Shifter bar all of a sudden hitting engine mount bar..., Ideas? Options

[wonkipop]

Transmission mounts look a little low to me. Could also be the rubber engine mounts. Set the parking brake, start the engine, and have a helper put it in 1st and release the clutch a little while you watch the engine (hatch open). If the engine raises up on one side a couple inches you probably have a bad mount. Not fun to change either.

what IHR says. post some photos of the front engine mounts between cross bar and engine. might have been the pop sound you heard? one might have gone already and the other one let go with the noise you heard. i replaced all mine 2 years ago, they were originals. the front ones would not have lasted a week in the car once i had it back on the road after recommission. if they let go the engine is going to move around on its axis and alter the relationship of the shift rod to the engine support bar.

the noise you heard will definitely be connected to whats happened.

i had a gearbox mount let go on a front wheel drive renault. it manifested itself immediately in a clonk from the exhaust system at the rear of the car as things shifted around on axis.

[Millerwelds]

Transmission mounts look a little low to me. Could also be the rubber engine mounts. Set the parking brake, start the engine, and have a helper put it in 1st and release the clutch a little while you watch the engine (hatch open). If the engine raises up on one side a couple inches you probably have a bad mount. Not fun to change either.

what IHR says. post some photos of the front engine mounts between cross bar and engine. might have been the pop sound you heard? one might have gone already and the other one let go with the noise you heard. i replaced all mine 2 years ago, they were originals. the front ones would not have lasted a week in the car once i had it back on the road after recommission. if they let go the engine is going to move around on its axis and alter the relationship of the shift rod to the engine support bar.

the noise you heard will definitely be connected to whats happened.

i had a gearbox mount let go on a front wheel drive renault. it manifested itself immediately in a clonk from the exhaust system at the rear of the car as things shifted around on axis.

Rubber upper engine mounts appear fine. No movement on the engine. I replaced them at some point when I had the engine out after the brass distributor drive gear ate itself.

Also no weird vibration or other issues when driving it after the pop. I will try to get video of the shifter bar hitting the engine bar.

[bdstone914]

Transmission mounts look a little low to me. Could also be the rubber engine mounts. Set the parking brake, start the engine, and have a helper put it in 1st and release the clutch a little while you watch the engine (hatch open). If the engine raises up on one side a couple inches you probably have a bad mount. Not fun to change either.

what IHR says. post some photos of the front engine mounts between cross bar and engine. might have been the pop sound you heard? one might have gone already and the other one let go with the noise you heard. i replaced all mine 2 years ago, they were originals. the front ones would not have lasted a week in the car once i had it back on the road after recommission. if they let go the engine is going to move around on its axis and alter the relationship of the shift rod to the engine support bar.

the noise you heard will definitely be connected to whats happened.

i had a gearbox mount let go on a front wheel drive renault. it manifested itself immediately in a clonk from the exhaust system at the rear of the car as things shifted around on axis.

Rubber upper engine mounts appear fine. No movement on the engine. I replaced them at some point when I had the engine out after the brass distributor drive gear ate itself.

Also no weird vibration or other issues when driving it after the pop. I will try to get video of the shifter bar hitting the engine bar.

@Millerwelds
Is the shift rod going thru the bg hole in the engine bar ?

[Millerwelds]

Ok did a little more digging this AM. The shifter is hitting the rod in the tunnel a bit. I don’t think it is the only issue though as I should be able to move the tube with the shifter and a lot of force and nothing is moving so I feel like the shift rod is hitting the engine mount bar but I did find this while further inspecting the inside of the tunnel.



The circular plate the clutch tube is welded to cracked and split. That would be the source of the pop. I assume you have to cut open and weld it back to correct? Guess I will start there.

[Millerwelds]

@Millerwelds
Is the shift rod going thru the bg hole in the engine bar ?
[/quote]

Yes





Bars are hitting each other in the top right of the hole

Both pictures should be turned to the right for proper orientation

[ChrisFoley]

Have you removed the plastic cover at the transmission shift console yet?

[euro911]

Passenger side

I'll concur with Andy - the bolt for the engine mount bar on the passenger side appears to be bent rearward. I'd start there, jack up the bar and replace the bolt to see if that cures the issue (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[Millerwelds]

Have you removed the plastic cover at the transmission shift console yet?

Yes. All good there as far as bushings and conical screw.

