Lubrication points for 4+3?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,264
Likes: 3
From: Orchard Park NY
Lubrication points for 4+3?
My 4+3 feels very 'dry'. It feels like it needs a major grease job. Aside from opening the top of the dash and globbing grease onto everything I see, are there special lube points for this shifter assembly?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,264
Likes: 3
From: Orchard Park NY
Nobody?
Yesterday I shot up the linkage of the shifter (through the hole in the shifter boot) and sprayed it all down with bike chain lube. That helped a TON, and the shifter doesn't sound like pure metal on metal while shifting anymore, but it really needs more. I know there is room to go w/ lubing up that shifter assembly. Make I should be using white lithium grease instead?
Yesterday I shot up the linkage of the shifter (through the hole in the shifter boot) and sprayed it all down with bike chain lube. That helped a TON, and the shifter doesn't sound like pure metal on metal while shifting anymore, but it really needs more. I know there is room to go w/ lubing up that shifter assembly. Make I should be using white lithium grease instead?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,385
Likes: 534
We use to have a poster by the name of Centralcoaster who kept a page on his updates on his 85 Vette. One of those, before he got rid of the 4+3 altogether was removing the 4+3 shifter assembly, disassembling it, and retightening it together with a press. He noted it shifted much better after that.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
White lithium grease would probably be better, but if the chain lube worked, then I would wait and see how well it works over time. Did you remove the rubber seals around the shift rods to spray the shifter mechanism?
Removing the shifter assembly is a PITA but with it being inside the car, there should be no real build up of road grease and dirt.
Removing the shifter assembly is a PITA but with it being inside the car, there should be no real build up of road grease and dirt.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,264
Likes: 3
From: Orchard Park NY
We use to have a poster by the name of Centralcoaster who kept a page on his updates on his 85 Vette. One of those, before he got rid of the 4+3 altogether was removing the 4+3 shifter assembly, disassembling it, and retightening it together with a press. He noted it shifted much better after that.
White lithium grease would probably be better, but if the chain lube worked, then I would wait and see how well it works over time. Did you remove the rubber seals around the shift rods to spray the shifter mechanism?
Removing the shifter assembly is a PITA but with it being inside the car, there should be no real build up of road grease and dirt.
Removing the shifter assembly is a PITA but with it being inside the car, there should be no real build up of road grease and dirt.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,264
Likes: 3
From: Orchard Park NY
Its got a short shifter, so the side to side movement is REALLY tight feeling. IE the gates are very close together in my opinion. Probably not tremec or richmond 6spd close, but pretty darn close. It sounds a bit creaky (well, did... before the chain lube) going side to side though.
The best analogy for my situation is a rusty bicycle chain. It works, but it takes effort, its noisy, and not the most fast shifting.
The best analogy for my situation is a rusty bicycle chain. It works, but it takes effort, its noisy, and not the most fast shifting.
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Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
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Typical of most old skool ( esp when worn ) external linkage shifters ; are never going to feel like the int mech on a ZF6 or Tremec