Gearbox selector rods

[parisian62]

Any ideas why the gearshift selector rod would be fouling with the clutch master slave cylinder? I still have to put a return spring on but that wont make any difference.

Also when I try and put the column gearshift in it is nearly hitting the dashboard.

Something seriously wrong somewhere...

[Blacky]

You got a manual Stewart ? I had to fiddle with mine to get them right , in the manual is a set of measurements of what shape they orta be , I drew them on the bench and laid the shift rods on them and they were miles out. I straightened them up then set them to the correct length and they were lots better, still a bit tight but they have settled in nicely now ....... seem to remember mine were hitting the slave cylinder too when I started.

[Harv]

Stu,

Were the gearbox and levers in the car and working previously? Looking at my FB it damn near fouls the tip of the slave, but not anywhere near as much as yours looks to be.

Not sure what you mean by "when I try and put the column gearshift in it is nearly hitting the dashboard" - do you mean that the whole gear lever is very close to the dash when you try for 2nd/3rd??

The grey motor crashbox is fitted with two external levers - a shifter lever (the one nearer the front of the car), and a selector shaft control lever (the one near the back of the car). One thing that may make the slave cylinder foul is the selector lever. The selector shaft control lever changed in length (became longer) at the FE Holden model (FX-FJ Holdens use part number 7400177, whilst FE-EK Holdens use 7409290 for right hand drive). Your FJ gearbox may still have the (shorter) FJ selector shaft control lever hanging off it, which will pull the rods closer to the slave. The image below shows (from left to right) a FX-FJ Holden selector shaft control lever (this might be your problem), a FE-EK Holden selector shaft control lever (longer, moves the rods out further to clear the slave), a FX-FJ Holden shifter lever, a FE-FC Holden shifter lever and a FB-EK Holden shifter lever.



If you do have the shorter FX-FJ lever, and want to try the longer one give me a yell and I'll dig one out of the Spare Parts Department.

It would be pretty hard to mix the two rods up, as the ends are twisted different ways. There is a rough chance you have the wrong rods though (no guarentees on the one I dug out for you ). Worthwhile checking dimensions as per below (note that FE-EK are identical, I have no dimensions for humpies though):


Dimension FE-EK Holden
A 10.01”-10.99”
B 7.27”-7.29”
C 10.57”-10.59”
D 21.55”-21.57”
E 23.41”-23.43”
F 10.25”-10.27”
G 7.63”-7.65”
H 7.77”-7.79”
I 18.69”-18.71”
J 20.67”-20.69”

Cheers,
Harv

[parisian62]

Awesome...love this Forum.

Good idea Blacky Will check that they are in shape.

Andrew - I have 2 different rods but I think you're on the money with the shorter FJ selector shaft. I'll check my spares tomorrow and if I don't have anything I'll come over - many thanks. I have to return that gear cluster too...

do you mean that the whole gear lever is very close to the dash when you try for 2nd/3rd??

Yes.

many thanks guys
Stewart

[Harv]

Hmmm... the "push in to the dash, pull out to your chest" part of the gearchange is the bit that operates the selector rod (the bit that's fouling). It bugs me that the fouling and "close to dash" bit are probably the same issue.

Some things that might make the gear lever too close to the dash:
a) bent gear lever (if it was hanging off the column and the steering box was hanging off the other end, dropping the whole assembly off the end of a bench can easily bend the gear lever... don't ask me how I know ),
b) hole in top of control tube has elongated (flogged out). Moving the gear lever (inside the car) should show lots of slop before the selector rod moves (under the car) if that was the case.
c) pivot pin is missing from gear lever (gear lever has to move towards dash and pivot off inside of honeypot)... no likely - if the pin was missing, the gear lever will pull right out of the steering column (easy enough to check).
d) selector lever (at end of steering column) has come adrift or is badly bent.

Cheers,
Harv.