Reverse sounds and fun with the shifter knob

[apstguy]

I have a new question - When I shift in to reverse, it makes a "metalic" noise for about a second. I can't really explain the noise, maybe I'll make a video on the borrowed digital camera to show you the noise.

I had tons of fun trying to get the automatic shifter knob off. Took me about an hour!!! I first tryed to pull it off, but it didn't budge. I took a razor blade to it and cut it all the way down the side. Didn't work. Took a dremel with a cutting wheel to it. Cut it all the way to the metal (oooouuhhhh sparks) and used a screw driver to pull it off.

My observations: It is a vinyl outer piece with a plastic inner. I took the vinyl part off and it had grease like stuff in it. WTF was that doing in there??? This thing is NOT held on my glue. The shaft has splines on the end of it which the knob locks on too. Not fun I tell ya.

Next I installed the billet knob. Push on shaft, turn set screw, then sit back and admire.

Question for all with auto trannys: on the underside of the truck where the shifter connects to the tranny, there is a plastic bearing by where the adjustment bolt is on the shaft that goes into the bracket on the frame. My plastic thinggies won't stay in. It makes it so the shifter can never be calibrated correctly!!! It makes the main shaft loose, is making metal rub on metal, and make it very noisy when I shift. How do these plastic bearings stay in??? Can anyone help me? I may just have to epoxy them.

[79BIG10]

On the noise it might be a front pump going out. May be something else though. Is the shifting slow? How long does it take to go into gear?

Gear shift- Been there done that

On the shifter you need a spring to compress the plastic bearing into the bracket where the rod from the shifter goes into.

[79BIG10]

Look at this.

[pkbinplano]

You da man Brandon !

[apstguy]

On my tranny, I shift ::click:: ::clunk:: in gear. about 1/2 a second to shift. A friend of mine told me these old transmissions have a habit on dieing after changing the fluid. I guess I won't do that any time soon.

Thanks for the info guys! Went to the junk yard today and found the only 81-87 Chevy with a transmission still on it and grabbed the spring from it. I also got air duct hose for the right vent and the cheap metal pipe for the heat riser and brackets from an old oil cooler fron a Suburban. All for $2. Kick Ass!!!

[79BIG10]

MIght check the level and color of the fluid. May be time to change it and the filter.

[apstguy]

I'm a little reluctant to do that since my friend says they usually die after you change the fluid. I can't afford that right now.