Tranny question

[oldschool90]

Got a question. Is there a check ball setup that holds the shifter in the middle neutral position? When I push the shifter over to the right, it seems like something clicks (so to speak) but it doesnt do that on the left side. Is there a way to check this system without taking out the tranny?

[datzenmike]

All three shift rods have a neutral detent balls to center them and the striking lever slides side to side through this 'neutral gate'. The return check spring exerts pressure on the internal parts of the shift rod and when the shifter is let go it generally moves to the left side. I had one apart and found two different length and diameter springs one inside the other. Moving the shifter to the right side to access 3rd/4th compresses the long spring. Moving the shifter further right to the 5th/rev contacts and compresses both springs and the effort is more noticeable. This provides 3/4 and 5/rev with a noticeably different effort so you can tell them apart. I can only find info showing a single spring but am almost positive mine had two of them.

 

The return spring is located just forward of the shifter where it enters the rear of the tail stock. It has a fairly large nut on the outside that must be removed to get at the spring and plunger. Here's a picture of one on a 4 speed. (same thing as a 5 speed) It's the thing sticking up just forward of the shifter. You can just see the bolt top.

 

 

 

Here's a different 4 speed but you can see the return spring plug.

 

 

Without the spring the shifter will flop from side to side when placed in neutral... not the end of the world. If there is noise maybe the spring has broken. With work you should be able to reach and remove the plug and check the spring. You could take the pieces and make one.

 

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[oldschool90]

 

 

 

So I gots a question..... how do i take this thing off? I got mud stuck in there and I need to get it out because I cant shift into 1st, 3rd, or 5th, and 2nd and 4th are difficult to shift into. So if anyones got ideas, please shout them out. Im thinking about flushing soapy watter down there, but is there a seal in there to prevent the soapy water from getting inside the tranny? And is there some kind of boot that goes on there to prevent this from happening again?

[datzenmike]

To remove you would have to take the tranny out and dismantle.

 

Pick out and loosen as much as you can with a screwdriver, blow out with compressed air. Rinse with brake cleaner or WD-40.

[Master-O-Turbonics]

 

 

 

So I gots a question..... how do i take this thing off? I got mud stuck in there and I need to get it out because I cant shift into 1st, 3rd, or 5th, and 2nd and 4th are difficult to shift into. So if anyones got ideas, please shout them out. Im thinking about flushing soapy watter down there, but is there a seal in there to prevent the soapy water from getting inside the tranny? And is there some kind of boot that goes on there to prevent this from happening again?

 

 

 

 

To remove you would have to take the tranny out and dismantle.

 

Pick out and loosen as much as you can with a screwdriver, blow out with compressed air. Rinse with brake cleaner or WD-40.

 

I would be worried about mud getting into the transmission.....I think it would be a good time to change your transmission fluid. Royal Purple "Synchromax" is great stuff ($40 for 2 quarts).

Clean around all the plugs, remove plugs to drain all the fluid and clean inside, spray in a couple cans of brake cleaner aiming at as many places as you can get and let it drain out. Then plug it back up and put in the yellow metal safe transmission fluid, with royal purple synchromax being my favorite.

 

Check the drain plug for any metallic bits. There may be some metallic "sloodge" on the plug but that seems normal for these Datsun transmissions. You just don't want to see any chunks of metal on the drain plug. Also watch the fluid coming out of the transmission to see if any non-magnetic pieces come out. Tan fluid means that you got water into the transmission. My 210 sat for a while so I changed the fluid when I did the clutch and it was washed with water making it a nasty smelling tan colored fluid and about a cup of water poured out after all the oil drained.

[oldschool90]

I would be worried about mud getting into the transmission.....I think it would be a good time to change your transmission fluid. Royal Purple "Synchromax" is great stuff ($40 for 2 quarts).

 

 

Holy crap! You pay that much for tranny fluid??

 

 

Tan fluid means that you got water into the transmission.

 

The stuff I usually get is tan anyways.

 

I think I'll limp it over to the large hill we have behind our house (to raise the front, to keep dirt out of the tranny, thats the idea anyways) and flush it out with something after I get the big stuff out

[Master-O-Turbonics]

 

Holy crap! You pay that much for tranny fluid??

 

 

I wouldn't put anything else in any of my cars.

[datzenmike]

I would be worried about mud getting into the transmission.....I think it would be a good time to change your transmission fluid. Royal Purple "Synchromax" is great stuff ($40 for 2 quarts).

 

What ever you are comfortable with or can afford. It's all about protection and comfort factor. Nissan recommends GL-4 oil for their old trannys and they will run virtually forever.... but you must keep full or at least check it every 6mo- a year and change it every 30K miles. You likely have a vehicle with 3-8 previous owners who never drove it that far and got rid of it before any maintenance was done. Who knows who did what. The best YOU can do is look after it properly and if it's $20 oil then that's what it takes.If you have never changed your oil you have no idea when it was done last so change it.