Hard Shifting Options

[lsintampa]

75 2.0

I can shift into all gears, but shifting is hard...

What I mean by hard is that I need to put some muscle into getting the car into some of the gears.

1st - grinds just about every time I try to get it in.

2nd - easiest to shift into

3rd - hard to engage

4th - harder to engage than 3rd

5th - hard to engage

Aside from that, there have been times that it was equally hard to get it out of a gear.

New bushings - adjusted shift pattern I think correctly.

Car is new to me and has only been running (motor rebuild recently) maybe 400 miles since the rebuild. I did have the tranny axle seals replaced - but that's about all that's been done to it.

[Mblizzard]

Sounds like you need to move the shift lever couplet further toward the rear on the shift rod.

First remove all the stuff to get access to the shift lever.

Remove the access panel under the center cushion.

Place the lever on a position where you can easily access the 13 mm bolt. Use a pair of vise grips on the shift rod in the access panel so you can be sure it does not move.

Make marks on the coupler and rod to define the centerline in case you let the rod slip while adjusting. A silver sharpie works well.

Use the sharpie to make a ring where the shifter coupler and rod come together.

Loosen the 13mm bolt and move the lever forward so that you cover the ring you drew on the rod.

Verify you are in line on your center line marks. Tighten the 13mm bolt. Remove vise grips! Drive and test. It is a small adjustment so it make take a couple of tires to get it right. You can easily get it back to where you were by reverting to your original marks.