Gear shift hitting surround

[Uber_Matt]

Hi fellas.

A long term problem has been resolved, however it also has be stumped.

My car used to jump out of 5th gear occasionally, not violently or anything, just suddeny would be out of gear. turns out that, with the rubber shift boot around the stick, was getting in between the stick and the black console surround, and pushing the stick out of gear.

Now my problem here is, why would it be like this? If I pull all the plastic bits off, it looks as though the stick isnt in the middle of the hole, but a fair way to the right, and so it pushes on the black surrounding plate thingo when in 5th or reverse. Best way to describe it looks like 1st is where 3rd should be and 3rd where 5th should be etc.

Is there a simple way to fix this or will it require the box to be removed and the mounts be redone?

I have simply thought about getting a vinyl boot, or even just using it with the boot removed altogether, however I have been doing this for the last fortnight or so and this is very noisy and I dont like it! And with the vinl boot i suspect it would still be too thick and do the same thing anyway.

I can post a piccy if it would help anyone.


Any suggestions fellas? Thanks.

[Boonz]

even if the mount was snapped it still shouldnt be that far over cos the engine mounts dictate how straight the box sits in the trans tunnel.... and by the sounds of it yours has rolled over to one side??
have you jacked it up and had a look for broken mounts?

[Uber_Matt]

Yeah I thought the same!

I took it down to the local Autoco and ut it up on the hoist - turns out the previous owner had broken the engine mounts and just welded them back up - they look to ahve broken again - he welds them again.

The whole engine had moved over by the looks of things, the tail shaft was sitting on an " / "angle. We straightened the box up but it will move again.

The car had the box reco'd about 6 mths before I bought it, and I did the centre bearing about 2 months back, bloke at autoco recons he had them doone because the tailshaft being on an angle had shagged the bearings out, I dont know why he paid $1000+ for a reco, and didnt spend an extra $50 on mounts to fix it altogether, but who knows!

Im going to Repco today to get 2 new mounts, $33 each, or $24 from holden, but apparently the Repco onnes have a higher grade rubber, plus they are in stock, so thats where im headed.

Tell you what though, its a totally different car to drive, even just doing the mounts and moving the box! Absolutley no vibration at all, even at low revs (used to have bad vibs, bu my VP did that too so I thought it was normal!)

Anywa thanks for the suggestion mate, going to do the mounts tomorrow.