manual gear shifting problem

Hi,

Because this vehicle isn't offered in the US, I have no technical info. However, it sounds like the shift linkage has either come apart or is very loose. Do me a favor, open the hood and locate the shift levers on the transmission. Have a helper shift through the gears while you watch how the linkage moves. See if anything is loose, disconnected, or simply not moving. I suspect one of the shifter rods is disconnected.

Let me know what you find.

Joe

Thanks Joe for your reply.

I need to find a free day to deal with that problem.
So,now,i am collecting information,what could be the problem,what to check and how to check,before i will start to deal with it.
If this will be the issue and i will find something loose or disconnected,should i need to buy replacement or i can connect it back,lubricate it or something?
BTW,i attached a photo of the car's selector linkage.Is this what you are talking about?

Hi,

Yes, that's exactly it. Check all location where things are joined together. Hopefully, you will simply be able to reattach it.

Let me know.

Joe

I really hope that this will be the case.
Thanks,Joe.

I have a feeling that is what is causing it. Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe

Today,i started to search the issue.I was hopping to find the shifter rod (number 9 at photo)
comes off/disconnected,but it wasn't. so i didn't know really what to look for.I didn't see anything disconnected.
So i play with the selector while i am under the hood.The selector mechanism seems to be loose,but i don't know how much is considered to be too loose.Under the hood,i grasped and moved the mechanism,i managed to shift the selector to 3,4 and 5 gears (while in driving i can shift only 3 and 4 but not 5).1,2 and reverse i couldn't shift under the car hood,maybe if i give more power and someone was press the clutch pedal i could shift them,so i don't really know if it can be shift or not to those gears by hand).besides that the 3 and 4 gears were always shift smoothly compare to the 1 and 2,so maybe there is a connection between my results.Anyway,while in driving,i can use 1 gear and 2 gear,but in the special conditions that i mentioned before and while i don't have a reverse.
What should i do next?

Hi,

Were you able to check the shift linkage at the shifter? Something is likely loose or worn. I'm sorry I can't be more specific. Without any technical information to reference, it makes things difficult for me.

When you have someone in the vehicle and they shift to reverse, do you see the shift linkage move?

Joe

Hi Joe.

Yes, I checked the linkage and i didn't see anything disconnected,but there was a play in the mechanism of the linkage.I did a lot of different tasks in that old car,but this is the first time that i works with that shift linkage part in the car,so i don't have something to compare in order to determine if the mechanism play is considered to be reasonable.
What should be the maximum shift linkage play before it start to act like in my case?What should i look for?
I couldn't see the linkage movements while someone shift to reverse,since i didn't have any assistance,but i can mentions those points:
*While i am driving,shifting the gearshift lever to reverse gives me 1 gear,so i assume that the linkage moves into 1 gear.
*2 gear i can shift only from 1 gear.
*when i am driving i can shift to 3 and 4 smoothly.
*when i move the gearshift lever to 5 gear,it feels like it was shifted to 5 gear,but light touch on the lever revealed that the lever is actually on 3 gear and there is a playing between 3 and five positions of the shift gear lever.

Hi,

I have to be honest, it sounds like the linkage is worn out. Can you video what you are seeing as far as play? Also, if you see nothing moving when shifting to reverse, then something is likely disconnected or broken.

I tried to find info on the vehicle, and on YouTube I found several videos related to shift linkage on this vehicle. I attached a pic I got for you to see. There is a plastic clip that connects for going to reverse. Have you taken the boot off the shifter to inspect things?

Let me know.
Joe

Hi Joe.
As you see my gearshift lever looks like my attached photo,
In your attached photo is different.
I attached a video that shows the behavior of the linkage when i use the gearshift lever.The subtitles that i added refers to the position of the gearshift lever in the car,while you can see what happens in the linkage.I know that you can't actually see all the linkage,but only the end of it,but that what i could to record,i hope it may tell something.BTW,i tries to do an adjustment to the gear followed by Haynes book,but nothing get better.
Refer to my attached photo of the gearshift lever,what is the purpose of the bush and the ring(number 23+24)?Can they cause the same symptoms
if one of them fails?

Hi,

I watched the video several times. I noted that when you shift from 2 to 4 the shifter rod stays in the same position even though the linkage from the in the vehicle is moving. That is also happening in 1 and 4.

There is some play in the universal joint in the video. However, I honestly suspect that it's a combination of that joint and something up further towards the passenger compartment.

Joe

Hi Joe.