[Millerwelds]

... double post

[wonkipop]

a rotation of the shift rod under the engine would be one explanation for the contacting with the engine mount bar. you might have to take a good look at the shifter end of the bar in the tunnel and the shifter rod in the tunnel.

sounds like engine mounts can be eliminated, despite the bent engine mount bar where you say nothing has changed since beforehand.

there is a bit of stuff in the factory manual for the adjustment procedure telling you what position the bottom of the shift mechanism should be in for the gear planes.

have you got that manual.

it sounds as if the shift lever rod forced the clutch cable tube out of position causing the popping sound and cracking the cable tube plate rather than the other way around? like something might have let go in the shifter connections to the shift lever etc. maybe. bit hard to tell from the photo.

a mate of mine had the clutch cable tube let go in his 6 about 25 years ago and i helped him fix it. trying to remember what happened. i seem to remember it meant the clutch operation screwed up at the pedal and the car was undriveable. its a long time ago.
this sounds a little bit different, but maybe a clutch cable tube failing can do this?
someone here would know, was something 914s were famous for. touch wood in my case.

[Millerwelds]

it sounds as if the shift lever rod forced the clutch cable tube out of position causing the popping sound and cracking the cable tube plate rather than the other way around? like something might have let go in the shifter connections to the shift lever etc. maybe. bit hard to tell from the photo.

I think it is the other way around. The pop occurred when I pushed in the clutch so I think that tension caused the crack in the cable tube plate which may have then affected the shift rod.

On another note I just saw your screen name and I find it funny that this whole thing was started by a "Wonkipop". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Bartlett 914]

One thing that comes to mind is the weld on the shift rod near the shift console often breaks. I would remove the shift rod and check this.

[wonkipop]

it sounds as if the shift lever rod forced the clutch cable tube out of position causing the popping sound and cracking the cable tube plate rather than the other way around? like something might have let go in the shifter connections to the shift lever etc. maybe. bit hard to tell from the photo.

I think it is the other way around. The pop occurred when I pushed in the clutch so I think that tension caused the crack in the cable tube plate which may have then affected the shift rod.

On another note I just saw your screen name and I find it funny that this whole thing was started by a "Wonkipop". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

of course, sorry, i just re-read your description of disaster sequence.

i just had a look at mine, put it in 4 and 5th. there is a fair bit of clearance room there through the engine carrier beam. the rod does not move a great deal up or down in plane in relation to the hole when its all working like its supposed to. i checked through all the gears. the rod stays more or less central in that hole.

something has really moved in yours.

or something only moved a little bit and because the engine support rod was already damaged it was on the edge of jamming but you had been getting away with it and now it finally did foul on the limited clearance due to the bent support carrier.

suggestions to get hold of a good engine support beam make sense.
at least get that part right and then move on to what other issue might have tweaked it into the realm of not working on the engine carrier you presently have.

what do they say about plane crashes. its never one thing. but a sequence?
sounds like maybe the clutch cable tube did pop, would not be unusual in a 914.
(i reach to touch wood again). and maybe then its tweaked the shift rod enough that it jambs. but it would not have jambed if the engine beam was AOK and as it should have been.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Millerwelds]

of course, sorry, i just re-read your description of disaster sequence.

i just had a look at mine, put it in 4 and 5th. there is a fair bit of clearance room there through the engine carrier beam. the rod does not move a great deal up or down in plane in relation to the hole when its all working like its supposed to. i checked through all the gears. the rod stays more or less central in that hole.

something has really moved in yours.

or something only moved a little bit and because the engine support rod was already damaged it was on the edge of jamming but you had been getting away with it and now it finally did foul on the limited clearance due to the bent support carrier.

suggestions to get hold of a good engine support beam make sense.
at least get that part right and then move on to what other issue might have tweaked it into the realm of not working on the engine carrier you presently have.

what do they say about plane crashes. its never one thing. but a sequence?
sounds like maybe the clutch cable tube did pop, would not be unusual in a 914.
(i reach to touch wood again). and maybe then its tweaked the shift rod enough that it jambs. but it would not have jambed if the engine beam was AOK and as it should have been.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Agreed. I am going to start with the tunnel repair and see where it ends up. Then engine bar if need be.

[wonkipop]

report back when you crack it.
valuable information for owners. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Millerwelds]

report back when you crack it.
valuable information for owners. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

Will do