EXCESSIVE side-to-side play on shifter on rust-free car.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

My like-new 89LX that I bought earlier this year with 122,000 miles (it now is coming up on 124,000) came with a VERY sloppy (side-to-side) shifter. The shifter knob moves more than 5" either side (left and right), but is normal fore-and-aft.

Discussion I've seen on this board has virtually all been related to rust, which is not the case here. I had Sears put it up on a lift ... everything below the shifter is super clean.

I didn't look at the other end of the shifter rod when it was on the lift, but have started to wonder how the linkage connects to the gearbox. Could there be something loose up there --- such as a screw bearing down on a flat spot on some shaft coming out of the gearbox --- that's slowly but surely getting looser and is going to completely disconnect on me when it's most inconvenient?

[TominMO]

I'd look at the front connections, and plan to replace all four bushings (two front, two rear).

[Flyin4stroke]

It won't break on you completely but it will make it really hard to go into gear eventually. Also you are stressing the gearbox by not hitting the gears like it should. People drive these cars forever without shifter bushings and almost every car I have bought or looked at buying has shot bushings. Not related to rust down here.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Anybody got a source and p/n for the bushings?

[rickbz28]

Try these
FORD E7G7-7A133A

MAZDA B001-46-062

NAPA ATM0771303

[drddan]

Nah ... try these ...

http://corksport.com/corksport-bronz...-bushings.html

[Flyin4stroke]

We get them at the Mazda dealer for like $1.50 a piece.... Those cork sports look sweet though just pricey.

[jawja jim]

Kia dealers carry the plastic bushings, but I don't remember which model cars need to be referenced. Also, you might need to replace the bushings (same I think) in the universal joint where it connects at the trans. That joint doesn't bolt together and has to be drilled/ ground to open it, but it can get sloppy as well. There is a write up on here describing how to repair it with a shoulder bolt from Ace, etc. I just put one on my car a couple of days ago, along with homemade bronze bushings in place of the plastic, using off the shelf 1/2" bushings shortened and drilled out with a 10 mm bit. I don't know how they will hold up in the long run, but it is shifting great this early in the experiment, 100 miles or so.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I have no idea how these bushings fit, either front or back. Does somebody have an illustrated parts breakdown or those areas?

[bravekozak]

Why, certainly.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Who else?!

So which parts are the bushings? I'm thinking 7A133/7355 (total of four per vehicle), and possibly also 7L259 (one per vehicle)?

If any or all of the 7A133/7355's are shot, I can see how that could cause massive lateral sloppiness in the gearshift lever.

[WmWatt]

Look at bolt 4K104 in the diagram. When the bushings wear away there is excessive sideways play which is exaggerated by the length of the shift lever. I found it time consuming lining the parts up to get the bolt back in but otherwise it was a simple job.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

WmWatt,

I'm looking at BraveKozak's drawing, and don't see bolt 4K104, but I do see 7K104 at the human end of the horizontal shifting rod.

I also see bolt 7353 (not to be confused with similarly-numbered bushing 7335) at the gearbox end.

Shouldn't I be replacing bushings on both ends?

What about pn 7L259 on bolt 7378 -- is that another type of bushing? If I bribe somebody to put the car up on a lift, shouldn't I be replacing that bushing also as a precaution, even if it's not causing the immediate problem?

[bravekozak]

I discovered that my lower nylon ball seat had a crack in it.
I also installed bronzoil bushings instead of plastic ones.
I used a little nano grease this time, along with a new lower dust boot.
Better than new.

Those Ford part numbers are base numbers.
Be sure to include the prefix and engineering suffix when ordering.
i.e. E8BZ-7A133-A.
The Kia part number is in the picture.

[WmWatt]

Right, 7K104 is the one I meant. I actually modified a piece of 1/2" copper pipe and slipped it over the bolt. Tightened up shifting like new for a while but getting loose now. Have hand crafted a pair of rubber washers to try next when I get around to installing.