Can't shift into 4th gear., ¿#&@$%! Options

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Ok, I've been adjusting the shifter in the cabin per the various shop manuals. Currently, I can get every gear except 4th. Even the slightest of changes doesn't seem to work. If I take slightly larger adjustments, my shifting becomes R-1-2-3 or 2-3-4-5. So, yes, 4th is possible and I was able to use 4th for a couple of months prior to this sudden blockage (for lack of a better word). It's as if a rubber bumper was placed in front of the shifter where the 4th gear position should be.

Now, this car is of questionable past and shows signs of neglect. 1-2 gears need to be eased into otherwise they grind. I do have a rebuilt tranny that I kept from my last teener but I really don't want to install it unless I really have to i.e. the failure is in the original tranny. She's still driveable, it would just be nice to have use of 4th gear.

When I dropped the engine/tranny to fix the oil leaks and clean everything, then put it back into the car, I installed new shifter bushings and cone screws, and liberally greased everything. Could it be that I put the engine in slightly askew? Suggestions/help please.

[ClayPerrine]

I would bet on the coupler bushings first, but there is another possible culprit.

The spot weld that holds the shift rod together could have broken. It's back by the shift console on the side of the tranny.


Do the coupler bushings first. Make sure that you take the pin and use a chisel to rough up the center of it before reinstalling it. Otherwise it will back out, and you will have shifting problems again.