URGENT: Frozen W123 Manual Transmission - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Bama1 · #16 11-23-2008, 10:55 AM

Those 3 nylon shifter bushings probably need to be replaced as well.
It is amazing what that does to improve the feel of the shift and to eliminate a lot of noise as well as eliminate the linkage from jamming.

Seems like they were @ $1.27 each?? ...but that was @ 100K miles and more than a few synapses ago...

Hope it's not a much bigger problem than that for you cause that tranny is usually nonstoppable.

Let us know

JEBalles · #17 11-23-2008, 05:05 PM

I got under the car and took it out of reverse by pulling on the shift rod. That put it all back to normal, it's still a little hard to shift, and makes some noises. Where exactly are those shifter bushings?

Stevo · #18 11-23-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEBalles

I got under the car and took it out of reverse by pulling on the shift rod. That put it all back to normal, it's still a little hard to shift, and makes some noises. Where exactly are those shifter bushings?

At both ends of the shift rods there are bushings.

JEBalles · #19 11-23-2008, 06:52 PM

Well, I should clarify: it's not the actual shifting into gears thats hard, it's moving the stick around. Moving it forward and back is fine. It's moving it side to side thats hard. So it don't think I need to replace any rod bushings. My mistake.

Stevo · #20 11-23-2008, 08:56 PM

Pull the boot up and see if you can see any binding in the shifter. Theres a plastic bushing in there thats a common replacement item but i have never had to replace one, I'm sure someone around here has tho.

t walgamuth · #21 11-23-2008, 09:31 PM

I have replaced the shifter bushing numerous times. A vast improvement in shifting feel if it is getting sloppy before you change it. Not too hard to do either but the shifter must come out to do it, IIRC.

Stevo · #22 11-23-2008, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I have replaced the shifter bushing numerous times. A vast improvement in shifting feel if it is getting sloppy before you change it. Not too hard to do either but the shifter must come out to do it, IIRC.

So you disconnect the linkage at the tranny and pull the shifter to replace that bushing that looks like a little hat?

t walgamuth · #23 11-24-2008, 05:40 AM

Yes. It may be possible to just loosten the shifter and pull it up enough to do the job without removing the shift rods, I cannot verify that though.

Yes the bush is a top hat shaped thing of black or white plastic. I believe I have seen them more in white than black.

winmutt · #24 11-24-2008, 10:27 AM

There is a right angle and a wrong angles to get to those bushings at, particularly if you have sound insulation in the tunnel. I think I found that with my feet out under the pass side that I was able to get to it. Stick a small flat head at the closed end of the clip to preopen it when you are getting them back on.

Stevo · #25 11-24-2008, 10:50 AM

I was send three of these bushings by "mistake" and of course kept them for the day I (or a friend) would need them. Think I'll use one in my 79, see if I can recapture that "new car" feel, thanks for the info.

JB keep us informed

JEBalles · #26 11-24-2008, 05:27 PM

So, I shouldn't be worried about anything at the shifter breaking, right? Cause I have a lot of rot that I spend most of my free time trying to root out, clean up, arrest and eventually fix. Bad rot, like holes in the floor. Duct tape keeps out the rain water. Third owner of a quarter-million-miler that spent it's whole life in Massachusetts, it's not pretty. So if it's not imperative that I replace this bushing, it seems like a lot of time to possibly take out the shifter just to make it smoother. I'll probably get around to it this summer, I don't fancy working on metal with my fingers in the cold. Thanks for all the advice, though.

Stevo · #27 11-24-2008, 06:39 PM

These are just ideas, nobody knows whats wrong, could be a few things, more than one possibly, you stand to trash your tranny if you have grinding going on, up to you.

JEBalles · #28 11-24-2008, 08:41 PM

What do you mean by grinding? I don't have any trouble actually shifting gears. I'm afraid somethings wrong with the shifter, before you get to the gearbox. Just up by the stick.

alfa 75 · #29 11-24-2008, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JEBalles

it seems like a lot of time to possibly take out the shifter just to make it smoother

Taking the shifter out is fairly simple. Take the console out and then it's held on by four bolts. Then you've got the clips that hold the shift rods which are tricky but by no means impossible.

JEBalles · #30 11-25-2008, 04:16 PM

The console is the wooden piece around the stick with the window and hazard switches and such, right?