HI Doug, thanks for the quick response. So obviously when in neutral the shifter is pegged to the right just to make sure I got everything right? And I would love to know the answer for the boot! Thanks a ton.
Hi,
The reason the rubber boot on your shifter gets caught between the shifter and the shifter housing is due to the following: To install the spring, I think you will have to remove the shifter assembly so this is a great time to make the following inspection/repair. With the shifter out of the car, the following will be easier for you to envision. But, if you look in almost any of the
parts supplier's catalog, you will see an exploded view of the standard shifter. I happen to be looking at Hill's catalog. In any event, if you look at the shift lever (P/N 7210), you will notice that it is an assembly with the shift knob at the upper end and a "T" at the lower end. If you look carefully at the lower end of the lever, the left branch (driver's side) of the "T" shows what appears to be a small "pin" with
no separate
part number. The 2 branches of this "T" are what engage the two shift levers (P/N/7302) that shift the car into Reverse-First when the shift lever is pulled toward you and 2nd and 3rd when the shift lever is pushed away from you (with the help of the spring you don't have). This small pin is made out of nylon and is what determines the amount of engagement between the "T" into the shift lever when you shift from 2nd to 3rd and assures that the shift lever doesn't go too far and pinch the rubber boot. More importantly, the engagement of the "T" into the shift lever, as this pin wears down over the years (as mine did), will lessen the engagement "T" which can cause the T to slip out of engagement with both shift levers, as mine did, leaving the car in some gear but you will be unable to shift. Once you remove the shifter assembly, what you will see is that one of the branches of the "T" will have a nylon plug which will be worn off, flush with the surface of the T. This is the problem, a worn nylon bumper.
The repair is quite simple, drill a hole into the nylon "plug" and screw a wood screw into the nylon plug and just pull the plug out (mine came out while I was drilling it). Then go to a hardware store and buy a round headed nylon screw, the diameter of which will fit into the hole in the T. Shorten the screw so that the head of the screw is touching the end of the T (I think I used a 1/4" screw). Finally, fill the hole with epoxy (
J-B Weld) and insert the screw. I did this repair 15 years ago and since then I have never jammed a rubber boot or had the shifter come out of engagement. When you are greasing the shifter, just put a dab of grease on the nylon head, the repair will last forever.
Good Luck,
Doug
