sloppy shifter

[NEp8ntballer]

so my 93 MTX has a very sloppy shifter. the PO told me that 2nd gear doesn't work because of the way that the shifter sits in there. however the shifter has a lot of play when in gear. the circle you can move it in while still being locked in first has a diameter of about two inches. I took it all apart yesterday and this is what I found and as you can see the rod was already welded where they have a tendency to get loose so I'm all out of ideas:

 

[Slo-Sho]

You can order both bushings from SHONUT.

 

[Ishodu]

How bad is the fit between the shifter box and the out put rod? Thats a common ware spot and it causes loads of side to side play.

 

[1995mtxsho]

How bad is the fit between the shifter box and the out put rod? Thats a common ware spot and it causes loads of side to side play.

The first picture shows the plastic "bushing" that fits in that opening on the shaft. It doesnt look nearly bad enough to cause the wear to result in 2 inches of play at the handle.

Between the shaft bushing, ball/socket, and the pivot ball up in the plastic mount, I could see play similar to what was described, but i think it is MUCH more likely that the play is actually in the U-joint.

OP -- How about some close-up pics of the U-joint end of the shift shaft?

 

[NEp8ntballer]

How bad is the fit between the shifter box and the out put rod? Thats a common ware spot and it causes loads of side to side play.

I'm not too sure on how much play is caused by it because whoever whichever PO had weld up the rod didn't put it back together right so that bushing was actually inside of the box and not in it's groove doing its job. I doubt that that little bushing can be responsible for that much play.

here are some pics from the U joint end of things. niether one of them has any side to side play. that stabilizer rod looked pretty much like that when I pulled it out. it had backed itself out about 1/2 an inch.

 

[Ishodu]

That little bushing will make loads of play. 1/8" down there will be like 1 inch at the shifter.

 

[St Louis SHO]

Also, if you take the top off of the black box, there will be a bushing inside of that that the rod slides on. If it is missing or torn up, it'll give you more play than you can compensate for... Found that out the hard way

- James

 

[jthod]

cable shifter time!

 

[NEp8ntballer]

That little bushing will make loads of play. 1/8" down there will be like 1 inch at the shifter.

but would it cause 2nd gear not to work?

 

[SHO_DOODmorrris]

it was prob. just missing the gear cause the shifts were so out.

 

[zblackbeast]

SHIT. i didnt realize it was THAT bad.. i never examined it.. i just thought it was something easy.. those bushings look like poooo.

 

[NEp8ntballer]

SHIT. i didnt realize it was THAT bad.. i never examined it.. i just thought it was something easy.. those bushings look like poooo.

I have no idea why the last person that took it apart put grease down there because delrin is self lubricating. shit was coated in grease making it look really bad when they were really fine. I test fit them after cleaning them up and they fit together fairly snug. there was just a touch of movement. unfortunately I didn't bother doing that until after my new bushings showed up. the new bushings are super snug in comparison. so now I can either buy a die grinder and hardware to pull the socket bushing and destroy the old ball bushing to get it off or just put everything back together and save the bushings for when I may actually need them. I put it all back together finger tight out of the car and it only about 1/4 inch of side to side play. tightening it down all the way should take out more of it and getting the stabilizer bolted in all the way should remove the front to back play. I just can't decide between using blue loc tite or something else to try and keep the stabilizer bolt from backing out again.

i also think the reason that the shifter looked to be back really far is because the boot isn't attached to the center console.