Problem 2nd and 4th gears
 

1982 sc slantnose 5 spd.......possible Tranny Problem?, problem just started, everything was great drove the car all day, got home and parked it, I went back out a couple hrs later and noticed this problem when I went to shift to 2nd gear. Transmission occasionally pops out of 2nd gear, also it feels like both 2nd and 4th gear are really low to engage, feels like an adjustment is off, upper gears are fine as well as reverse, Any help or ideas as to what kind of repair.

Thanks
Bill

1. Lift base of shifter boot to expose the few inches of shift lever below the bend.

2. Open both car doors, kneel alongside the drivers door opening, and stick your head in under the steering wheel so you can see the bottom of the lever (put the seat all the way back). Line up the section below the bend with a garage wall stud, an outdoor light/telephone pole or similar that you can see through the open passenger door, and see if it's vertical. You will have to gently move the lever forward/aft to each stop (don't engage a gear) and find the middle between those two stops. At that point the lever should be vertical (lined up with a wall stud/pole, etc.).

If the lever is leaning forward you will have to adjust the coupler under the inspection plate on the rear of the center tunnel. The plate is secured with four screws and is under the carpet below the rear seat area. The fore-aft adjustment is done using the clamp at the forward end of the coupler.

Thanks Pete, I will check into that

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Make sure the ball cup bushing, ring bushing, and shif coupler bushings are in good shape. If yes, proceed to Peter Zimmermann's coupler adjustment procedure.

Thanks, I guess it is not something too serious then?

Well, those are the most common problems and the easiest to fix. It still could be the synchros, as they are wear items, but it depends on how you shift gears- slow and gentle, double clutching means that they will last a long time.

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