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Old 12-05-2015, 11:28 AM
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Stretch Stretch is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Netherlands
Posts: 14,461
W201 / W124 5 speed shifter refurbishment

G'day Folks,

I thought I'd start a fresh topic on this in DD because there's a strong crazy contingent here who seem to think manual gearboxes are better than automatics! To be honest I can't stand 'em but I'm stuck with the one I've got for the moment so I thought I'd see what was up with the sodding thing.

Symptoms => 5th and reverse are not as good as they could be. Often I need to pull up the clutch pedal in neutral before reverse engages and 5th has always been a bit notchy. This could be a synchromesh problem in the gearbox but it all looked OK when I took it to bits =>

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/341253-717-412-5-speed-manual-gearbox-refresh.html

The unknown in the system after adjusting the shifter rods and replacing the bushings remains the shifter itself. So I'm now looking at that bugger!


##########

Removal of the shifter is trivial

If you can't get to this stage by yourself =>



<= abandon all hope!

##########

EDIT before you get too carried away it is probably best to remove the reverse light switch



I'll have to look up the names for all the parts in a bit so that I can do an exploded view of all of the loose bits later on in the thread.

For now I'll just show the progress of the deconstruction so far



Two obvious 10mm head bolts come out



Be careful it is spring loaded!

(No stress really - just kidding)



Poings out quite nicely



After which the levers for the shifter rods come out in a group.

Whilst EPC has a nice break down of the positions of the washers and the spring washers it is worthwhile noting how they all go together again



Couldn't find any tie wraps (!)

I did find a use for a glove though...



There's nearly always one left behind just after you tie the knot =>



A clear plastic end cap can also be removed





Fiddly little C clips on either end of a retaining pin can be pushed off with care and two electrical screw drivers





Little c clips - keep just in case (although they are also in the repair kit)





The next stage will be to remove the two torx headed screws but I want to make sure I don't loose my place on that shaft







Sorry the pictures aren't so great today.

The shortest length of that shaft pictured above is 34mm and the longer length shown in the last picture of the previous post is 69mm

EDIT => it turns out that measuring the position of the clamp on this shifter bolt is not necessary (see later on in the thread) - however if you need comfort blankets then perhaps this isn't such a bad thing to do!

Here's the repair kit I bought (turned out not to be 100% correct)



Please note part number 1242602539 is not for the more common grouping of 5 speed shifters! This kit is for the reverse with the up and back to the left next to 2nd gear configuration...



...I've also found out it isn't exactly the correct part for the shifter I have. I can modify it quite easily to save having to go back to the dealership!
__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Last edited by Stretch; 12-10-2015 at 11:26 AM. Reason: Made some corrections based on what I now know!
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