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| Getrag - Neutral difficulties and stiff shifting (Page 1/3) |
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Valkyrie
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AUG 07, 03:14 AM
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Debrief: 1987 GT w/Getrag 5 speed mounted to ‘71 LT-1. Rodney Dickman shift levers, cables installed and short shifter installed.
I’ve noticed that my shifter seems to have very little “room” in neutral. Not quite sure how to describe it other than the neutral portion of the shift pattern seems very thin or “tight”. It’s easy to fall slightly down or up and end up in (usually) third or fourth.
In general, shifting gears feels clunky. Most difficult getting into fifth and reverse, though first and second aren’t exactly a joy either. Third and fourth are pretty reasonable.
Shift cables were replaced ~9 years ago and it made a massive improvement over the wretched stock cables, but I can’t recall if it’s gotten worse since. The car is on jack stands right now as we’re trying to track down a fluid leak and we’ve got the transmission drained. I installed the short shifter and tested (without the vehicle running) while this was in progress to see how shifting might be impacted. Seems pretty consistent with how it operated before.
Anyone have any input? Cables need replacing again? Is there adjustment to be made somewhere to improve either of these problems? Or is this just the going rate for these transmissions?
Thanks in advance,
-Chris
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Patrick
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AUG 07, 04:02 AM
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The select (side to side) cable for the Getrag 5-spd is notorious for getting difficult to move, as the tranny end of it sticks straight up under the driver's side decklid vent where it gets constantly bathed by rain water. Corrosion then sets in from water trapped between the cable and its outer sheath. I've had mine freeze solid a few times during uncharacteristically cold winter weather here. Now that's a real nuisance!
Test how bad your select cable is by disconnecting it at the transmission, and then seeing if it's any easier to move the shifter. If it still feels stiff, then disconnect the other end of the cable at the shifter. The shifter should now be easy to move side to side. If not, the shifter itself may require some maintenance.[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 08-07-2020).]
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cvxjet
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AUG 07, 12:06 PM
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I actually bought a spare Getrag for my Fiero- was planning on getting it rebuilt and then install it because my in-car getrag was shifting so hard.
One of the cables broke and I replaced the cables with RD cables......Almost completely fixed! The shifting is much better, even the notchiness....Get a new set of cables- they run very close to the exhaust and after several years they get cooked. Now I can slide the shifter back and forth with my pinky finger.
I also modified the bracket for the Select cable, bending it slightly to angle the cable away from the exhaust and then using spacers so it aligned with the lever on the trans...I also installed an aluminum heat shield to help block the exhaust heat.....
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fierogt28
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AUG 07, 11:27 PM
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You might have air in the clutch line. And the master cylinder up front and slave cylinder at the rear could slowing failing.
I'd replace those components before replacing cables again. Like the others mentioned, disconnect the cables at the transmission,
and move them freely by hand, or at the shifter...then you'll see if the cables are sticking / binding.
The select cable is not adjustable, just the shift cable. Make sure its adjusted right with the shifter in 1st gear with a strait pin down
under to lock it in place. There is a small hole for a pin to go through for this purpose. Then pull the cable at back and tighten the
nut on top of the cable stud and adjust it in the trans shift lever slot. The "sweet spot" is where the cable stud lies within the slot without
pushing in the cable or pulling it out.
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fierogt28
88 GT, Loaded, 5-speed.
88 GT, 5-speed. Beechwood interior, All original.[This message has been edited by fierogt28 (edited 08-07-2020).]
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Patrick
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AUG 07, 11:39 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by fierogt28:
You might have air in the clutch line.
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That could be a possible reason for the shifting problem... if the shifter is easy to move with the engine not running.
| quote | Originally posted by fierogt28:
Make sure its adjusted right with the shifter in 1st gear with a strait pin down under to lock it in place.
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I don't know if it makes any real difference, but isn't the shifter supposed to be in 3rd gear?[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 08-07-2020).]
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Raydar
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AUG 09, 10:25 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Patrick:
I don't know if it makes any real difference, but isn't the shifter supposed to be in 3rd gear?
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Yes. That's what I remember reading. There's a hole in the shifter handle and the base. A drill bit is inserted through the holes in both.
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fierogt28
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AUG 09, 10:19 PM
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I guess 3rd is possible, but the shift arm on the transmission has to be in 3rd gear.
Patrick might be right...I'll have to check back in the 88 FSM for final confirmation.------------------
fierogt28
88 GT, Loaded, 5-speed.
88 GT, 5-speed. Beechwood interior, All original.
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Valkyrie
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AUG 09, 10:21 PM
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Instructions in AllData say 3rd gear as well, though I have yet to attempt this adjustment due to time constraints. I’ll give it a shot and report back.
I see Rodney Dickman has some shifter rebuild kits with some different “bushings” to go into the plastic bit that connects to the select cable, using a cylinder rather than a ball. There seems to be a fair bit of play there, making me wonder if the play between the ball and the plastic isn’t at least part of the problem.
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Patrick
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AUG 09, 10:31 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Valkyrie:
I see Rodney Dickman has some shifter rebuild kits with some different “bushings” to go into the plastic bit that connects to the select cable, using a cylinder rather than a ball. There seems to be a fair bit of play there, making me wonder if the play between the ball and the plastic isn’t at least part of the problem.
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When you previously described the shifter as being "tight", I don't think any of us would've imagined that the issue might've been due to "a fair bit of play". 
| quote | Originally posted by Valkyrie:
I’ve noticed that my shifter seems to have very little “room” in neutral. Not quite sure how to describe it other than the neutral portion of the shift pattern seems very thin or “tight”.
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Valkyrie
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AUG 10, 01:01 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Patrick:
When you previously described the shifter as being "tight", I don't think any of us would've imagined that the issue might've been due to "a fair bit of play".
Originally posted by Valkyrie:
I’ve noticed that my shifter seems to have very little “room” in neutral. Not quite sure how to describe it other than the neutral portion of the shift pattern seems very thin or “tight”.
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Nor would I have, so it almost makes me wonder if there aren’t two issues going on. One leading to something that’s resulting in the neutral space to be “thin”, and another preventing the shifter from moving as far left and right as it needs to in order to make first and second, and fifth and reverse a little easier to work with. After removing the center console, I noticed this little guy:
When giving the shifter a push to the left or right, this plastic piece would move, but it seemed as though it wasn’t quite moving all the way it needed to in order to make first and second, or fifth and reverse, without requiring you to give the the shifter another little push to the left or right to get it into either of those respective four gears. As you had suggested earlier, Patrick, it seemed to operate quite well with the cable disconnected from the shifter and just moving the arm on the transmission itself. I should note that the nut you see just behind the ball was only temporarily loose as I was investigating the issue and took the picture.
I’m not quite sure what’s causing neutral to feel so “thin”, as though the shifter gets into gear unintentionally, but I’m wondering if this plastic piece and/or ball aren’t also contributing? Sometimes I’ve wondered, when the car is in gear, if it is actually in neutral or in gear. I’m puzzled, and unsure how to describe it, to say the least.[This message has been edited by Valkyrie (edited 08-10-2020).]
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