Shift Linkage Question

[daddygo]

My friend's 1973 914 suddenly got very sloppy in shifting gears. I checked the shift rod and every coupling I could find, and ended up at the last connection on the side of the transmission.

The short arm with the ball on the end, and pinned onto the shaft coming out of the tranny... has a lot of play around the pin. It seems like the pin is worn out inside the shaft, or perhaps there is a bushing I can't see. (It was dark and I didn't have my cheat glasses with me.)

My question is two parts:
1) I'm assuming there shouldn't be any axial slop or play at this point, correct?
2) What's the best way to remove this pin? Will it come out with some tapping?

Any advice would be welcome.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

It is not typical to get slop at that point. The rod slides in and out of the trans case, as well as rotating. So if that was the play you found, then it isn't the problem. There is a bushing and/or seal around the rod, though, and that might give you some play. It definitely is what leaks transmission fluid into the plastic cover.

You would replace the seal and the pin and such the same way. Remove that part from the trans; there are just two nuts that hold it in. Then put the part in a vise and make sure you're holding onto the a solid part instead of the relatively weak magnesium casting. Drive the pin out and the lever with the ball end should come off. Or do the same thing to the rake on the upper end of the rod.

Installation is pretty much the reverse. I think there is both an O-ring and a paper gasket between the console and the case.

--DD

[daddygo]

Dave:

Thanks for the insight. When you said, "Remove that part from the trans; there are just two nuts that hold it in." Can this be done under the car, or does the tranny have to be removed?

[red-beard]

If the only problem is the roll pin, then you can replace it where it is. A pin punch and a hammer is all you need. I've had the roll pin break on my 914/6, back when I was running the original linkage.

Do not be tempted to replace with one of the "C" roll pins from a hardware store.

Now if the shaft is leaking oil, you will need to pull the shift console from the tranny. DRAIN THE TRANNY OIL FIRST!!!

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Daddygo, it just unbolts from the bottom/side of the trans. You don't have to bother draining the transmission oil out--if you want to make a very big mess on the floor and you like getting a face-full of stinky sulfur-smelling gear oil...

Yeah, drain it. And remove the fill plug first, because it really sucks to have an empty transmission that you can't re-fill. And there will still be oil that comes out of the hole where the side-shift console (the part that the rod goes through) goes, so have a catch-pan under it and some rags handy.

--DD

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Part number for the roll pin is 900-309-001-00 $1.40

parts diagrams call it out as a 6x32 roll pin

[SirAndy]

Originally Posted by daddygo

I checked the shift rod and every coupling I could find, and ended up at the last connection on the side of the transmission.

Did you check the cone setscrew at the coupler right after the firewall? If that screw comes lose, the shifting will feel very sloppy.
I'd try to re-tighten that one and see if it moves. If so, get a new screw. They have a build in crush thread that will act as a poor mans loctite. They are not supposed to be reused.

[Dkelly914]

Originally Posted by Jared at Pelican Parts

Part number for the roll pin is 900-309-001-00 $1.40

parts diagrams call it out as a 6x32 roll pin

When I tried to buy the roll pins last month they were NLA>

DK