Shift lever sluggish

Nice job on the repair Hopefully this works out for you. It looked like they had the arm welded on in the the opposite direction from the original position. Could just be the photos though. Good luck

 

I am not satisfied. It works...somehow. Probably it's a bit better now, but not nice at all.
I have to modifiy the arm a bit (red circle).
But...it seems to me, that the (original) rod (to the steering wheel) is too short for that type of linkage and its geometry is not 100% perfect.

 

Luckily you have the ability to sort this out. More often folks have to pay to have this done and you end up getting what you have now anyway. Good luck and keep us posted. This is the problem solving stuff that separates the men from the boys.

 

Ok, so now i reworked the geometry a bit. That's the best i can do, it's better now. Not perfect, but OK.

 

Can you obtain a second rod, and have a longer rod, welded from two pieces of each of the rods, just to lengthen it?

 

I'm sorry, I don't know what u mean exactly. Do u mean the rod coming from the steering wheel?

 

The rod that you show in the picture. Actually, getting the 'proper' one would be the correct way to go, but if there isn't a 'proper' replacement rod, could you get a second rod, and use it to make a 'longer' rod to use in your car, by cutting and welding? take one rod, find the halfway point, go up 20mm toward the top, cut it. Take the second rod, find the halfway point, go 20mm toward the bottom, cut it. Then take the long portions of both rods and weld them together, giving you a longer rod to install in your car.

 

Ok, got it. There's a way to adjust this rod properly in my manual, first I'll do this. Problem is, I have no idea how to disassemble that rod from the steering column - no hints in my manual, no video found on YouTube... I'm a bit afraid of doing it on my own without any instruction.

But let's see if I can adjust it, maybe it's long enough.

 

Your doing a great job! There is always a way out of a problem. Enjoy what your doing and don't let it be work. You'll figure it out and be that much more able to work out the next problem that pops up. People ask me all the time how I'm able to fix cars so easily. I laugh and tell them " I didn't wake up yesterday and decide to fix my cars LOL"

 

But some people think you have all the answers.



Me and my youngest niece, about her Maxima.

 

I adjusted the linkage as it is described in the manual. Actually, the rod to the steering column is 0.2" too short!
0.2"...come on, really!? I'll have to think about that. Maybe i try to find a second rod.
Additionally the white bushing looks OK, but it is worn, so i'll have to replace it.

 

Just to chime in here, the shift lever in my 78 Electra wagon I have and the 79 Electra coupe I had both feel like they are sliding through oiled bearings when you shifter them. SMOOTH and tight, and, well, expensive-feeling. The shifter on my '96 Roadmaster wagon shifts fine, but doesn't feel nearly as "liquid" for want of a better term. I've driven many other Roadmasters and Caprices and they all feel the same. For some reason those late-70's Buicks just feel so "slick" when you shift them.

 

I agree, a friend of mine owns a 76 Buick Estate Wagon and its shifts are so smooth, feels almost unreal.

 

me: 1
car: 0

After months without a satisfying solution, today i finally removed the rod (surprisingly easy) and bought a round steel bar the same size. Next step: welding it together.

 

There you go! You work the problem, not let it work you.