Gear shifter play

[Chunk]

Hope Jeff doesn't mind me using this picture from the "Leaky Gearbox" thread, but it helps demonstrate my issue.

The selector has loads of play side to side when a gear is selected, and when out of gear. So sometimes you get the wrong gear and it feels shite.

I had a look under the car and had a wiggle around with the selector and the play seems to be coming from point B on the picture. Looks like the ball on the end of the rod has worn the cup it sits in and therefore allowing play.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t161/JNineBar/Cars/R5%20Engine/gearboxleak_zps6d7c5756.png

Not had a chance to have another look at it since then - does anyone know if there's anything that can be replaced to fix it or am i better off replacing the gearbox? It'd be a shame really as the box is lovely apart from that.

[Trevhib]

Could it actually just be a missing/weak gearstick 'return to centre' spring?

[smithyr5gt]

the link going into "B"can be replaced. and the plastic/nylon grommet that the ball fixes into can be replaced to. i brough one a few years back form renault and it was only abour 3 quid. the link is this. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Short-Shifter-Link-Renault-5-GT-Turbo-C1J-1-4L-R5-JB3-JC5-Clio-Williams-16V-/180860426224?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a1c1f17f0
and im sure mike would have one.
its a fiddly job. but not to hard.

and as above. is the spring still there. ?

[Andy M]

The pivot bushing is replaceable, usually comes with the short throw kits if the pin is also included. If you look at the PDF link to rebuild the box in the thread, in the section internal controls, it's item 54 for the bush and 53 for the clip (looks to be a few types)

Should be common to JB and possibly JC boxes so should be readily available.

Trev is also right about the spring, if that is missing the gear selection will feel shite.

[Chunk]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm aware of the spring, i'll have a look underneath and see if it's still there. There was definitely play where that ball is secured to the box which seemed to be giving me the play when in gear. £50 is a lot to pay for the replacement short shifter bar so i'll probably find a scrap box with a tighter selector and swap bits over if necessary :agree:

[Chunk]

Oh second thoughts i'm sure I couldn't see any nylon grommet for the ball to sit in, it looked like it was just sitting inside the metal. I wonder if it's missing?

Anyone got any pictures of what it looks like?

[Jeff Ninebar]

you can use my picture, no problem at all :agree:

I could do with replacing the pivot bushing on my box as well, if you find a supplier let me know

[Chunk]

Had a look at the linkage this weekend, this is what i've discovered.

The gear shifter stick itself actually has play on the ball/bush thing at the base of the stick. The linkage is slightly bent/mangled which isn't really helping. There's play where the bolt goes through the clevis bar allowing the side to side play in the stick, and there's play where the clevis bar goes into the gearbox (the little nylon bush).

So all in all, loads to replace lol. But, it looks like the nylon bush in the box can be replaced so at least the box isn't scrap :)

I'll stick up a wanted post for a 2nd hand shifter and a new linkage and clevis bar, then look at replacing the nylon bush. :agree:

[Trevhib]

Don't tell me. Out of everything, the one thing that doesn't need replacing is that spring? :laugh:

Good stuff getting the lot sorted. There's nothing worse than slushy gear stick/change. :agree:

[Fishey]

After driving mine today I realized I need to sort my linkage as it feels like your mixing a pudding with a spoon! I have come across this thread, dunno if this guy is still selling the bushes. I will get under mine next weekend and have a look

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?552004-gear-selector-worn

[Chunk]

Update...

All sorted! Here's what I did.

1. Attempted to remove the nylon bush in the bottom of the gearbox that the selector arm is connected to. Removed the circlip, hoping the bush would come out nice and easily. Nope.jpg

Ended up spending an hour or maybe more chiselling away at the bush with various tools, had to pretty much completely destroy the ****er to get it out. Maybe I was unlucky.

Anyway, once removed, I cleaned up the selector rod (the part the linkage bolts up to), then cleaned the hole. I popped the selector rod back through the linkage on the gearbox, attached the new bush and greased it up, then popped it back in the hole.

Secured that with the circlip again. I could immediately feel an improvement. I then bolted the linkage back up, and whilst it felt better, I was still sometimes getting reverse when going for first.

2. Next, I completely removed the gear shifter and linkage from the car. There was loads of play in the ball at the bottom of the shifter which was allowing it to make the gears feel sloppy.

Since my linkage was a bit buckled and the shifter had some weird carbon crap wrapped around it, that prompty went in the bin. I had a spare gear shifter with linkage attached which was removed from a campus.

I removed the circlip from the bottom of the shifter and removed the assembly from the housing to expose the bush. I pulled the bush apart and there was two plastic discs inside the bush, and a ball in two halves that sits around the shifter. These were well worn, so again, went in the bin.

I had a refurb kit that I bought very cheaply from eBay which included a new bush, new ball, new plastic discs and a couple of other bits. Took a lot of head scratching to figure out how to get it together. The new bush was VERY tough, so trying to get the discs inside was an absolute nightmare. The first one went in with lots of lube and swearing, but the second one was pretty much impossible.

In the end, I fired up the Williams and left the bush sat on top of the engine to heat up and hopefully become a bit softer. Eventually it eased off a bit and about 45 minutes later of constant swearing and fighting, and a lot of help from a friend, we managed to force it in. It's VERY tight.

Absolute nightmare of a job, probably wouldn't recommend it unless you have plenty of time to have a crack at it.

Re-fitted the shifter to the car and connected the linkage back up. Felt really nice, almost like a short shifter as the play had gone.

3. Finally, the last thing was to fit a return spring for the gear stick as mine was missing. Got under the car with some pliers and attempted to remove the plastic clip from the underside of the car. It came out... along with a load of rust, which made the hole larger. So, i was unable to actually put the new clip in supplied by CGB.

I just hooked the spring into the metal on the floor as I didn't really have any other option. I'm going to try and find a bolt with some washers to fill the hole with and secure it a better way eventually.

Finally, after 5 hours 30 minutes pissing about, I sat in the car and checked all the gears. BLISS. What an improvement, all the gears select perfectly, no play, lovely job.

If I was going to do it again i'd probably get a short shifter with a pre-build assembly and fit that instead, but I want to keep the car as OE as possible.

Hope that helps...