Reverse hard to find

[NCDiesel]

I have a new(to me of course) 1966 200D with floor shift 4 speed. The shift linkage was really, really sloppy so reverse was very hard to find. I could, with persistence and serious left leaning pressure, eventually find it within a few minutes.

So I made a HUGE mistake: I ordered a set of bushings and fixed it. Now reverse is GONE. Gears 1 thru 4 are now tight and sure and true the car shifts like new when going forward. Except now reverse is impossible to find - It just isn't there.

I really think I will have to drop the transmission and look at the shift rails and forks. Anyone have any thoughts, experiences, guidance that they could bring to my attention that I might hav overlooked?

Thanks a million in advance, (or reverse maybe!)

NCDiesel

[Mike D]

Try this. Put the shifter in the middle of the "H", left hand side, pull UP on the shifter and it should slide over one more step and then forward into reverse.

[NCDiesel]

I didn't know you were supposed to pull up to get into reverse. So I tried, and I was able to feel a "notch", but couldn't get reverse - just first again. However, I am not sure the notch wasn't just a figment or a coincident. The gear shifter didn't really move hardly. It stays firm in its socket and the socket is mounted firm too. Is there supposed to be vertical travel in the socket plate mounting housing that allows the socket plate move up an down?

After having replaced the bushings, I am not sure how pulling up would work??? The main center shift rod would just rotate in the eye, even if you did have the play to pull up, and not actually move the shift arm at the top of the transmission. Normally, without pulling up, I have the travel in the "H" pattern to hit reverse(I can go well past the first-second shift plane), but when I hit the extreme left and go vertical in reverse, it just isn't in the shift plane of reverse yet and instead hits the top of the "circle" of the shift ball socket and then travels into first gear.

Am I wrong, should I be able to pull up?

As usual, thanks for your reply and thanks in advance for all comments,

NCDiesel

[Mike D]

I ran into this same problem when I renewed all the bushings in my wife's 250C.

Reverse was tight and sticky for awhile but now it is loosening up.

The actual shifter lever "lifts" to engage the linkage. I could only get it into reverse with the engine running for the first 50 times.

Check the adjustment on the shift rods. Most of the time people adjust them to compensate for bushing wear and then when you install new bushings....

[PaulC]

I wonder if worn engine or transmission mounts may be contributing to the problem.

[Mike D]

Worn engine or transmission mounts, on a '66, nahhhh!

Those should be good for 35 years or so.