Sticking Shifter

My 5spd Shifter is somewhat dragging or sticking. I mean, it doesn't easily center, nor is there much spring bias that pulls it back toward center.

i.e. in nuetral, it doesn't pull back toward the center position crisply, if you push it over toward one side, it will tend to stay there or pull toward center slowly.

This is a problem, because on moving thru the "H" pattern as I shift, without the shifter having that solid feel or spring bias toward the center, its easy to mis-shift. i.e. I pull out of 2nd and move the stick to center and then forward to shift to 3rd, and I never really get the feel of the stick in the center, and sure enough I sometime end up in 1st or 5th instead.

This is on an '95 XJ, 2WD, 2.5L I4 w/ AX-5 spd manual. I'm just got it with 201k miles. Don't know when the fluid was changed last, but considering what I've seen so far, the trans fluid has never been changed.

Is this normal, is the AX-5 just weak on shifter feel?

Could the linkage be gummed up? Could the linkage internal to the trans be all gummed up?

I plan on changing the fluid in the trans with RedLine MT90, I'm assuming the Synthetic trans fluid would help free up any gumming of the internal shifter.

What about the rest of the linkage, is there a way to pull the plate at the top of the trans and clean up and lube the linkage up there? Can it be done, can it help at all? I ask, because I have the carpets out of the car at the moment, finishing up welding in patch panels on the floor. Before I put the carpet back in, is it worth it to take the time and pull all the covers off and try to get the shifter and that top panel off the trans?

There is no linkage to speak of, but rather a spring/cup on either side of the shifter housing. Take the four bolts out of the top of the shifter plate and pull the shifter out of the top of the trans, and you will see what I'm talking about. I don't have a pic, but once you see it it's pretty self-explanatory. Clean and service as necessary, but be careful not to drop anything down into the gearbox while you're in there There's also a nylon bushing inside the cover that the ball end of the shifter rides against you can check. They tend to deteriorate with age and start chunking apart. To get the shifter out of the cover plate (do this before you pull the entire housing off), press down firmly on the metal ring at the base of the shifter inside the housing (it's spring loaded) While holding it down, twist the ring/cup counterclockwise 90 degrees and it will pop up, then pull the shifter out. The busing is at the base of the housing, inside.

Jeff

edit: here's a .pdf tech manual for the AX15 that has good pics of what I'm describing (same as the AX5) Look at pgs 6-9

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billa...omponent service manual Transmission_AX15.pdf

Thanks Jeff,
So an AX15 manual should work for the AX5, from looks and what I've read, the AX15 is just a heavier duty version of the AX5, correct?

In the manual, for the procedures on removing the shift lever, I don't see any spring cups, but I do see what they call "restrictor pins" that look like the spring cups. Am I correct, these "restrictor pins" are the spring cups that center up the shifter?

If that is true, the spring cups/restrictor pins can be pulled from outside the trans, without having to get into the shifter linkage. Thus, could I not just attempt pulling the spring cups/restrictor pins with the shifter altogether and just clean up the spring cups and put them back in?

Yep, the -15 is the AX5's big brother. The way you can tell them apart if they are out of a vehicle is that the intermediate plate on the 15 is aluminum but the 5's is cast (just a little bit of useless trivia there )

Yes, I was referring to the restrictor pins when I said ball/cup. You can take them out from outside, like you said, but if you already have access to the shifter housing since your floor is exposed, you ought to pull and service the shifter and housing. In addition to that nylon bushing to check, the spring/cup assembly that holds the shifter in the housing tends to get gummed up with old gear oil. I'd pull it all apart and give it a good cleaning, and replace the bushing too, if it needs it.

HTH,
Jeff

Thanks again Jeff,
Where can I find a replacement Nylon Bushing?? Is this a Dealer Item?? OR do I have to find some specialty shop on the internet?

It appears from the diagram, that the shifter linkage is part of the inside of the trans case, is it exposed to the trans fluid or is some how walled off and no trans fluid makes it up in there? Is the sifter linkage lubed by trans fluid, or should I lube it up with grease? Obviously, I worry that if I the shifter linkage is open to the trans oil, what ever grease I use will drip into the trans fluid and contaminate it.

And, if the trans internal and fluid is exposed to the shifter linkage, and I plan on changing the oil soon, after draining, couldn't I just poor the oil down thru the open shifter linkage while the plate is off the top??? If I already have it open, it seems a whole lot easier than doing the fill from the side weep hole deal.

It's probably dealer-only item, lemme dig thru a parts manual I have on disc and see if I can get a # for ya.

The shift tower and everything that's inside of it gets splash-lubed from the case...once you pull it off, you'll see that you're looking directly down into the gearcase from the top. I wouldn't grease it per se, just let the gear oil in the case do it's thing.

I fill the tranny via the shifter housing when I r&r the fluid (yearly) in it, just like you suspected you could do. I filled it once via the fill hole in the side of the case and it was a PITA. All I do is pull the fill plug and put a pan under it, then pull the shifter (pop the metal collar off and pull the shifter itself out, not undo the bolts and remove the whole housing) and pour new gear oil in from the top until it starts to weep out the fill hole. Crawl under and reinstall the fill plug and yer done

Jeff

edit: the IPL that I have doesn't show the bushing, only a part # for the entire housing. Lemme dig a bit more and see if I can get a part # for it.