. They wear at every  
pivot point and linkage, from the lever pivot on the column all the  
way down.

Follow the TSM procedure, even a sloppy one will mostly work when  
adjusted right.  What often happens is, wear makes holes larger,  
effectively reducing the travel of levers, making it hard to get into/ 
out of gear, and makes neutral really wide and sloppy.

You can always buy an aftermarket floor shifter :-) Seriously, if it  
fits in your aesthetic it will solve the problem. I had one on a t89  
OD trans in my 63 Classic once upon a time.



On Nov 2, 2005, at 1:05 PM, <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Adjust the shifter before you pull the trans! It sounds like your  
> engaging first too far and not engaging reverse far enough. Check  
> bushings and make sure neutral is centered in the throw of the  
> first reverse side of the column. Years ago I helped pull a three  
> speed out of a Ford truck to fix the same problem and it turned out  
> to be a shifter adjustment/bushing issue.--
> Mark Price
> markprice242ATadelphia.net
> Morgantown, WV
>
>
> ---- Justin Shelton <justinshelton@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Hi, Guys:
> >
> > My '62 Cross County project is coming along really
> > nicely.  The engine hadn't been running since maybe
> > the mid-70s, but in 3 evenings of work I was able to
> > get it running using various extra parts I have
> > stockpiled .  Last night I got the rebuilt master
> > cylinde installed on the car, and this week I'll
> > rebuild the break cylinders.
> >
> > My next problem is the clutch and transmission, which
> > is a 3-speed manual with OD.  Before I had the car
> > running, I went to push it into my garage, but the
> > column shifter was stuck in first.  No amount of
> > wiggling the column shifter would pop it out, so I
> > crawled under the car (of course it was over a mud
> > puddle at the time!) and was able to pop it out of
> > gear, then roll it into the garage.  Thereafter I was
> > able to periodically run through the "H" shift
> > pattern, but every now and again it would get stuck in
> > first, and every time I'd have to climb under the car
> > to un-stick it.
> >
> > I have drained and refilled the transmission and have
> > lubricated the shifter linkages.
> >
> > Since getting the car running, I have actually driven
> > the car forward in first, but at nothing faster than a
> > slow creeping pace due to lack of brakes.  The car,
> > when shifted into reverse, didn't move; it just made a
> > sound like a very worn throw-out bearing.
> >
> > I plan to pull the transmission and send it in for a
> > once-over when I replace the clutch.  My question is,
> > does anyone know what to do about that aggrevating
> > sticking shifter?  Is there any chance that the
> > stickiness is related to something internal to the
> > transmission, or are problems more prone to be in the
> > shifter linkage assembly?
> >
> > Thanks for tips and help.  I appreciate that you guys
> > walk me through all this stuff!
> >
> > - Justin