Shifter Slop

[Drfixit]

Ok before I get yelled at I tried searching and read through hundreds of posts but never found one directly on topic, although I am sure you can point me in the right direction. Let me say I am a Muscle Car transfer who bought a 69 521 over a couple different ElCaminos (70 454) and I am so glad I did. I just love this Datsun! That said, I feel like I am 10 again and just starting to learn about cars. Overhead cams? I am learning a bunch from this site and hope to learn more. Back to the shifter. It goes sideways from the drivers side to the passenger side in a big way. The shifter actually hits the hole in the floorpan quite a bit when you shift into reverse. I looked at the shifter and the manuals and it looks like I will have to take the tranny apart and replace the part that the shifting arm sits on. Am I making any sense? I know most of you have fixed this problem before and I appologize for the inconvienience of repetitious questions. But hey help me anyway......................

Mark

[phatdave]

New shifter bushings would probably do the trick.

 

Brass are the best 10 bucks or so ,as I recall, on Ebunk!

[Cuts metal like mad]

What transmission first of all? There's 2 types of shifters

[]2eDeYe]

Yep...4-speed? Early?

[datzenmike]

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/transAtype.jpg[/img]"] A TYPE Aka the 'monkey motion' shifter. Used on 510, 521 and early 620. Pretty much out of use by mid '70s. Fitted to the F4W63 tranny and others. Edited December 6, 2008 by datzenmike

[Drfixit]

Ok I guess that was really stupid. Though its a 1969 521 the Motor is an L18. How do i tell what tranny it is, I am sure there is a number on it. Is there a number I can get to without removing it?

[datzenmike]

Just look at it.

 

If the case is heavily ribbed and has a removable bottom pan with drain plug and the speedo is on the driver's side, it's an F4W63. This tranny was used in the 510 car but with different 1, 2, 3 ratios. The 521 used the same ratios as the 510 wagon I believe. The 521 used a short tail (660mm) 26" tranny but they did make them in a 31.5" long tail as well.

 

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/620stuff001Large-2.jpg[/img]"]

 

Some of the looseness is in the control arm bushing (#15) area and most at the two cone shaped rubbers (#8) on the base of the shift lever. The shifter wears an oval hole in the rubber if I remember right. On my old '71 I jammed some large washers on both ends stiffen it up.

Edited December 6, 2008 by datzenmike

[Drfixit]

Just look at it.

 

If the case is heavily ribbed and has a removable bottom pan with drain plug and the speedo is on the driver's side, it's an F4W63. This tranny was used in the 510 car but with different 1, 2, 3 ratios. The 521 used the same ratios as the 510 wagon I believe. The 521 used a short tail (660mm) 26" tranny but they did make them in a 31.5" long tail as well.

 

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/620stuff001Large-2.jpg[/img]"]

 

Some of the looseness is in the control arm bushing (#15) area and most at the two cone shaped rubbers (#8) on the base of the shift lever. The shifter wears an oval hole in the rubber if I remember right. On my old '71 I jammed some large washers on both ends stiffen it up.

 

This appears to be the same tranny as in the picture. It has the ribbed removable pan and spedo on the drivers side. Where the wear appears to be on mine is where the thing the shift lever bolts to attaches to the rod where its squared off on the end. The pin (#19) that holds it all together appears to have worn everything into a big oval hole. Thought about drilling a bigger hole and putting in a bolt or bigger pin but with the help of your illustration I think I have a handle on it now. I couldnt find an exploded view of the shifing mechanism. Thanks

Edited December 7, 2008 by Drfixit

[veryboard]

My shifter is loose in the same spot around pin 19,if you get it fixed please post your results.

[Drfixit]

Be more than happy to. Might be a few days before I get to it though. Went to Pick n Pull yesterday and couldnt believe my eyes. I found a complete 521 that had every part I have been needing. Motor was a GM V6 though and GM tranny. I snagged up wiper motor, wiper arms, heater ducting, tailgate. Now all I need is a bench seat to replace the buckets I have and I'll be set for now.

[Drfixit]

My shifter is loose in the same spot around pin 19,if you get it fixed please post your results.

 

 

Got her all fixed up today. It was like peeling an apple with the apple and your hand in your back pocket LOL. I took out pin 19 and the hole was oval. My first thought was to use a 5/16 grade 8 bolt and nut instead of the pin and to use a couple washers to take up the slop where the shifter sits on top of the flattened shaft. Ended up 5/16 is too big so I ended up putting the pin back in and used one 5/16 washer between the shifter thing and the flattened shaft. It was a real PITA to get the washer lined up with the hole but when it was done it was really worth it, really nice and tight. If it hadnt been late at night etc etc I might have gone back and got a 1/4" bolt and nut and probably tightening it up would eliminate the slop with a lot less work and frustration!!

[datzenmike]

Alright! Had one of those monkey motion on my 521. I'm telling you the shifter when in any gear would swing around in a circle the size of a basket ball! I never got it fixed but a bit better with a washer too I think. My 510 wasn't so bad.

[datsun dreamer]

I always thought this was a dealer option:lol:!

[Drfixit]

Mine was so bad it hit my knee in first and the passengers in third. The previous owner had cut a notch out of the floor pan so you could shift to reverse!! The previous owner also installed buckets out of a Nissan Pathfinder. They are nice seats but are so thick, even at 5'9" it seems like my knees are around my ears and the steering wheel is jammed in my stomach.I am looking for a bench seat to out in it but havent had much luck yet.

[banzai510(hainz)]

drifixit

heres my truck

[dat521gatherer]

stick the fork part in a vise and squeeze it back to its original position. dont do too much. squeeze and check, squeeze and check. up to 10 times if you have to. over closing the fork makes a much bigger problem. also squeeze from the very bottom of the forks not up high. done it twice. next time i'll do a write up. thats where all the slop is if you pay attention unless your spring is missing. all those parts except the fork are still availible through nissan.cc

 

the first time i got mine slightly over tight and it took a few months to loosen up but boy talk about no slop.