I have a problem with the shifter on my '74 Midget. It shifts just fine
when the transmission is cold, but once it warms up, things get a little
strange. Shifting between neutral, 1st, and 2nd is just fine, as is
shifting from second to third. But once the transmission gets good and
warm, moving the shifter rearward in the 3-4 gate becomes difficult. Not
impossible, mind you, but far more difficult than it should be. Shifting
from third to fourth, third to neutral, or neutral to fourth, all require
the same (excessive) amount of force. Additionally, it is difficult to
move the lever to the left in neutral (from the 3-4 to the 1-2 gate); it
feels about like the detent on the reverse gate. This problem didn't
emerge gradually; one day the shifter was just buttery-smooth all the
time, the next it had this problem, and it has not worsened in the couple
hundred miles since it started. It always shifts just fine when cold.
I'm assuming the problem is with the linkage, as I can discern no play
whatsoever in the front-rear movement of the lever in the 3-4 quadrant;
if things were hanging up in the tranny, I would expect a little bit of
free front-rear movement of the lever before it began dragging.
I'm planning to try pouring some oil down the shifter hole to see if that
helps, in case it's a dry bushing in the linkage housing somewhere.
Anyone have any thoughts of other things to check before pulling the whole
thing out of the car?
Thanks in advance.
Michael Chaffee
mchaffee@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu
CCSO's secretary has officially disavowed any knowledge of my actions.
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