I searched but could not find... I have a '74 with side shift and ALL fairly new bushings. If I grab the linkage and move it from the firewall back, everything is nice and tight. The shifter though has roughly 4" of play side to side at the knob. As of a couple weeks ago, third has become difficult to find

There does not appear to be any support for the shift rod inside the tunnel other than the firewall bushing. Is this correct? Is there a better solution?

The shifter itself has bushings that may need replacing. If you are getting no play in the rod back from the fire wall to the gear box, start with the shifter. However, did you replace the U joint bushings at the firewall end of the rod? When these start to go, you will get what you are describing. Also, they are often no replaced with the others.

Doc - Thanks, I did previously replace the U-joint bushings and verified last night that they are intact and tight.

Looking inside the tunnel, the shift rod moves left and right when the shifter is moved right and left. Is there no other support other than the shifter and the firewall bushings?

The shifter assembly itself is decent. Nothing broken or loose that I can see.

There is evidence of the linkage contacting the clutch cable tube but only to the point of removing some paint.

I can reliably find second, but third often is fifth instead.

I've recently driven a stock low mileage '74 914 and there is very little movement at all in its shifter mechanism. There's got to be a way to get mine to this point.

There is only the firewall bushing. It sounds like there is too much slop in your shifter. You have removed all other from consideration with your report.

Your issue does not sound like a fore-aft one, it is a side to side one. So, shift forks are good in the gear box. Your side to side motion is not being communicated because of your sloppy shifter. Check the pinch bolt at the base of the shifter to the inner tunnel shift rod.

Check all your cone screws as well. The one at the tranny had recently lossened on one of my cars causing an issue between the horizontal planes when shifting.

Doc - the pinch bolt is tight.

James - I suspected the cone screw but it appeared tight. I'll get one of my helpers to move the shifter from side to side while I'm under there and report back.

From your description I believed the pinch bolt to be OK, but it can definitely cause this. Mark the end of your shaft with a sharpie and draw the mark onto the coupler as well. Then when you move the sick side to side you can see if the sharpie line is disturbed.

Mark the end of my shaft?

I'll check it out after dinner.

Before I check though, when it's in first gear it is tight with no slop at all which tells me that the cone screw is likely tight. It's got side to side slop in the remaining forward gears.

I can readjust the side to side location to get a better 2nd and 3rd but I don't understand why it all of the sudden changed.

When my rear cone screw loosened I was hitting 1st no problem but started to nic reverse if I was not careful going to 2nd and everything in the 2-3 and 4-5 planes became a lot more vague as well as required quite a bit more movement to engage.

The linkage itself does not have to many parts, just get under there and check everything.

I suppose it could also be the ball cup busing at the tranny as well. Either way I suspect its a combination of gravity, and play in the rotational aspect of your shift linkage that is allowing the shift lever at the tranny to fall into the 4-5 plane when trying to move acorss the 2-3 plane

Yup, somehow the rotational translation of the shift rod is not being communicated with fidelity every time. If bushings are new, and your shifter is fine (I still doubt it) then the cone screw is next in line. If that is good, then you may need to pull the shift console off of the gear box and inspect. Luckily it is a simple system

Shifter bushings and springs.

The kit is cheap.

As already stated by the OP, he has all new bushings.

IN THE SHIFTER, and the springs.

Oh, you mean like I have said a few time already????

James wins the prize. The cone screw had come loose and was affecting the motion in all directions. Fore and aft you'd never really be able to tell, but side to side is VERY noticeable.

BTW, 1st gear being nice and tight is deceiving because the shifter is all the way left with no place to go. Don't use that as a reference!

I didn't locktite it, but probably should have.

Thanks for all your help!

WOOT!!! Horary for me!

Given enough time it will loosen to the point where it starts affecting the fore/aft movement and you will intermittently have a hard time engaging any gear (ask me how I know) but in my recent experience the first thing to go was the rotational precision.

I have heard these cone screws are a 1 use item. I usually just replace them as cheap insurance whenever they come out, I just didn't have any on hand last time. I would say lesson learned as it was probably less then 3k miles since I had them out. New ones come with thread locker on them so I would say loctite them at the least or just replace them.

A slightly longer cone screw drilled for safety wire would be nice.

For those looking to this thread in the future, here is an image of the setscrew with the dollop of thread locker.

Mmm hmmm Never trust, always verify

I figured this would be the best thread to ask, instead of starting a new one.

I have a new set of U-joint bushings, and was about to replace them when I question the removal of the pin holding the ujoint together.
Do you just pound the pin out, or is the Al. joint delicate and it must be pressed in/out with care?

DO I risk breaking something if not done right?
And does the pin get loose if this is done too many times?

Stu

The pin is usually very tight. Press it out, the AL is somewhat delicate.

Don't use the aluminum part of the joint to press against. Best to place a socket large enough to support the old (and later new) bushing and press out the pin. As I recall, the pin is slightly tapered toward the center. You would need to press it in an out A LOT to wear it.

Okay, so what about accurate gears all the time but there is some (maybe 1.5-2") side to side free play and the same front to back? All my linkage parts are good and tight, is that normal or is the shifter itself in need of some kind of repair?