The Gearbox linkage on my C200 class 1996 Esprit in 1st and 2nd gear is loose. Has a lot of play. 3rd, 4th, 5th and reverse are excellent. I have checked all the rubbers and the three gear linkages from the gear lever - No play. The play is directly on the gearbox. The car drives but when changing from reverse to 1st the play is a tricky one.
How does this final short gearbox linkage arm fit on the gearbox (splined with a cap head?) looked in my Haynes book but no luck. Would like to know before I drop the gearbox. It might just be loose somewhere. Please help?

Are the shifter bushing's still there?

Not sure where the shifter bushings are. Barely get my hand up the side of the gearbox. Please advise.

If you look up behind the trans and see the shfter, you will see the shifter rod. Where the rod attach's to the shifter and the trans, there should be a rubber bushing on both ends.

Checked the Rubber bushings unfortunately no play. Play is coming from the gearbox. I can feel the play on the shifter connected to the rod coming out of the gearbox. Is their a spy hole that I could access from inside the car to see the shifter on the gearbox more easily. Oh Forgot to mention my appreciation for your interest - Thank you very much.

Well took the car to mercedes dealer and they dropped the gearbox replaced the bush in the gearbox, tightened the linkage, reset all the gear shift linkages and it only cost £1.80 plus 3 hours labour. I am very impressed so that closes that one. Thanks for the great forum. Next is the wiper mechanism. After replacing the accelerator cable I noticed the aluminium bracket that holds the wiper motor on one side and the wiper arm on th other was in two pieces. I took the whole thing apart and will TIG weld it. Might need help on reassembling and posiyioning of the wiper arm.