Shifting Into Second, Repair Suggestions Options

[windforfun]

What's more or less required to improve sloppy shifting into second gear? It wants to go into reverse unless I'm very careful. The car has about 45K miles on it. Does the transmission have to removed? Thanks.

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[Tom_T]

In addition to what George & the others have suggested above - since yours with VIN ....3000's is probably a Fall 72 DoM, it's now had 38 years of wear & use, so check the bushings - but as you get used to the 914's trans pattern, you'll develop the technique of roughly aiming for the glovebox/radio area to properly hit the gates coming out of 1st to 2nd.

Also, you should have a reverse lock-out spring in there to prevent accidental shift there, although the "gate-lock" is technically at the horizontal 1st/Rev gate - which will help you avoid "bounce-back into R if you get the pattern move right (even before you get around to replacing the shift bushings). So also check to see that the gate-lock is in there & operating, since they can jamb open, fail or get removed by DAPOs!