Shifter Return Spring

[Jarvo2]

Is it possible to repair/replace the Spring Return(#24) and Spring Reverse Check (#25) while the transmission is still attached to the engine & its mounted in the car? My problem is that there is no spring rebound when I pull the shifter out of 1st/2nd (does not return to the center) and its very very difficult to move the shifter to the right to get it into reverse. Once Its in reverse I can move it back & forth freely until I let the car sit for a while. I'm thinking these two springs are all gummed up or something. Has anyone had any experience with this? If I need to pull the transmission & pull it appart, I'm probably just going to find a 5spd to put in & rebuild the 5spd at some point. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Datsun 240Z/260Z/280Z Transmission Control Lever & Fork (4 Speed-F4W71B) (From Sep.-'71)

[EuroDat]

You can get to it from underneath. Its a bit of a tight fit between the exhaust and the transmission tunnel. You can see it through the floor when you remove the console, but its very hard to get your hand to it from there.

The springs can be replaced with the transmission n the car, but fitting the plug with good springs is a bit of a hassle.

Sounds like the springs have collapsed.

You will need a 28mm spanner. Mine was FT when I did my transmission so I would use a ring spanner.

Goodluck

Chas

[Zed Head]

I've removed the reverse spring and "plunger" (23-26) from a 1978 5 speed. The bolt and spring come out easy, but you might have trouble getting the plunger out. I think that it might be plastic, can't remember. Maybe your plunger has worn out.

I took it out because it was too easy to hit reverse shifting down from 5th to 4th. Never did improve it before I swapped transmissions.

[Mikes Z car]

EuroDat,

My car has the exact same problem, won't return to center when I pull out of 5th making it too easy to tap reverse. What is a ring spanner? I imagine I will have to use a lot of force to get that spring back in there when I put a new one in, is that why I need a ring spanner? Just as information I notice the drawing above shows two springs, I recently was looking at this issue and noticed a similar drawing showing only one spring, maybe that was for a 280ZX transmission.

Mike

Edited February 19, 2013 by Mikes Z car

[EuroDat]

EuroDat,

My car has the exact same problem, won't return to center when I pull out of 5th making it too easy to tap reverse. What is a ring spanner? I imagine I will have to use a lot of force to get that spring back in there when I put a new one in, is that why I need a ring spanner? Just as information I notice the drawing above shows two springs, I recently was looking at this issue and noticed a similar drawing showing only one spring, maybe that was for a 280ZX transmission.

Mike

I was quoting my FS5W71C transmission, its a different system with two 27mm plugs.

I just checked my old FS5W71B transmission. It has a 19mm plug and I could remove it and compress the spring with my hand to start the threads again. These things dont get much oil lubrication and become sticky. Thats probably your problem.

Ring spanner. I think you guys call them wrench? See link Catalogue

Chas

[Jarvo2]

Thanks for the advice guys! I'm going to try to pop out my plug later today to see if that makes the situation any better, if so then I'll look to lube up the springs and/or replace them.

[Jarvo2]

I've been looking around and I believe this is what the springs will look like when they come out...

[EuroDat]

I've been looking around and I believe this is what the springs will look like when they come out...

[ATTACH=CONFIG]61216[/ATTACH]

The four items to the left are for the reverse lock out. They are what you will find in your transmission.

The other parts on the right are for the interlock and neutral detent. They are located in the iron plate where the front and rear section bolt toegether.

Chas

[Zed Head]

That picture jogs my memory. The projection on the metal slug fits in to a slot I believe. It has to ride up a ramp, going either way, against the spring pressure to move the lever over from center to either the 1-2 slot or the 3-4 slot. I think it has to work even harder (move higher) to get to 5-R slot. I think that I realized at the time that it didn't really stop the lever from going from 5th to Reverse, it only centered the lever from side to side. As EuroDat says, it's a good chance that's your problem, since that's the weakness you described. As you can see it's metal. I might have used one of those magnetic pickup tools that looks like an antenna to get the slug out of the hole. You'd probably have to break it to fit it into the tunnel space.

I might have that backward or just wrong, but I looked at those parts and couldn't see any way to to make Reverse more difficult to engage, from 5th. The 5th to Reverse action is controlled by the balls and springs in the adapter plate, as Nissan calls it, the iron plate between front and back. I think that the 71C has a special lever gizmo that locks out Reverse.

Fun stuff, the fine details of these transmissions.

[Jarvo2]

I pulled the 19mm bolt out as well as the two springs (one inside of the other). They were pretty gummed up so I cleaned thoroughly & while they were out, my shifter moved left & right as its supposed to. It was very sloppy obviously since there were no springs to return it to center. Reinstalled everything and it seems to be working. I do believe that the larger spring is not tight enough as the first shiftgate on the left (1/2) doesn't return to center as quickly as the right shiftgate ®. At least I'll now be able to get into reverse without bending the shifter! Thanks for your support.

[Zed Head]

I took the striking lever out of a tail shaft housing that I had from a blown up 5 speed I used for a 71C bellhousing conversion. It's from an 81-83 ZX so it has an extra "reverse check sleeve" that the earlier 5 speeds don't have (shown in the MT chapter of the FSM). Took a picture of the "valley" that the centering plunger rides in. You can see that the ramp up to the 5-R position is steeper than the 1-2 position. I had already removed the plunger so it's not in the picture but the striking lever, its locking in and the reverse check sleeve are shown.

[EuroDat]

I searched through my photos, but couldnt find much on the old transmission. My 280Z also had one out of a 280ZX. It was one of those el-cheapo recon jobs the PO had fitted and was probably not much better than the original. They just replaced the standard bearings and a couple of seals.

I was planning to rebuild but after pulling it apart, decided to go for a 71C. Turned into one of those "While Im at it projects"

In the photo Trans3 you can see the detent plunger with spring and 19mm cap nut in the container. Trans3 shows the 5th gear bearing sleeve, but the pitting doesn't show up very well. It was whinning and clunking in every gear but 4th.

My advice: Be carefull buying reconditioned transmissions. Unless you know its history. You could get something that will only last 20 - 30k miles.

Chas