Advice please!

Recently I purchased a cut-down c5 “Z06” shifter from a forum member. The shifter is fine in most respects, except that the seller forgot to mention that it takes a Houdini to get it to go into reverse. It has taken me as long a five minutes to get out of my drive way. (Indeed, I don’t even park in front of my garage door any longer.)

Reverse is about 1mm to the right of 5th gear, and it wants to engage 5th every time, unless I expend extraordinary patience and effort. Is there a pin, or something else in the way? In the final analysis, is there a fix available, a pin that’s in the way or something, or should I just give up on this unit.

Thanks for any help that is available. Regards, GRT

POSTSCRIPT

On 10/25/x07 I posted a request for help concerning my inability to get my newly installed shifter into reverse. Additionally, I made an ill advised reference which implied that I may have been sold a faulty item by a fellow forum member. My mechanic, as well, mentioned his difficulty getting the car into reverse.

To set the record straight: The seller did not “forget” to mention anything, because the shifter does work as it should. My initial problem may remain a mystery. The installing mechanic, as well, related his own difficulty with getting into reverse.

The distinct likelihood was that I had to learn how to shift. My original stick slipped into reverse with practically no effort. By comparison, this “Z” model requires much greater effort (right & up), but it works. Perhaps after some time, and with some usage, something realigned itself properly. Who knows?

In the final analysis I’m glad that I withheld harsh and baseless judgements and that I refrained from throwing out the identity of the seller, who, as it turns out, is entirely blameless for my own ineptitude. Again, the “Z” stick feels very different; I merely had to gain experience in handling it’s idiosyncrasies.

Regards, GRT

 

When you did the R&R of whatever shifter you initially had installed to this cut down C5/Z06 shifter, did you use the oem neutral pin to align/lock the transmission into neutral? (The oem alignment pin is removable and maybe the seller didn't include the pin?)
Did the shifter you removed have any similar issues?
If not, that's probably the problem and the remedy. You'll need to remove the radio/console trim surround, put the transmission into neutral and insert the pin, loosen (or remove) the four 1/4-20 bolts that secure the shifter to the "box" (or use the appropriate sized drill bit or nail). Then re-torque 8-10 ft lbs. the fasteners (it's recommended to use LOCKTITE). Don't forget to remove the alignment pin. While you've got the area all apart again, make sure the two oem bushings and TORX bolts that secure the "box" above the torque tube are not deteriorated or loose.
If you replaced an after market shifter of billet construction, it's possible the 1/4-20 bolts are to long for the oem stamped steel shifter.
The oem shifters are not much more than stamped steel and rubber. Unless the shifter has been otherwise altered or significantly abused by a previous owner, it's probably not the cause of your issue.

 

Here is a picture of the shifter with the stock pin installed in the alignment hole. When the transmission is properly in neutral the pin will slide in that hole in the front snout easily. With the pin still in, place the shifter on the housing and bolt it in place.




Here is a stock shifter (C5 ZO6 and stock C5 are the same) and a KIRBAN. The base of the KIRBAN and most other aftermarket shifters are much thicker and require LONGER fasteners to properly secure the shifter to the aluminum shifter housing on the torque tube.



The difference between a ZO6 shifter housing and a C5 housing is that there will not be any RUBBER BUSHINGS between the housing and the torque tube. Mine is a ZO6 housing without bushings.



This will insure that the center handle position is truly in the neutral position. Make sure that the metal plate is tightly secured to the aluminum shifter housing. There is a anti reverse solenoid which controls a gate that prevents you from shifting into reverse while the car is traveling forward more than (I THINK?? 2-3 MPH) So, while your zipping down the road 50-60 MPH and shift into 5th, you don't grab REVERSE!

If that solenoid failed, there is a spring in the gate that will allow the gate to be bypassed at 25 ft/lbs of force so that you can get into reverse if you needed to.

I have found it difficult to fully engage REVERSE time to time and found that if you shift into 1st and then 2nd and then go into R, it will go right in. When you push the shifter handle to the 5th-6th gate,,you should be able to feel the reverse blocker gate lift and then be able to push forward into R.

 

You might also check that the bolt in the very bottom right of Bills photo is tight. There is a groove in the shaft that the bolt must travel through. If it is not good and tight, it will allow the shifter to move side to side before actually moving the shaft itself. It will still shift the car because the front/rear movement will work, but the slight bit of side to side play from the groove being slightly bigger than the bolt, is amplified through the shifter and may not roll the shift shaft far enough to the right to get it in reverse. Make sense?

 

Followup posted on original post above.

Regards, GRT