It's all better now.............

fred cook · fred cook's Garage

The shifter, that is. I just replaced the shifter cup bushing, the shifter rod bushing and the coupler. Now I can actually get into first and third gear without reaching into the trunk! The old bushings and coupler (probably original) were toast! After 26 years and 123,000 miles it was time for some new pieces. The hardest part of the job is removing and replacing the console. Being equipped with a/c did not help a lot either. At least the carpets and console all got a good cleaning and vacuuming. The step by step instructions in the tech article section was a big help. Now I know it won't be a big deal if I decide to add a short shift kit. I even found some change when I had the carpets out! Total time for the job wound up being about 2 1/2 -3 hrs including breaks to play with the dog.

acapella8 · acapella8's Garage

Fred - did you lubricate the cup and bushings as you installed them?

fred cook · fred cook's Garage

Yes. I used some special Dow lubricant that is used on aircraft engine seals (provided by a friend in the business). It is a thick, almost white silicone based grease that I have used for various applications over the years. It seems to work well when used on the lips of new engine seals and on O rings installed during rebuilds. Plus there was a small amount of residual "slickum" on the shifter shaft. Everything seems to be happy and working as it should.