[Rogerg1950]

I've got a 1970 Chevelle 4 speed and its started to have shifter linkage problems. Seems the bolts on the sides of the transmission come loose enough so that the car won't shift. I understand this is a fairly common problem, so I was wondering, what I need to do to fix it.

A friend of mine tightened everything up and got it shifting again, and all he said was everything was worn out. Do I need new linkage or what? It doesn't take much at all for everything to get loose again. Thanks

 

[HKalin]

I used to have that problem on my 70 Nova. One thing you can replace if you have the plastic bushings in the holes of the linkage you can replace them with metal ones made by Hurst. Also on the transmission side cover where the linkage hooks up make sure you use a flat washer and a lock washer on the linkage nuts or bolts.

 

[-SS454-]

the bushings Hank is referring to is called a pit pack. I did that on my 4 speed, snugged things up a bit. Also you could get a star washer for the bolts to help them from backing out.

 

[Rogerg1950]

Thanks guys for the help. I'll try that tonight.

 

[Bluegoose1970]

If you have enough thread left, lock washers will work. If you have some threads left locktite may work. After that you will need to drill and install Heli-coils. First I would get new bolts and a chase die, not a cutting die. First car my brother owned was a 69 396/375 hp with a M22, the car had been shifted hard, hell the shifter would fall off. That was in 1976, if it is the original case, it should be worst by now. We Heli-coiled it.


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[joe58]

check the trans arm slots where they fit on the trans shift shaft

It the trans arm has a worn slot, it will keep getting lose

 

[Andy's Auto Repair]

Try a pit pack and somew 242 Loctite

 

[blm]

Use some lock washers. Also inspect the slots in the levers closely. They should basicly be rectangular (with rounded ends) however many times the rectangular portion becomes mushroomed. If they are originals they are most likely mushroomed and are creating sloppy shifter operation. You can find out what levers are installed on the linkage rods and purchase new ones. Summit carries them. I recently replaced both my 1/2 and 3/4 levers and while the 1/2 lever slid right on the 3/4 lever needed to be hogged out a couple thousandths to slide on the trans. Needed a one quarter nurled carbide bit to do the job. The levers are hardened steel.
Bythe way the 1/2 lever was mushroomed the most as it sometimes sees some fairly hard shifting.
The pit packs also come in steel as well as plastic. As far as that goes you can even get them in stainless steel from certain vendors. The steel wears better but creates a little more noise.
I also added very thin washers under the special clips that secure the levers to the rods. This helped to tighten everything up.