My 80 240d manual wouldn't shift into reverse gear so I took apart the lever and it looks like this:

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t304/phae1017/?action=view&current=DSCF0067.jpg

Can anyone tell me if the denty hole on the side is normal? It doesn't look like it, though it appears to be quite a strange modification if it's not factory. It seems to be preventing the lever to engage the reverse linkage. I might be missing something with regards to the transmission if this denty hole is normal.

close up:

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t304/phae1017/?action=view&current=DSCF0069.jpg

Thanks

IIRC, my '82 240 gear lever was designed to pull up and over when engaged, vs. push down and over, just the opposite of the rest of humanity. Thinking enough folks damaged linkage. I would have to be careful when shifting into first, easy to slide into reverse. I had an '85 300 D that the hood had a difficult time opening and closing, not to mention lining up when finally closed, thinking someone opened hood 90 degrees, not knowing how to close, just kept slamming on it, ruining hinge.

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83 SD

84 CD

Omg, I've been pushing down like crazy it never occured to me to pull! Yes it's normal, but I'm not.

Nice when it works out to be simple. My revese proceedure still feels a little alien to me as I drive so many so called normal arrangements as well. Or maybr thats why I miss insertion of reverse on the newish japanese econobox from time to time. Mind it"s on the other side of the pattern.

LOL...the first manual 240D I bought, my wife and I took it for a test drive. I pulled into a driveway too turn around and sat there for the longest time trying to figure out where the devil reverse was

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"