You're welcome. I'd just hate to see anybody tear into what may be a perfectly good trans without exhausting all the other possibilities first.

good idea...thanks

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

I would begin with the easy, cheap stuff first. Replace all the bushings in the linkage. Also make sure the linkage is adjusted properly. With the lever in the neutral position adjust the clevises at the lower end of the column to be in the same horizontal plane with the trans in neutral. The procedure is in the shop manual. You can also add washers to the linkage at the trans to reduce some of the side play in the linkage at that point.

I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread because I'm in the same boat
[img]http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/uploads/images/b33c1783-d820-45be-a0bf-038a.jpg[/ilee

Yup, it's a mystery what gear your gonna get. I use the palm method when making the 1 -2 shift; lift the lever up with your palm and let the spring load guide the lever into neutral, then complete the shift to 2nd. Less chance of accidentally grabbing reverse that way.

"Mystery Shifter"???
sounds like aiming for second gear and getting reverse...

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

There is a rubber bushing/grommet ( I believe it is listed as a shift lever insulator ) that goes onto the end of the shift lever where it goes into the shift lever column. You have to drive out the roll pin that holds the lever to the column piece and then pull the lever out, replace the rubber piece and reinstall the lever and pin..

Have you replaced the rubber bushings in the linkage? When they wear out they turn your 3 on the tree into a Mystery Shifter. They're a lot easier to replace than the internal parts.

thanks; I'm mainly interested in getting the shift lever on the column to be tighter and less worn-out feeling...

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

after you get the manual,make a dumey cluster shaft,it should be exactley the length of the cluster, so on asembley you asemble the needel bearings with grease then inst dummey. lay cluster in botem of case. when top shaft asembledyou lift up cluster,making sure thrust washers are in place you slowley inst real shaft and push out the dumey with out loosing any bearing needeles.the rest is fine with a manual and help withe reusability. pay close atention to the 2nd to high syncro and mating parts.