How I fixed my shift accuracy in my A523

[Una]

How to fix sloppy manual transmissions!

Some of you may have read about my recent troubles at the dragstrip where I shifted from 3rd to 2nd instead of 3rd to 4th, which caused my clutch great pain and suffering. While I had the tranny out I went ahead and picked up a new one, mostly to get a higher final drive (lower numerically). But that's another story. Anyways, I know how to shift a car, there really was no reason for it to find 2nd when I'm going STRAIGHT back from 3rd to 4th. Had this problem last season, not quite as bad, and seemed to have solved it with poly "booger" bushings on the shift cable ends. Unfortunately it didn't solve it well enough.

I noticed something while reefing on those urethane bushings trying to get the buggers off my transmission selector levers. They have to come off to get the tranny out of the car. Anyways, I noticed that the top selector lever was very loose. I almost thought it was designed to just slide off. Finally cleaned off enough grease to notice it was held on with a roll pin. When I got the new tranny I noticed it had the same problem. That top selector is the side to side selector. When you move the shift lever inside the car, that top selector goes forward and backward. With the amount of slop that worn out rollpin was allowing, I can understand why it'd be able to find 2nd instead of 4th. So I pounded out the old rollpin with a 5/32" drillbit. Pulled that lever up off the tranny and found that the drillbit fit fairly tight into the selector lever, but the pin that goes down into the tranny, the drillbit was very loose. So I drilled them both out to 3/16" and picked up a fresh new 3/16" rollpin. Pounded that new rollpin into there and tried it out. VERY nice, significant difference, feels alot more notchy between the gears. I can't just put it between 1st and 3rd and get away with it, there's an actual wall between them like there's supposed to be.

If you have an A523/A568, and have this kind of problem, you might look into it. Took me maybe 20 minutes, and the rollpin was 10cents at the auto parts store.

If this helps you, leave me feedback.

[Una]

Nice thing about drilling it up to 3/16" is that's a very common size, easy to get a 3/16" coldpin. Due to popular request, pictures of my repair. Yes, the coldpin I bought is too long. Oh darn.

[Frank]

Moved for you Brian!

[moparfwdsleeper]

Added to the turbododge FAQ section!