sharkface

Hello,


My main problem with this shifter is that it seems nearly impossible to find first. Usually it will be 3rd I select.
I took apart the council and shfter boot,etc. Outside of a little debris in the first gear cam, nothing looked unordinary.
This shifter also can be moved about 1 inch to the left when in neutral. This is to say 1 inch to the left after selecting reverse, etc. I noticed there is a metal filler to the left of the stick and nothing to the right of it. Should there be? Why this extra movement to the left, it adds to the confusion of accurately finding first gear? On most floor shifts, all the way to the left from neutral and forward is first gear. This shifter goes too far to the left and then blocks so it can't go anywhere. Any thoughts?


The linkage bars are new looking and all nuts and bolts seem snug.


Evidently to align the neutral gate one needs to put the car on a lift. I don't see why forums say to remove the driver's seat and this can be accomplished. It looks to me you'd need a sawzall to accomplish this from inside the car.


Could this vague first gear and extra play to the left be the neutral gate being misaligned?

sharkface

Also, what kind of a design is this shifter to have a tooth select a cam and then move the linkage bar? It seems this could also be a good reason gear selecting is inaccurate on this model.???

corvetteronw

Try these folks:http://www.5speeds.com/dne.htm

mazdaverx7

You remove the seat and the trim and you will gain access to the shifter's mounting points. The 4+3 cars have a special cutout in the trans tunnel for the shifter pocket. The automatic cars do not have the pocket. When you remove the upper console, you're only looking at 1/3 of the shifter parts. Remove the seat and there you have 2/3 and finally underneath are the shift rods going to the trans. If you want, when I get home from work, I can post pics here of a spare shifter and a spare shifter pocket that I have so you can see what you'll be looking at once the seat and trim are removed.

sharkface

thanks for the info. Luckily my problem was just debris on the area that engages 1st gear. (I'll call it a cam for a lack of better description.) I took a video, will try to post it...

sharkface

I was happy to discover my shifter problem was just debris on the tooth (cam, for a lack of better description), I was able to cure the issue just from a top view of the shifter. I did take pics and a video and will try to post it.


This video shows the shifter working properly after cleaning the cams or teeth up with a mini wire brush and GUNK solvent.


(sorry, the video was not uploading properly)

mazdaverx7

Well, you got it fixed and that's what's important! Nice job!

sharkface

This is another attempt to upload my video...


4+3 shifter. Why this shifter design was changed from the old style GM and Hurst, I'll never know???


I think the video is too long to upload to this site, but the conclusion is that the first cam all the way to the left was sticking. After a lot of wire brushing and cleaning with both WD-40 and Gunk penetrating type cleaner/oil, it moves freely and first gear can be found easily now.


A nice, cheap fix, I love it

sharkface

On my 1985 C4, if I start out with a lot of acceleration, there is an audible click or slight clunk. I haven't gotten under the car to do an inspection of something not being torqued properly, but I wonder if anyone has any incites on this. (sounds like it's from driver's side rear)


I'm thinking that if the noise was U joints , I'd hear it more than once.


If I start out slow, there's no noise?


Any help is always appreciated,


Sharkface

sharkface

I wanted to mention a couple of things while removing my leaky stock radiator...
After removing it, there was so much debris stuck below the radiator. I will upload a pic. The ac compressor had leaves stuck between it and the front air dam (plastic shelf in back of grill). You could get them out with a powerful vacuum and a yard stick.


After cleaning all this up, my new Champion dual core, all aluminum, for $175.00 was to be installed. Well the first issue was the extra coolant sensor this radiator had. The item number was for 1984-1989. I called Jegs and inquired, so they wound up calling the manufacturer and Champion agreed to send me a free coolant sensor piece which would plug the extra hole. I agreed, then proceeded to install the radiator and the drain plug area was about 2 in. too thick to slip into the original radiator frame. I didn't want to return this radiator, but I had no choice, and I wasn't about to start hacking up a perfectly original car. This Champion radiator also would have given no room at all between it and the ac compressor. The original radiator wasn't as thick and gave a little breathing room. I wound up getting AutoZone's version of the original radiator and am trying to talk myself in to installing it now. Funny how it's so much easier to lay on the couch and watch TV. I kept the original radiator with the date code tag. I feel someday soon the value of C4s will be on the rise..

mazdaverx7

Worst case you can always have the original radiator repaired and reinstall it. I've had a number of fitment issues with aftermarket radiators in C4's over the years. I'm of the same mindset about not cutting up and original car.

sharkface

Hello,
I'm back to square one with my shifter problem... Had new tires put on and had to drive home shifting inaccurately. I don't know if mechanic driving the car knew what he was doing or if the shifter just wanted to be problematic at the time of new tires.


I performed what I had described doing a few months ago, and my same good result isn't happening. It is so hard to find first or downshift from 3rd to 2nd. Again the excessive movement to the left when in neutral to find first.


I guess I should be thankful my reverse lock seems to be working correctly, but there's nothing more embarrassing than being in a Corvette with the top off and someone is behind you blowing because you aren't taking off quickly enough from a traffic light or stop sign, because you can't find first.


This sucks in plain English . Any helpful hints? Is the reverse lock cable adjustable? Does this have anything with the issue?