Pepper5000CS

Alright... it's happened. I was ALMOST THERE! I almost made it... I'm pulling into a parking spot and I see I'm not going to make it so I throw it in reverse and start letting off the clutch and giving it gas when I notice that the car is inching forward. So I brush it off thinking I put it in forth and try again. Same thing. I jiggle the shifter and it feels a little odd so I make a third failed attempt. I try putting it in first and pulling away, but it feels like I have it in fourth still. Now my shifter feels very loose and the only gear it seems to want to go into is fourth. I can have the shift in the first gear position and it still feels like fourth. Now when I put the shifter in the neutral position and let off the clutch it doesn't do anything so the clutch itself has to be fine. At this point I have no idea and I'm stuck two and a half hours away from home for the weekend. I'm hoping there's some sort of hack shop around here to help me. If anyone has any clue I might be able to speed up the process by telling whoever looks at it what MAY be the problem. Thanks everyone.

86_5K

The shift linkage is on top of the trany. To the back of it. It should be very tight on there. If it is not, then that is the problem for sure. I think the dealer wants about $50 for the linkage.

Zhaoming

crotext

Pull the shift boot up from around your shift lever. Put a screw driver under each corner and pop it up. Look down inside with a flashlight to see if the linkage is either disconnected or something not right where it is visible. You can move the lever and look at it from the top as a start. I agree it sounds like linkage and probably lost a keeper clip or pin and left you stuck in fourth gear. The underside is tougher to access. I will read up on it, if you still need help let me know.

Pepper5000CS

I need all the help I can get. Any information you could find on fixing it myself then I'll go with that. If not then I'm gonna have to find some import shop where I am and have em take care of it. Thank you very much for the replies. You guys are life savers.

86_5K

Go buy a linkage and go under the car and press it on there. I am not sure you can do it from where the shift level is though. It could be very hard to press on. But I would say it is an easy job. I am sure you can do it.

Do you get a Haynes manual? Look at the picture in there. Then go under the car and get your hands dirty. You wouldn't be able to see it but you can feel where the linkage is and how it sits there.

After going under there, you will say 'aha, it such a simple thing to do'.

Good luck.

Zhaoming

shortyq

Pull off the shifter boot, look down into socket area, sounds to me like the shifter ball popped out of the socket. 2 ways to fix. First, get a 2x4 align up the ball (both halfs and the spring),pop it back into place. If this doesn't work, you will need to lift the upper assembly, turn the lower half of the ball 90degrees and insert into socket, reassemble the rest of the shifter into the lower half. This is a common problem, and make sure you ck the right side motor mount and right side trans mount, excess slop is usually from the failure of one/both of these mount.

HTH

Scott J

Pepper5000CS

Well get this... I find this guy who has a low key shop out in the boones of Dekalb. I got it towed to his shop on Saturday morning and I was really lucky I got it there when I did cause he was about to leave for the day. So he asked me to sit in the car as he hoisted up the car. He told me to move the shifter around and after a little while he found the problem. I guess the rod from the shifter slips into or on to another shafter and they're held together by two bolts. I was able to get a look myself so I'm just going over what he said to me. So he made sure the shifter rod was centered, tightened the bolt down and I was on my way. I couldn't thank him enough. The guy was a life saver. If you're ever out in DeKalb and you have a general problem of any kind with a car I would recommend looking this guy up. The name of his shop is something like... Mike's South Town Auto or just South Town Auto. Ask information and they'll be able to tell you. Ask for Mike. Thanks everyone for your replies.

cuatrokoop

Dekalb in what state? IN/IL? Looks like your car has IL plates on it...

Pepper5000CS

IL. Good man. I'm gonna take it back to my import place just to have 'em double check it.