The gearstick linkage is scary to most people, it’s taken me years to get around to working on it and actually it’s quite simple.
The gearstick bearing is often a big culprit for problems, this describes how to change it without even getting underneath, worth doing this even if you don’t buy parts beforehand so you can see the condition and regrease, once you have done it once it’s a 15 minute job the next time if you have to replace the bearing.
This shows a late petrol 4 speed 14mm gearstick, in Haynes and Bentley it states the gear lever bearing plate on earlier models was slightly different but if you buy a replacement gear lever repair kit it will come with this version I think which is interchangeable. I guess it’s the same for five speed but I have not done one so there could be variation.
Another guide to the entire 4 speed gear assembly is here
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Unscrew gear stick knob and slide gaiter off
Release the grub screw in the spring retainer ring, once released the gearstick will drop down a little, then remove the ring and spring.
Note the spring should be sitting on the tabs of the plastic bearing part as shown in the pic below , if they are broken the spring sits further down , (next pic) and does not have so much tension, this will result in the gearstick passing the gate to reverse very easily so you get reverse instead of 1st
Broken example
Before releasing the retaining/adjusting nuts mark the positions by drawing around them for a guide to where to put it back more later, 10mm spanner
Slide the bearing assembly off.
If you have purchased a ‘gear lever repair kit’ from Brickwerks at the time of writing they are selling a 12mm bearing with a loose 14mm insert, you need to swap the 12mm insert of the bearing with a 14mm part, The other kit they sell is loose parts so you need to assemble it.
Mine was OK so I regreased and refitted the assembly but to clean and regrease it has to be unassembled and then reassembled in the same way you would to change over the insert.
Prise out the spacer ring.
Ideally press the bearing out with a large socket and a vice, you must be very careful of the plastic part, it has small tabs that hold the reverse selection spring and if you break them you will need to buy another.
Not everybody has that so I devised a method that anybody can do, get a reel of PVC electrical insulation tape, strip off the tape until it’s just under 50mm in diameter, then place that over the plastic part to protect it while you press/hammer it out, just make sure the width of the tape means the plastic tabs are protected. A cup placed below means you can press it right out, the last bit will need to be done with your fingers which is quite easy or strip a second reel of tape down if you can’t.
So now you have the bearing out of the housing you need to split it apart.
Press with your thumbs and the rubber ring opens and the split ball assembly will come out, this is fairly easy but be careful to do this somewhere confined ( like I front of an upturned card board box) as there is a spring inside and you don’t want bits flying around.
Getting it back is reverse.
Liberally grease it especially in the split plastic ring the ball assembly moves in before putting the ball assembly back.
With the Brickworks kit make sure you have the 14mm part fitted if you have the 14mm gearstick
Then back in the housing using the same reel of tape and cup, can use your foot to press or hammer it back, you may even do it with your fingers perhaps as it will probably now be greasy
Replace the plastic spacer
Clean and grease the gearstick before sliding the bearing assembly back on
Refit the 10mm nuts and tighten in the original position, then slide the spring and ring back over the gearstick.
The grubscrew for the ring has a small drilled recess in the shaft to locate it in the correct position, you can just see it in the pic above
To tighten the ring you have to lift the gearstick ( remember it fell when you removed it) push down on the ring against the spring at the same time, it takes strong fingers to hold it there while you get a screwdriver on the grubscrews, I did it but you may find it easier with two people.
Replace the gaiter and gearknob but before sliding the gaiter down check your gear selection,
Note there is a correct way to set the adjustment under the van, ( explained in Haynes and I may cover it later) you may need to do that but in my case and that of another van I did recently some small adjustment on these slots and studs made a big difference to getting the gears to select correctly.
Move the plate one way on the studs and 1st and 2nd gears are good 3rd and 4th bad, the other way and 3rd and 4th good 1st and 2nd bad, somewhere you should find the right place for all gears if not you will need to get underneath.
You have to tighten the plate to test it so be methodical, start with keeping the front stud the same and moving the rear side to side, that’s two positions tested note what gears work then move the front stud to the other side and repeat moving the rear side to side, that’s four positions tested note what gears work and then you should be able to find a position that works.
