how do you service shift lever assembly

[gdp_samson]

Hi,

now that the bulky center console is out of the car (thanks for the tips - it was indeed not the funniest of jobs, I'd rather bleed brakes or change the oil, something really mechanical compared to the fiddling with connectors etc...)

I noticed that the area in the tunnel is dirty, some debris from the fabric fell in over the years apparently.

Do I need to service the shift assembly ? just spray some PTFE from a can ?
or stuff it with grease ?

In the picture, you can see the black dirt on the white plastic (how do you call that thing)

[Discseven]

Not sure what year your car is---setup there is different than my '80 that has a cup that accepts the lever's ball-end. Then there's a sleeve that holds the long rod (rod that runs back to the coupler at the rear bulkhead.) Both the cup & sleeve wear out in time. The stock coupling at the rear is something to look at. Plastic in those couplers eventually crumbles. As it does, getting into gears will change character. When the plastic disintegrates far enough, getting into one gear or another will not happen.

[famoroso]

Originally Posted by Discseven

Not sure what year your car is---setup there is different than my '80....

His is an '87 - '89 G50 that is completely different than your '80 915.

[gdp_samson]

Hi Famoroso,

indeed, I forgot to mention...

any tips on how to 'maintain' ? just spray some oil ? or rub thick oil on the shaft?

[famoroso]

Originally Posted by gdp_samson

I noticed that the area in the tunnel is dirty, some debris from the fabric fell in over the years apparently.

Do I need to service the shift assembly ? just spray some PTFE from a can ?
or stuff it with grease ?

In the picture, you can see the black dirt on the white plastic (how do you call that thing)

There's not a lot to be done with the shifter assembly in-situ.

Personally, I would vacuum the cavity out as thoroughly as possible with a crevice attachment on a shop vac.

The white plastic piece is called the shift-lever bearing.

Apart from removing the assembly and "rebuilding" it by replacing the shift rod bushing at the trailing edge of the housing and the two o-rings in the shift-lever bearing, I would add a small amount of spray lube (I like Break Free CLP) to the plastic ball socket (the circle visible just behind (trailing edge) of the base of the shift lever and try and add some grease where the shift rod emerges from the shift rod bushing. Select 4th gear, get some grease on the rod, then shift betw 3-4 a few times to spread the love.

You can replace the fabric inner sleeve that disintegrated over the last ~36 years.

[gdp_samson]

Thanks, all clear now...