I'm new to this forum, so greetings everyone.

In the six years I've owned my '81 240D manual, I've fixed countless things on it. Occasionally I've been stumped, and information online has enabled me to go on successfully.

Well, I'm surely stumped now, and I need your help.

My shifter will only work changing 1st to 2nd and back. It won't go into reverse, and it won't slide over and do 3rd or 4th.

With the front up on jack stands in my garage, I discovered a bushing had vanished from the shifter end of the reverse rod. I replaced it. But that made no change whatsoever in my inability to get to reverse, 3rd or 4th.

So I followed Ridge's guidance:
1. Disconnect all the linkage at the lever arms on the transmission.
2. Check all the bushings in both ends of each link to make certain that they don't need replacing. If bad replace.
3. Obtain the "new type" clips for the securing the links as, once installed they won't pop off like the original ones.
4. Put the pin (A 6mm drill works for me.) through the shift mechanism once you've shifted it into the neutral position.
5. Shift each of the gear levers on the transmission into neutral and then reconnect the linkage. Make certain that all the new retaining clips are secure. Toughest part of the whole job is getting the clips back on.
6. Remove aligning pin from the shift mechanism.

But nothing changed! Argh!!!

So I disconnected all three rods at the transmission and reinserted the pin (in step 4 above). I figured with all three rods disconnected from the transmission, and with the pin inserted so that all three shift levers were aligned, I should be able to slide the shifter left and right in the neutral position. But I cannot. it doesn't budge left and right.

I have loosed the boot at the base and pulled it wrong-side out above the shifter knob to gain access to the top of the shifting mechanism. I double- and triple-checked to ensure no foreign objects had found their way down into a position that would prevent the shifter from moving left and right; but I find nothing at all.

I do note that the bar the shifter slides left and right on seems a bit loose on the driver's side where it goes into a larger black "housing" (the contents of which I know nothing about).

I also removed the retaining clip and lifted the shifter rod (with spring, etc.) up out of the housing it sets in, saw no problems, and put it back into place.

So I'm thinking the problem's with the shifter assembly somehow. But before I start taking that apart, being unsure it's the problem and, frankly, not knowing what I'm getting into, I'm asking for your help first.

Can anybody advise me how to proceed from here?

Thanks very much in advance!