Reply to "linkage adjustment"

Hi Vince,

Removing the little 'plunger' will not cause any problems. I would suspect that one of your three UJ's is not gripping it's splined shaft tight enough. I suggest you check all three. There are two bolts on each. These need to be very tight. The first one is under your centre console. You can just about access this though your ash tray hole. The other two are visible in the engine compartment. You will need a long 13mm spanner to get enough leverage to get them really tight. I had one on my car that kept slipping, no matter how tight I did up the bolt. In the end I got over this by putting molly grease on the bolt threads, this allowed the nut to go that much tighter. It never slipped again.

Once you have eliminated any slipping in the for and aft movement, you now have to check the adjuster turn buckle. If this is not tight, it will allow torsional slipping (left to right in the gate)

Now to make the final adjustment. Put the transaxle into neutral position and loosen the turn buckle. The nut with the notches cut out of the corners is a left hand thread. With the turn buckle loose, get a friend to hold the stick in centre of the gate, and tighten it off. Try the gears, there should be an even gap between the stick and the gate (for and aft) when in 2nd and 3rd. If not, loosen the turn buckle and wind the gear stick forward or back a little until you are happy with the for and aft movement. Now check to see if you can get reverse and 5th. If not, loosen the buckle again and move the stick a tiny bit t the left or right, and tighten it off. Keep doing this until it is right. I have only ever done this on my own, but I am sure it would be easier with help.

Don't forget to oil the UJ's and lubricate the shaft with anti seize grease where it passes through the trunnion bearing (under the left hand header).

Johnny