I was needing to know exactly how to adjust a Getrag as far as shifter cables go. My car is incredibly hard to go into 3rd sometimes, 5th and reverse. It seems I have to use too much force to go into 5th gear like over and push just to get it to go into 5th and not 3rd. Just thought I would see what you guys could tell me so I could have it adjusted correctly and make shifting a little bit easier. Thanks.

Amir

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Maroon 1987 GT 5 spd: 2.8L
Ferrari Red 1988 Formula 5 spd: 3.4L

My Website: http://www.members.cox.net/rare88/

What you're describing to me sounds more like aftermarket shifter cables rather than shift linkage alignment... but...

Up in the front, on the shifter base where it pivots, you will find two small 1/16 or 1/8 inch holes. These are GUIDE PIN holes.

You put the tranny in first gear, then line up the shifter with these two holes and hold it there by inserting some pins or drill bits into them. Then loosen and adjust the cables on the tranny mounts so they are LIGHTLY taunt. Retighten and release the pins.

That brings everything into proper alignment.

OF course, if you cables are the new aftermarket replacements, the reality is they just don't move around as easy as the OEM cables and may never. Especially the Select (left and right movement) cable.

On the other end of the spectrum, if the cables are originals with 150,000 miles on them, they may have stretched out a bit. However, when that happens, you usually get a different problem... Won't go into 3rd gear usually. Then it spreads to other gears, but it's usually 3rd first.

My guess is that you installed new cables.. I could be wrong though.

Let us know how it goes!

DKOV -

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DKOV -
Former Black w/White Stripes 88 3.4L TDC GT Fiero
Current slave labor auto project junkie
Future 500+ HP F355 owner !!!
97 Ferrari 355 Replica - under construction
88 Lotus Esprit Turbo X180R
00 Durango R/T Supercharged and then some!

Sounds like cables to me too, but I'd try adjusting them, especially the selector cable because that's the one that the shifter moves side to side. Good luck!

Phil

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87 FIERO GT 2.8 5spd
0-60 in 6.8 seconds!

I admit to be a little confused on the Getrag adjustments. The factory manual says there is no adjustment on the select cable and you adjust the shift cable by pinning the shifter in third gear. That said my recently acquired 88 GT is shifting fine and with it in first gear both the horizontal and vertical shifter alignment pins slide right in.

I'm curious as I'm converting an '84 w/ Muncie 4 speed to a Quad-4 w/Getrag

I do not have new cables installed or anything. What had happened is that my friend installed my new flywheel on my 87GT and before all the gears went into fine and ever sine we got the flywheel in and everything the gearing has been a little weird. So i know it was working right before we did the flywheel. So we can still adjust them.

If the shifter doesn't travel far enough forward to get the trans into gear, that's an adjustment issue. If it does, but it requires a large amount of force, that's an issue with your clutch; not fully disengaging to be specific.

Does the car go into gear properly with the engine off?

Check the shifter plate in the front where the shift lever attaches. I had that metal bracket break and not allow access to 5th and reverse because it was not moving the cable far enough due to the crack.

Another part to check is the pin on the transmission where the shift selector pivots. This may be worn or loose and cause what you describe.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

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Bill Levin

Thanks I appreciate the info.