The video was recorded after my adjustment,but before i took the car for a test.so today i found out that the 5 gear is working.
That is why you may see in
the video that it shifted into the 5 gear.But the reverse is still missing.
Yes,the video shows what you said and if you say that this play in the universal joint is not normal,i guess that the other connection are not in better condition refer to their free play.i probably need a new gearshift
linkage indeed.The problem is that after hours of searching for the one that fit my car in eBay and in other websites i haven't find it yet.I see only the gearshift control rod for sell(number 9)for my car,but not as a complete unit.
When you said:"...something up further towards the passenger compartment..."what other parts may cause or contribute to this?
Does the ring or the bush(23+24)may contribute to that?

I just would like to add refer to your video observation,that it happens on 2+4 gear and 1+3 gear (not 1+4),which i assume that you meant for that.

Hi,

I do feel that the play at the joint is contributing to the problem. Have you removed the boot from inside the vehicle to check the linkage there at the bottom of the shifter? I suspect there will be nylon bushings that are worn. Also, the part you asked about is different that what I am used to seeing. However, it very possibly could contribute to the issue.

Sorry I can't be there to help. It would make things much easier. Are there any salvage yards near you that maybe would have what is needed? Have you contacted a parts store to see if they have the different bushings and components for the shift levers?

Joe

Hi Joe.
If you referred to the gear shift lever gaiter(boot)? If so yes i removed the gaiter,but in order to check the bush,ring an all the linkage,i need to dismantle a lot of parts and from my bad experience it is not a good idea to dismantle things that has not been touched for about 30 years,unless it must be done. My purpose is to find the specific problem according to the symptoms
and avoid of dismantle unnecessary parts only for checking. I haven't checked if my local spare parts have it yet,i checked for now only in the web sites,but,anyway,i first need to be sure what is the fail part. Refer to the bush/ring. Does a worn bush/ring has the same symptoms of the failure gear shift linkage?

Hi,

I wish I had info on this vehicle, but I don't because it isn't offered in the US. To answer your question, yes a bad bushing can cause enough play for it not to shift into gear.

I totally agree with your thoughts on not wanting to take everything apart. However, in this case, I suspect it will need to be done so you can identify the problem.

I hope you understand.

Joe

Hi Joe.

I understand the issue that you don't have this vehicle in the US and you don't have any information to compare. So i thanks for your trying to help in-spite that issue. Last thing to verify,when you mentioned the bushing,we are talking about part number 23 in the photo,right?or you actually referred to something else in the gear shift lever (between 5-13)?

Hi,

I attached your picture below and highlighted places where I would suspect there to be some form of bushing. Likely, it would be a nylon bushing.

Let me know if this helps.

Joe

Hi Joe.

Thanks a lot for your help,i hope that i will solve that issue.
but for now i decide to leave it parking. Dismantled the gearshift lever and all that small parts is more complicate than the gear shift linkage and in this old car,when you dig to much things get worse. So i guess i leave it for a while until i figure-out what to do next.
Thanks again,Joe.

Hi,

You are very welcome. I just wish I could have done more. If you have the chance and get it figured out, let me know.

Take good care of yourself.

Joe

Hi.

One more thing that i would like to understand.
When i was checking the gear shift linkage,the gear shift selector lever rod number 9 in the attached photo)was connected in both sides.But,is it possible that the problem is actually from this rod in spite of the fact that the rod wasn't popped-out either sides?while replace that rod will solve the issue?or as long as one of the edges of this rod doesn't pop-out from the metal ball,there won't be any issue from this rod?
Thanks.

Hi,

I haven't heard from you in awhile. Hope all is well. As far as your question regarding number 9 in the pic, where does it attach on the transmission? Not being familiar with the design, I need to know what it goes to.

Joe

Hi.
I am fine thank you.
As you may see in the attached photo,number 9 gets into the metal balls which is marked with the red arrows.The last rod (as can be seen in the photo) get inside the transmission fork. As i asked,could part number 9, although all, be the cause of this problem (some wear or something), even that it wasn't pop-out? or part number 9 can't be the problem as long as it doesn't pop-out from its place?
Thanks.

Absolutely. Anything that has excessive play (even if it isn't disconnected) can cause a problem. Is there excessive play in part number 9 from above?

Joe

I don't see any excessive play on part 9 itself.
The cups are just connected to the two metal balls.
The play is beyond this part.
I guess that this part is not the issue.
Anyway,thanks again Joe for your help.
I hope that eventually i will solve the issue.
Best regards. :)

You are very welcome. I haven't helped very much. LOL When you say the play is beyond that point, do you mean toward the transmission or toward the shifter?

Joe

It moves as a whole unit left and right. i can't put a finger toward where the play is moving. maybe if i will dismantle part 9 i could find it, but i will check it on other time.
Thanks Joe.

If you decide to do it, let me know what you find. I'm interested in knowing and it may help someone in the future.

Joe

Okay Joe and thanks for your help.