I spent the better part of Sunday under the car adjusting the shifter. I attempted these adjustments without the neutral locating block recommended in the procedures, but had someone in the car feeling neutral for me. We actually backed the first/second clevis as far back as it would go and put it there. Next I adjusted third/fourth so it would work with the newly adjusted first/second. The prior setup was way off and I was able to get all the forward gears to work beautifully. Reverse is another problem though. It goes in, and Im able to get it to come back out, but neither happen smoothly and both require either a bit of force or just a lot of jiggling. I adjusted the reverse clevis all the way forward, all the way back, and seemingly everwhere inbetween. It wouldnt engage at all at either extreme which i expected, however no where in the middle seemed to make any difference. If it went it, it went in hard, no matter where the clevis was set. So Im a little confused. I might just accept it and say this is how these cars are if it werent for my fathers (benchmark) c2 which has an effortless reverse. Slides in easy once the t is up, pops out easy, etc. Everything is stock as best I can tell.

So what do you guys think? Do I have a next step? I could post any kinds of pics you guys want if you think that would help.

Oh and by the way, one of my radio present buttons mysteriously disappeared throughout this process which is just insult to injury. So i really need to get this all working more for moral :mad


[Modified by VetteLT4, 10:48 AM 10/6/2003]

 

I would stongly recommend that you use the neutral lock to adjust the shifter. At least try to use it now for reverse. The slightest move in one direction or the other sometimes makes a big difference. I have tried in the past to do it by feel, as you have, and sometimes it works and sometimes not.

Good Luck! :cheers:

 

Also make sure that the 'crossbolt' that runs through the levers is good and snug.

 

I didn't see where you indicated what shifter you were using
Hurst, stock..

Since you say that you can get in into and out of all gears, It sounds like the shifter is hanging on the neutral gate while trying to get it out of reverse..

I once had a problem like this one with a Hurst shifter..
Forward gears were fine but getting it into and out of reverse was difficult.

What I found was the adjustments were fine however the shifter was not in the correct alignment where it bolted to the tranny..
Try loosen the shifter and shift it's position fore and aft to see if that makes any difference.. Yo might find that a small shift in it's position will allow the neutral gate to clear up

Hope this helps

Tony

 

i didnt think this was an issue, but i do admit to trying to pull the shifter out. i noticed the pin was in backwards as per the diagram, so i pulled out the pin to put it in the right way. but im sure in that process i moved the shifter out of its current alignment. furthermore, this may make sense because prior to this i could have swore i had all the forwards and the reverse working just fine. so do you think by tweaking the shifter just a little i could have screwed it up? I thought as long as i was able to get the pin back in i would be fine. <sigh> lessons i learn as mediocre mechanic.

 

one other thing, does anyone have a diagram of the shifter? it would help if i did screw something up by pulling the shifter out