Transmission - 4th and 5th gears, Can't get 4th and 5th Options

[bartd]

I'm getting my 72 on the road after sitting in my garage for 25 years with hell hole body issues. Lots to get it to this point and I can drive it but only in R, 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. Won't go into 4th o4 5th. At first, wouldn't go into reverse. Replaced all shifter stick bushings that let me get it into Reverse and reduced the play in the shifter but still won't let me shift into 4th and 5th. Advice please?

[emerygt350]

Is the cone screw at the firewall junction loose? There are adjustments to be made at the base of the shifter s well if you took all of that apart.

[bartd]

Is the cone screw at the firewall junction loose? There are adjustments to be made at the base of the shifter s well if you took all of that apart.

I'll check the cone screw if I can find it. I didn't see any adjustments possible at the base of the shifter when I took it completely apart when replacing the bushings.

[fiacra]

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=81401

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Shivers]

Okay this is a stock 1972, if so it is a tail shifter. Most of your adjustments are at the bracket on the tail of the trans. It hold one of those bushings. The bracket is held by bolts that go through, I’ll call them oblong holes. That bracket moving around with the bolts lose are your adjustments. Snug the bolts so you can bump the bracket to move it so it does not move on its own.

[JamesM]

Okay this is a stock 1972, if so it is a tail shifter.

Very important question

Definitely sounds like a linkage issue if you are unable to hit the 4-5 shift plane. Easy way to confirm is to disconnect the linkage at the trans and manually put the trans in 4 and/or 5 to make sure it is engageable.

That said my recommend for any pre 73 car for any shifting issue (and just always in general) has always been to convert to a side shift. If you are putting any time/money into shifting improvements, that is always step 1, otherwise you are just wasting money.


After that, Tangerine spherical bushing, tangerine rear rod/console modification, and a Rennshift shifter, it will shift like a completely different car.

[Cairo94507]

What @JamesM said 100%. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[bartd]

Okay this is a stock 1972, if so it is a tail shifter.

Very important question

Definitely sounds like a linkage issue if you are unable to hit the 4-5 shift plane. Easy way to confirm is to disconnect the linkage at the trans and manually put the trans in 4 and/or 5 to make sure it is engageable.

That said my recommend for any pre 73 car for any shifting issue (and just always in general) has always been to convert to a side shift. If you are putting any time/money into shifting improvements, that is always step 1, otherwise you are just wasting money.


After that, Tangerine spherical bushing, tangerine rear rod/console modification, and a Rennshift shifter, it will shift like a completely different car.

Thanks to all for the advice. I've got lots of things to pursue now as soon as the weather isn't so stinkin' hot and I'm able to work on it without sweating like a pig on the grill.

[Jack Standz]

Okay this is a stock 1972, if so it is a tail shifter.

Very important question

Definitely sounds like a linkage issue if you are unable to hit the 4-5 shift plane. Easy way to confirm is to disconnect the linkage at the trans and manually put the trans in 4 and/or 5 to make sure it is engageable.

That said my recommend for any pre 73 car for any shifting issue (and just always in general) has always been to convert to a side shift. If you are putting any time/money into shifting improvements, that is always step 1, otherwise you are just wasting money.


After that, Tangerine spherical bushing, tangerine rear rod/console modification, and a Rennshift shifter, it will shift like a completely different car.

Gonna gently disagree.

Step 1 is to check all shift linkage pieces for wear, proper adjustment and replace/adjust as necessary. Tail-shifting 914s are fine working mechanical devices when things are in-spec and maintained adequately.

Yes and generally, the side-shift transmission is an improvement. But, sometimes it's because the tail-shift transmission was neglected. These tail-shifting transmissions are at least 54 years old now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Checking linkage parts wear and proper linkage adjustment at most is a "waste of time". Replacing linkage wear parts on a Tail-shifting transmission is way less cost (time and $$) than finding, converting to, and replacing linkage wear parts to a side-shifter even assuming the replacement transmission needs no internal work performed on it.

Inability getting into 4th and 5th is likely a linkage parts wear and/or linkage adjustment issue(s). This is different than saying there was grinding - which could, among other things, indicate synchro issues. The 4th and 5th sychros generally wear less than the others anyway.

[JamesM]

Gonna gently disagree.

I mean, yeah you can fix a side shift make it just as it was as it came from the factory, but they are still not great.

Just replacing the linkage bushings is relatively cheap and in this case I suspect it is the linkage but in the end the best I could ever describe it as "drivable"

I would never let anyone spend money on actually tearing into a tail shifter 901 with the expectation that the end result will leave a smile on their face

Had a few customers with tail shifters go the linkage repair route 2/3 came back within a month and we swapped for the setup I described above just because I had them sit in a car that had that setup and just put it in gear, not even drive it, just put it in gear while sitting there. Its a night and day difference.

the 3rd only didn't due to cost.

In the end its money and how much you spend depends on where you land on the scale that starts at "a 914 that shifts" to "the best shifting 901/914 possible"