Ok, so I'm waiting on two things from Rodney Dickman: the Isuzu 5 spd shift lever rebuild kit and select arm rebuild kit. I want my shifting to firm up. My question is if anyone has had experience with these items and if anyone has tips on removing the shift arm and what needs to be done to get it loose (cotter pins, getting cables to stay in place after disconnecting them, cleaning, rust removal solutions to use, etc.).

Also, my shift console is warped and the glue is completely gone. Does anyone have experience either repairing these consoles or using the shift console cap from the Fiero store? You know, like what type of clamps to use, glue type, method, etc.

I've done both of these from Rodney, and they went smooth as glass.

I did the 5 speed shifter rebuild on my 85 a couple of years ago. It actually was dirt simple. The pins and everything came right out rather easy, and the whole thing start to finish was less than an hour.

I wasn't really fussy for clean-up, but did wire brush everything and regrease.

I've done the selector cable end mod (but on another car). The worst part is drilling out the plastic. One of the guys in our Fiero club recommended taking a board (like a 1/2 X 3) and chiseling out a groove and divot to lay the cable end in. You can then clamp to the board, and drill out the plastic end without worrying about it twisting or moving. Works slick as can be.

Good luck (pictures please)!

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Marc in sunny Titusville, FL

• 84 SE son's car, loaded
  
• 85 Coup w/V6 transplant
  
• 85 GT newly on the road
  
• 86 SE/GT conversion just bought - big plans!

Hmm, did your kit come with replacement cotter pins ( to hold the cables in place)

I am about to do the RD shifter reuild and shift arm rebuild this weekend. I can let you know how it goes after that and maybe take a few pictures along the way. I also got the Hurst shifter and selector cable to do while I am in there.

I have done a couple of shift console repairs before and they turned out well. I used some small clam shell type clamps and super glue gel. I have a radio/climate control pillar I want to do that to this weekend also if I have time. Maybe I can do some pictures then as well. Do a search in the archives for Yellwostone. I think he did a great example of this a year or two back.

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[This message has been edited by 1MohrFiero (edited 02-13-2008).]

Excellent, any pictures would be appreciated, and thank you for the information about the shift console rebuild.

I did the Getrag shifter rebuild, the selector arm rebuild and selector cable replacement this weekend. As a reward to myself I added the Hurst Shifter as part of this task. The rebuild did not take as long as the disassembly did. There is a lot to take off to get to the shifter and you want to go slow because so many of the parts are pretty delicate like the console skeleton. Don't worry about the cables moving while you have it apart they don't and it wouldn't matter if they did.
My shifter wasn't too bad in the way of dirt or rust so I just cleaned it up some and put it back. If yours is pretty rusty or gooey from years of having stuff dumped in the console you may want to allow extra time to clean it up. Rodney's kits always come with pretty good directions so just work your way through them and you will be fine. The shifter rebuild is a little more complicated than most but still easy enough. Here is my goodie bag of Rodney kits.



This is the car when you finally get it out.



Here is the shifter before I started on the rebuild:



In this one the shift arm is removed:



More in the next post.

[This message has been edited by 1MohrFiero (edited 02-17-2008).]

i have done it on the Getreg,
the clips that hold on the arm and such are called "E" clips, and if you happen to misplace one, i have seen them at ace hardware
just an FYI


it helps to keep an extendable magnet arround,
be prepared to make money doing the rebuild, the centercouncel should have alot of change in it

quote Originally posted by 1MohrFiero: My selector cable definitely needed to be replaced. My shifting is so much easier now.

So would you attribute the easier shifting mainly to the cable? I did the selector rebuild a few days ago and I'm not sure if I can really tell a difference. I also added Rodney's short shifter but I'm going to go back to stock to see if i can tell a difference with the selector rebuild.

[This message has been edited by Mechy (edited 02-17-2008).]

Ok, I got the Isuzu parts, my trans is an Isuzu, so I'm ASSUMING my shifter is an Isuzu. At the same time, I've been told they are remarkably similar, and Rodney's description on his website says that the central pivot point is the difference. The Getrag has an extra tube there or something. It's really bugging me because I don't exactly know where to look, and my shifter looks remarkably like yours.

quote Originally posted by Mechy: So would you attribute the easier shifting mainly to the cable? I did the selector rebuild a few days ago and I'm not sure if I can really tell a difference. I also added Rodney's short shifter but I'm going to go back to stock to see if i can tell a difference with the selector rebuild.

I can tell a difference on mine. It is much easier to get into 5th and reverse now. I also had so much slop that it was hard to hit 3rd every once in a while. The shifts are much crisper now. Maybe a little too crisp but I hope this will change as it breaks in. I couldn't tell a lot of difference after adding the selector arm rebuild.
I am trying to adjust to the Hurst shifter. I wish it leaned back toward the driver an inch or so. The way it sits now I have to reach up to get to 5th.

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quote Originally posted by 1MohrFiero: I am not sure since I don't have an Isuzu shifter to compare it to but I think this pictue shows the difference (yellow line around tube). According to Rodney's site this tube is not on the Isuzu shifter and the cross bolt is exposed if I understand him right.

yes the tube in the circle is on a getreg, on an izuzu there is no tube and it is just the bolt that goes thru there

Just a little tip that you might take into consideration: during my rebuild when I was going through the reassembling process, I put the bolt in from the other direction to avoid bending that bracket back again in the event that I ever wanted to take that bolt back out some day.

quote Originally posted by 1MohrFiero:

Well fudge. I think I have a Getrag style shifter then. I'll double check. Does anyone know the difference in the kits (between the Isuzu and Getrag rebuild kits)? If I can use a bunch of parts from the Isuzu one I guess I could do a partial rebuild if my shifter is indeed Getrag...pretty sure I won't be able to rebuild the select lever though if that's the case.

88 4cyl, Isuzu 5 spd

email Rodney and ask,

[This message has been edited by $Rich$ (edited 02-18-2008).]

I think there's a welded tube over the bolt, so I guess I have a Getrag...crud. Should have looked before I ordered it...oh well.