UKSaabs

I'm hoping you can help me!

Having taken the engine and greabox out to spray the engine bay, everything is back in place and the engine runs etc. BUT I can't get 3rd and 4th gears!?!

I've read the manual (which describes putting the car into 4th gear), but as I can't actually get it into 4th, it's a bit of a struggle. I've tried adjusting the column and taken the car on test drives, but can only get 1st, 2nd and reverse.

I'm wondering if I put the gearchange mechanism back together incorrectly or if there's a special procedure to hooking up the gearchange mechanism to the gearbox (ie: the gearstick needs to be in reverse or neutral etc.)?

I've attached some pictures to show you what it all looks like along with a video showing the moving mechanism (which if I'm honest, looks very wobbly and not all that precise). Obviously this is a rhd car - so will look different from yours, so perhaps you won't be able to help - but I'm hoping something might be obviously wrong.





Any thoughts/ideas/solutions will be gratefully received!

Thanks,
Simon

https://youtu.be/blpEqeLLJcQ

I've not had to do the procedure on my 96 yet, so I'm watching with interest, but I've never had much success with the official procedure for all the B2xx models which was to put the gearbox gearlever in 4th, locking in position with the pilot holes, and tighten the pinch bolt.

I always found that it was easier to put both in reverse and tighten, as then the lift to engage mechanism would be already lifted and in the right position. Never failed for me, and its possible that similar could work on the 96 too.

_________________
"Dusty" 1975 V4 Anniversary
"Money Pit" 2008 93SW Turbo-X

You need to check the bulkhead bushing. The nylon bush in its rubber support held to the bulkhead by a pressed tin collar and three self tapping screws. Visible from inside, the shaft should be held central in the bulkhead hole. There should be no lateral movement in the shaft.

W G

There seems to be a LOT of lateral movement, it's almost as if that bush isn't even there!?

Any idea if it's possible to buy a replacement?

Nylon bush available from Malbrad.
Page 335 of the V4 parts manual shows all the parts you need 5,6,7,8

W G

May not be relevant. When I had a gear selection problem, and turned out to be the engine position on the engine mounts, especially with selector rod angles .

This is pretty obvious Simon, but just in case:
You have adjusted the position of the steering shroud, haven't you?
Slacken the two bolts under the dash and slide forward and back until all gears engage.
Also, is the l/r position of the engine/gearbox correct?

Had another look at the linkage today, but unfortunatel I'm no further forward.

This is the distance betweeen the bottom of the c-shaped bracket at the end of the gear change mechanism - shown here in 1st gear...


This is the measurement when placed in 3rd gear...



I tried attaching the column shift to the mechanism while the gearbox is in 4th gear, but as soon as I move anything it can only find 1st and 2nd.

There are a couple of things I wanted to check, firstly the engine is about 4-5cm off centre - looking from the front of the car, the engine would be slightly towards the left. However the distance from the gearbox to the suspension towers seems to be equal on both sides - is this all normal?

The gearbox stay is leaning backwards quite a bit too...


It would appear that the end of the column shift isn't out far enough to engage 3rd and 4th - and it also looks like the shaft is off to the left (looking from the front), like this...

which obviously doesn't help - should it be in the centre?

I took some things off to investigate why the shaft wasn't in the centre - such as the bulkhead bush, which was quite worn...


I'm assuming the end of the steering shaft looks correct?

or should it be further down?

These were the bolts holding the sliding part of the mechanism - one of which is obviously not factory and seems to have done a great job of stipping the thread in the housing!


And this was the top of the housing (please excuse the dust!)


No sign of the pins that are meant to be in there and there seems to be a screw missing from the top of the column-change shroud, which might not help when it came to keeping it central to the bulkhead?

I've got a spare steering column, so I'm going to try and fit that instead.

Removed the steering column from the car and wondered if anyone had any tips about fitting the new column, I only ask as the collar at the end of the column does NOT want to slide along the steering pinion shaft.

It looks very tricky to the line the two of them up perfectly!?

One obvious thing Simon is that the gearbox stay is fitted wrongly.
The stay angle should be clamped between the two nuts on the threaded rod; that way the gearbox can't move l or r. Once you sort out the steering rack problem (which I can't advise you on), you need to adjust this stay and the engine side stabiliser and tighten.

I was a bit confused about your sequence of connecting the gearchange mechanism; your video shows it all connected up and operating but you then say you can't get the gear lever connected?

FYI You get it all connected up with one of the last connections being by the knuckle. Once it's all connected up and operating, you then adjust the position of the steering shroud so that all gears can be selected. If that doesn't work then you adjust the l/r position of the engine gearbox.

It's quite normal that if the steering shroud is is the wrong position two of the gears can't be selected.

Hopefully someone who knows more than me will comment.
Any idea if/when the Saab-V4 site will be back up and running?