Shift lever rotates while shifting?

[Kevin Lewis]

I have recently had my XMSN rebuilt on my 1973 914-4 1.7L, new clutch, TOB, and PP and before that I replaced all the shifter linkage bushings. The car is very hard to get into first gear most of the timewhen I am stopped t a light. I have to use the 2nd or 3rd gear then into 1st gear trick. Or if I pull the shifter over into the gate for first gear before I come to a stop it does seem easier to get into 1st after the light changes.
Problem: I was noticing yesterday that the shift lever itself, while pulling it into first gear seems to rotate to the left quite a bit and when I shift into 2nd or 4th it seems to rotate to the right quite a bit after it has engaged the gear in the XMSN. I have never seen a link from the bulletin board regarding this problem.
A) Is that normal or is my shifter and cup worn out?
B) Do you have any information on this problem?
C) Is there away to adjust the shift lever at the base?

[JWest]

Assuming it is a side shifter (supposedly some very early '73s were tail shift, but most were side shift) then the bottom of the shifter is bolted to the linkage and will not rotate. The upper stick is epoxied to the lower portion, and the epoxy has probably broken loose.

Remove the shift boot and you can see the joint at the base of the shift lever.

Welding is the best fix, although a good epoxy job will work (it lasted for 30 years on most 914s).

[jim912928]

Yep...i'd bet it is the epoxy issue. Mine does the same thing as we speak..actually if you pulled up on it most likely it would come right out of the lower piece. Epoxy it back in and you'll be good to go (get the angle orientation to your liking as there will be no adjusting it after!).

[415pb]

Same thing happened to me 10 months ago. I sanded down the old epoxy, cleaned it real good and used J-B Weld. It has worked so far and seems very solid. Worked for me.

[mike95125]

Me too! Mine had a short shift kit on it that I didn't even know about. I heated it, cleaned it, and JB welded it.

[red-beard]

sounds like you need a linkage adjustment and to check what they actually did to 1st gear.

How much did your tranny rebuild cost?

[Kevin Lewis]

Thank you all for the information. The epoxy or JB weld, what ever it was did indeed crack. I took the shifter to my local Harley Frame builder and he fixed it up with weld. I doubt that will be a problem any more. I guess until the shaft snaps off from being annealed from the heat from the weld. Thanks again.