Bfenty

Hey guys-found out what the issue is with my shifting. It completely froze up tonight, couldn't get the shifter to move at all. Luckily I was with a good friend who knows his way around a car, we ended up jacking it up and looking at the linkage. There's a bushing on the right side of the transmission that is quite worn-it's practically falling off. Not sure where I could get that bushing, but that's all I need to get the gremlins out of my shifting-I'm almost certain of it. Anyone know what that part is called and where I could find one? A quick google search didn't yield good results but not knowing what it's called is not helping me there.

Thanks!

VikingTrad3r

bump for fenty

confab

Got a pic?

Bfenty

unfortunately not, and I'll have to jack the car up to get one. I can do that after work today possibly.

What information do you need from a pic? just where the bushing is that I'm talking about? Or the condition it's in? Something else?

confab

Yes.

Is this a stick or an auto?

Bfenty

Stick.

It's the bushings between the long linkage bars and the short bars that connect to the transmission housing, on the passenger side, right at the transmission.

confab

Replace those. If the linkage on a stick is loose enough it can get caught between gears.

To shift the trans, the other sliders need to return to neutral. If they don't, you'll misalign the gate and bind the shifter.

If you are sitting still and the condition is bad enough, you can get it in two gears at once and freeze the transmission.

Bfenty

Yeah I plan on it...do you know what kinds of bushings I need to buy? I can't find the specs for them anywhere and these are so far gone I'm not sure taking them in with me would actually help.

confab

No I do not. I've never serviced the 4+3. It's corvette only and I've never seen one.

Now, on my camaro with a Muncie, I would buy the generic linkage bushing kits and use those. You see them to fit various shifters. (Competition Plus, etc.) Most come with hairpins.

Something corvette specific would be great, but in lieu of that I would try the generic ones.

I do know that those rods should be very snug. Minimum of slop, and there is generally a neutral alignment hole in the bottom of the shifter assembly.

Generally speaking, you put a drill bit or a punch in there to hold the neutral gate lined up. Then you attach the properly bushed rods with no slop, and adjust them till they fit into the holes without forcing them.

Then, you pull the alignment pin/drill bit/punch/etc, and you're good to go.

So, getting that slop out of there is job one and it will probably solve your shifting problems.

Good luck!!!

VikingTrad3r

fenty, send a note to paul. hes just recently done a rebuild series (parts 1 and 2) on the 4+3 and hes will know the answer to your question.

here is one video that may help. from watching pauls video a couple times ive heard him call the case a super t10 trans (with the DN OD bolted on the back).

https://youtu.be/_40q7wbeoRQ


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_40q7wbeoRQ

Bfenty

Thanks guys! I will look up Paul’s stuff. I’d bet the generic will fit, but best to know for sure. This is a lot of good info to get me started. Might be a few days before I can work on it but I’ll post back results.

Never put a bushing on anything before, are there any tricks to it?

Buckeye88

Please follow up on what you find out. My 85' is starting to become tough to get into 1st and 2nd. Clutch is fine, I just have to finesse the shifter though.

Bfenty

will do. Might be a little bit before I can get to it-my first baby is due next week

Buckeye88

Thanks and good luck, nothing like having your first child....and any after that. You will be their hero for at least the next 12-13 years...then you won't be worth listening to until they are 19-20.