Car is running/driving now with the exception of the starter - ignition switch wire and the lack of reverse. The shifter clicks into a gear (where Reverse is) but the car goes forward. Every other gear makes the car go forward too. WTH is this? I tried messing with the linkage, tightening/loosing the 13mm bolt on the top of the shift linkage...nothing and it is REALLY loose, like it was before all of this.. any suggestions?
thnks in advance
mike

 

I think you are on the right course. Sounds like the linkage.

 

Okay, adjusting all the bolts I can find on the linkage produces no notable improvements. I have a spare linkage, but I don't see it doing much at all. What do you guys suggest?? It feels like I am hitting all 6 gears (5 forward 1 reverse) but none are reverse. I suspect the linkage is so loose that I am not hitting all 6 gears but the same few? When the lever is in 1st (what i believe to be) the linkage is forward and slides out a little to the drivers side. Same with 2nd, the "rest" (3/4/5/r?) the linkage slides back to the pass. side and into 3 seperate positons. Sound right??

thanks
mike

 

bump before I leave for the night...the good weather won't hold too much longer and I hate riding in the rain..pleasehelp!!

 

1st gear should pull the shift linkage (the long rod going back to the tranny) forward with the shift lever towards the driver. 2nd should go straight back from this position. 3rd is forward again but with the shift lever more centered, 4th is straight back from this position. 5th is forward and shift lever toward the passenger side. Reverse is back and a little bit further to the right. Really it should be pretty obvious what gear you are in unless the linkage is really bad.

 

Well I figured I was in those gears, but since it *felt* like it clicked into where reverse should be and went forward when the clutch was let out, i'm pretty sure the linkage is really bad. . any where to do on the trans?

 

update, got the transmission into reverse by shifting the linkage manually and I can access it with the shifter now with some difficultly. I'll continue to mess with it..

 

Mike, its your shifter itself. Take the shifter boot off, look at the shifter where it goes into the linkage rod going to the transmission. You will have to remove a circlip and find the shifter is "oval" instead of cylindrical. It will be blatantly obvious what is worn out causing the shifter to the sloppy. It won't go into reverse because its hitting the "circle" part of the chassis due to the slop in the shifter. The reason why the car is going forward in "reverse" is because you are actually going into 4th gear and the "slop" won't allow you to actually shift into reverse. Its a $40 fix and all you have to remove is 2 13 mm bolts to replace it.