Got a really funky one. I've had my '83 parked for several months now, and the other night I installed a new leather shift boot (at least, I tried to, until I realized I need a new retainer ring/clips.....now on order). While checking travel with the boot in place, I discovered something that truly baffles me: my gear-shift lever seems to be finding not 6, but 8 unique positions. Now I hadn't driven this car a lot before I parked it, but I really think I would have noticed this pretty quick. Perhaps I was just naturally going to the typical 1-3-5/2-4-R pattern and not really checking to see if I was missing an intermediate position somewhere, but that seems unlikely. I can't run the car to test the "new" positions right now as it's still sorta in pieces. I have no reason to suspect anyone ever dropped some crazy 7spd into this thing.....is there some sort of transmission failure that could make it appear that there's an extra set of gears?
Additionally, I notice the return-to-center thing on the shift lever moves with the lever a bit.....know how if you pop the lever out of gear it snaps to center? Well if I move the lever to one side and release, the "center" spot favors that side...the spring or whatever it is that returns the stick to center, shifts a little with the lever. Is this normal? I can't remember if it moved around before or not, never really paid much attention.
And one other strange thing I noticed: the clutch seems to move way too easily now. Before, it was pretty light for the first inch or so of travel, then stiffened up a bit. Now pressure is more consistent, but very light. I can easily push the pedal all the way to the floor with my hand. But there's no spring in the pedal system, correct? As I understand it, the clutch fork is the only thing making the pedal spring back to position, so I should be ok, right? Guess I'll find out when I try to drive the car....
You guys probably think I'm going nuts, and if I were anyone else I'd probably agree.
Additionally, I notice the return-to-center thing on the shift lever moves with the lever a bit.....know how if you pop the lever out of gear it snaps to center? Well if I move the lever to one side and release, the "center" spot favors that side...the spring or whatever it is that returns the stick to center, shifts a little with the lever. Is this normal? I can't remember if it moved around before or not, never really paid much attention.
And one other strange thing I noticed: the clutch seems to move way too easily now. Before, it was pretty light for the first inch or so of travel, then stiffened up a bit. Now pressure is more consistent, but very light. I can easily push the pedal all the way to the floor with my hand. But there's no spring in the pedal system, correct? As I understand it, the clutch fork is the only thing making the pedal spring back to position, so I should be ok, right? Guess I'll find out when I try to drive the car....
You guys probably think I'm going nuts, and if I were anyone else I'd probably agree.