thanks for the pointers, I'll get those areas checked out. I had the Gearbox fully serviced and was told no probles, clean as a whistle.

Suginami on a different tack, I was going to get a replacment gear shift knob, but was told that it was easy to get the old one out to put a new one in. The instructions I was given, simply push down hard, then twist, -- tried that and no luck. I would still like to get a new shift knob though. Sooooooooooo how to you get the gear shift out and put the NEW ONE IN???