1988 928 S4 5 Speed Shifter Problem

[Big Bad Bry]

Hi new to forum.
Have a Question regarding Transmission.

The car is a 1988 S4 5 speed.

Previous owner took the car to a quick lube placeand had them flush the tranny he said when he picked up car the shifter was loose left to right.

The shifter cups seem fine I'm almost positive they unscrewed the adjustment cap nut for the pre selector lever to try and flush fluid.

Has anyone had this type of issue, and is there anyway to try and correct this problem without dropping transmission.

Thank you for any and all replies

[Mrmerlin]

Lift up the shifter boot and see if anything has fallen off of the shifter pins. Then
I would look under the car on the driverside of the trans look where the shifter shaft connects to the trans input shift rod.
It is not uncommon to have the pin fall out/or almost out. Also with the shifter/trans in neutral have a helper hold it there and loosen the clamp bolt (13mm) and reset the connection, its possible it was loose and the shifter moved from its original position

[Barbapapa]

Whatever has loosened, it's probably from being handled by an idiot who couldn't find a gear and started forcing it while in the parking lot, not anything related to the "flushing".

[Big Bad Bry]

Thanks for the reply mrmerlin.

I have checked under shift boot all is well.

I will check the other things you mentioned.

On passenger side of transmission there is 21mm cap nut and lock nut with threaded bolt or adjuster rod inside which is supposed to attach to a type of spring inside the transmission.

The transmission shifts fine, finds all gears it just does not return to neutral on its own just flops, around I put my hand on rear shifter cup boot and I can feel/hear shifter forks move inside transmisson does not seem to be any resistance to return shifter back to neutral position.

Thanks Again will let you know.

[Big Bad Bry]

Barbapapa

You could be right that is what the previous owner assumed.

The reason I thought it might be this other part is I found a post on the web where

someone did that exact thing to there own car by accident while attempting to drain

transmission which had this same effect to his shifter of course I can not find the

post again.

Thank You for your reply

Big Bad Bry

[Mrmerlin]

so its possible that a shift rod spring has come out? Take off the plug and see

[Danglerb]

I remember the thread, they took off the spring detent I think by accident and it fell inside?

[Big Bad Bry]

Ouchthats fell inside thats what I'm worried about do you think it will do any damage if something fell inside.

[Mrmerlin]

well there is a sliding pin and it will stay in its position unless the shift rod is removed, to be sure though I would stick a pencil magnet into the hole and see if the ball/slug is still there, ther should alsdo be a thicker type spring.
Dont drive the car till have this figured out, as a last case you could remove the rear cover and see if there are any parts laying in the bottom of the trans, of course this means draining the trans axle and there are 2 drains , make sure you can remove the fill plug first prior to removing the rear cover so you can refill the trans

[Big Bad Bry]

Hey thats a good idea to look in from the rear thanks mrmerlin

[Mrmerlin]

stick a magnet in the hole first as it may still be in there just minus the spring.
Sears sells pencil type magnets with the screw capture feature on the opposite ends

[Big Bad Bry]

Thanks Again mrmerlin

I'll try that first definitely worth a shot because If I have drop tranny I have to remove entire rear axle assembly due to welded battery box!

[american-kiwi]

Lesson #1!...dont pay peanuts...you get monkeys working on your car...now the monkey dropped a monkey wrench inside your gearbox

[Mrmerlin]

to drop the trans you have to remove the X member first regardless of a welded battery box