Shifter issue?., Shifter going hard right into 4th Options

[sbruzek]

Hi all

I have a 73 2.0. My shifter goes into each gear fine (if carefully guided into 2nd/3rd) My issue is that it pops out of 1st hard and takes it all the way over to 4th instead of out of 1st and up to 2nd gear. If I hold it tight I can guide it up into 2nd ok but it doesn’t ever have a smooth move into 2nd. It always wants to go all the way up/over to 4th as it comes out of 1st.
Is an adjustment needed to the shift rod or do I have an issue with the shifter? Seems like spring is too strong as it comes our of 1st but I like that it comes out crisply so there is not much chance of a down shift into 1st by mistake. Is there guide or ?, in the shifter that is worn/missing that allows it to move too far to the right, past 2nd, and over too far into 4th.

There is a spacer under the shifter. I think that means someone might have put in a short shifter, as to the best of my knowledge stock shifters don’t have the spacer. It looks like shifter itself is stock based on pics I’ve seen and typical wear.

Any suggestions?

Thanx

Steve

[76-914]

Check the plastic bits in the u-joint at the firewall and the conical allen screws 1st. It should have a rubber bellow covering it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[sbruzek]

Thanks for the reply. I have already replaced all the plastic fittings and grommets along the shift rod, and the boot by the firewall, and on the shift rod coupling that connects to the transmission. So those should be good. Doing that did take out some of the sloppiness but did not correct this issue of shifter wanting to move into 4th instead of 2nd

[injunmort]

realign shift rod and readjust clutch cable

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

I would look at the adjustment, of course and also the bend of the rear rod. Also make sure that some one did not, at one time, install that weltmeister shifter spring kit, which makes it pop out harder (people thought that you installing it that it would keep them from going into reverse by accident)

[sbruzek]

Thank you!

First, I’ll adjust the linkage and check the clutch cable too.

Since it shifts easily between 2, 3, 4 and 5 and main issue is that hard pop coming out of 1st I’d suspect the spring kit the Doc mentioned.

Any way to ID those springs just looking at the shifter???

Thanx

Steve

[rhodyguy]

Loose the plate under the shifter. IIRC, the SS kit came with longer bolts than stock. The springs in the kit are pretty stout. The lever runs pretty hard on the detention plate getting to R/1 using the aftermarket springs. Going out of the R/1 plane, the shift lever jumps out to right where it needs to be for 2/3 guided along the plate.

[sbruzek]

I adjusted the shifter. The rod was not completely inserted into the coupler or rotated far enough clockwise. The adjustment solved the popping out too hard issue.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Steve