The shift lever moves back and forth as in fore/aft or side to side?

The detent pads (as ZF calls them) for 1/R are shaped differently than those for 2/3 and 4/5. The 1/R detent, the one on the left in your pic, has a center detent only. This is why the sides angle down. The 4/5 detent on the right has 3 detents, left, right and center. The sides are angled up. This is by ZF design so I'd think that this may not be the problem.

 

Fore / aft. The mechanic explained and showed me how the gears "pull in" to one another in first and reverse and this is showing up as the fore/aft movement. So, certainly not normal, huh? He even suggested the unconventional idea of putting another 4/5 fork in place of the 1/R. He says it will fit fine and solve the problem. Certainly not "original" but if theres no negative. More research is in order.
The messed up thing is that this tranny was rebuilt by at least one other shop before in L.A.(under my ownership)and has maybe 100 miles on it. And a shop before that (before I bought her) rebuilt her and she got w/zero miles on that rebuild; would only go into 2ed and reverse when I got her started. The previous owner didn't know cause he never drove her post purchase; the Spica injection pump needed rebuilding.

Well, I've done a lot. I've driven her and she's an absolute BEAST! But she still needs more. To paraphrase the words of a dear old Porsche engine rebuilding friend: "Keep the Faith".

John Pergolizzi
San Diego

 

Hi John,

The red Montreal looks great!

Could it be that either your engine mounts or transmission mounts are worn, or that both have too much play?
I think some gearshift movement is normal; not sure how much, is too much.

Mark

 

The standard Gearbox Mount has rather "soft" rubber and tends to get even softer over time. I would take a look at this too. Would not mess with the detents at this stage. Both fore and aft movement and side to side movement of the combined Engine / Drive train are controlled by the Engine Mounts and Gearbox Mount. I have replaced these on my car and must say, what movement there is left is perfectly normal. I have not modified anything in the Gearbox or Selector side.

 

Grazie IronBlock for the complement and you and robo330 for the info! But.... the mounts are all o.k. The shifter movement is not consistent from top to bottom as if the tranny and engine were all moving back and forth. Instead the shift lever pivots at the lower end (the top moving more), as if she is going further into gear who you ease off the clutch and a bit back out when you step back on the clutch. We're baffled.

thanks for any further input guys.

John Pergolizzi
San Diego, Ca.

 

Hi john. Do you have a video of the moment by chance?

I had a look in some of my videos and the gear stick is rock solid... e.g.

And I'm about as aggressive as you could be on a Montreal gear-change, so suspect something is not right if I understand you correctly and you have ruled out the torque loading moving it old engine and gearbox mounts.

What condition is the rubber mount that connects the gear change "tail unit" to the main box?. .( the 3 selectors shafts through this)

I'll ask my gearbox guy who builds and modifies theses ZF units for his Escort clients to see if he has seen a similar issue.

Regards
Phil.

 

Guys,
Well, the mechanic just told me that the rubber mount the 3 selectors shafts go through is in "excellent" condition". He believes it is "a design flaw" (!).
Included is a little eye candy.

thanks,

Johnny

 

Thanks Johny.

I spoke with Anton, and he wanted to know if the Montreal's have the "ZF Selector Tie" modification which is something they do to the Escort rally cars he services. (See page 3 of the .pdf he emailed me)

My cars gearboxes have a variation of this, and I presume came this way from the factory.

Can you check to see if that little peg (circled in red) is in place in you gearbox.

 

Philip,
Thank you tremendously for the trouble you went through to get me this information. And also thank Anton! My mechanic says that the reinforcement "tie" is in place. I will go tomorrow to confirm and ask him to weld it in (if it isn't) and to install the "U" reinforcement. Although Eric, my mechanic, says that this wouldn't cause the issue. The adventure continues!

grazie,

Johnny