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Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:32 pm

Ok so heres the lowdown, my shifting has been really smooth but sometimes first is hard to get into. No grinding gears, no trouble finding gears. I went through the Van Cafe 3 step procedure and everything is intact and in working order. I removed the box above the clam shell and cleaned it, found the left ear and reinstalled it and greased everything. So I messed around a little bit and came up with a way to get into first but its really odd. Look at the picture for what I am talking about. Any way to make first straight up instead of up and to the right?

Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:38 pm

When you're in neutral the shift lever should live between 3rd and 4th.
Is that how it is with yours now?

Did you mess with the diamond shaped plate at the base of your shifter?
If not, you can a lot of difference by moving that.
Make sure that before you loosen those 2 10mm (6mm?) bolts that you use a pencil or something to outline where it is now, so you can find your way back if necessary.
Sometimes all that's required is, for instance, leave the rear bolt in it's place and loosen the forward one, then shift the front of the plate left or right.

Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:39 pm

Loosen the 2 nuts at the shifter base and adjust there.

Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:01 pm

You guys are awesome! That has been plaguing me since I first got the van. I should have asked sooner :lol:

Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:25 pm

I have had this same issue several times after messing with the tranny or linkage and have fixed it 3 different ways.

1. as above (shifter base)

2. moving the housing that holds the rear most ball guide, it is held onto the tranny with 2 bolts that have large holes in it allowing for quite a bit of movement. Seems to be mainly a horizontal movement that will adjust where 1st and R are. For ex., moving it too far outboard will put R where 1st should be.

3. twisting the center joint by a spline or two one way or the other.

Mark everything before hand, I have gotten myself stuck in the garage for hours messing with the linkage and being unable to put it back to original.

Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:40 pm

Quote: 3. twisting the center joint by a spline or two one way or the other.
This one can be a real frustrating mutha'. Like fairweather said mark everything well before attempting this option.
I was getting really frustrated when I replaced my front shift rod with a new one and trying to get the 23 mm. gap needed in the shift box. Getting it on the correct spline kept eluding me. :x

Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:43 pm

Ever since mine got stuck in 4th in the black hills about 3 years ago, the only way to get mine out of 4th is to move it like an upside-down question mark. I am so used to it now I don't even think about it.
I do think about what it'll be like when the rest of the 3-4 hub breaks in there, not looking forward to that. Still looking for a good spare diesel trans. near me that I can afford.