fiestaturbo.com

[heeman10]

My gear changes have always been a bit notchy, and just recently it's become particularly noticeable when trying to make a quick shift from second to third gear. Excursion kindly dug out the part numbers of a few things needed to rebuild the linkage, so I ordered them up, collected them on Thursday and decided to attack it today.

I'd never done it before, so it was just a case of removing it, stripping it and seeing what fell out Removing the linkage is easy. Loosen the four 10mm nuts from the cabin (under centre console/at the base of the gear lever). Do not remove them, though you can realistically remove three of the four. Undo the 19mm bolt under the car that supports the reaction lever, and undo the 13mm pinch bolt on the selector rod, and remove it from the selector rod on the gearbox. Now, if you're fortunate enough to have a second person around, get them to undo the remaining 10mm bolt(s) securing the selector mechanism to the chassis while you support it. It can be done on your own if you're careful I found

Linkage out:



Next step was to strip the mechanism to see what I'd be looking at. There's a circlip at the base of the gear lever which needs pulling off (needle nose pliers, 3 second job). There are also 5 (IIRC) 10mm nuts and bolts holding the two halves of the mechanism together. Remove all these and watch it fall apart in your hands with bits falling out all over the place

In the pic below, the triangular shaped rod is the reaction rod (that bolts solidly to the gearbox); yellow shaft with black doughnut is the bottom of the gear lever; two springs are the springs that return the lever to neutral:



This picture shows the top half of the mechanism:



Here is a picture of the lower half (cup) of the mechanism. Note the copious amounts of brown crap and old grease. I think the brown crap is a resin-type material used to line the groove on the right of the picture, which holds the selector rod:



The pic below shows all parts with the old grease wiped off. Gear lever on the left (yellow), bottom cup of mechanism bottom centre, top half of mechanism top centre, gear selector shaft top right:



Here are the parts I replaced (old on top, new below); return springs and spring housings, then selector shaft retaining clip, and return spring retaining screws:



Re-assembled the whole lot (I'm afraid I couldn't take pics of this as it gets very messy when filling it all with new grease etc, but it's not so difficult once you've had a play):



Then as my top gasket/insulating padding had broken, and was pretty thin (I put the resonance I sometimes get through the floor of the car/gear lever down to this) I made up a new one out of cardboard. Not pretty, but it's quick thick and corrugated so will hopefully go some way towards cutting down on the noise transmitted through the selector mechanism:




And that's it, job done. Took about 2 and a half hours in all I think, so no biggy It's all back on the car, car's off the pit, and I must say it did all feel a lot sharper when I took it back round to its shed. I do suspect all that broken brown resin is that cause for my slow and notchy gear changes, so I'm thinking I'll have to find out the part number for that and replace it. I'll take it out on the road soon and see what it all feels like though, fingers crossed!

[andyhardy]

Good post James - doesn't look like that much ballache either

It's also quite amusing that you've put up a post about greasing up rods

Cheers,

Andy

[JamieFRST]

Gonna add the part numbers to your sort of guide


Nice work, I need to adjust mine, the gear stick is too close to the passenger seat...is that much hassel to do?

[PaulC]

Part numbers would be good

Does it make a big difference?

[heeman10]

Mandy - Nope, not at all really. Good job as I promised my dad I'd get it done and have the car off the pit as we've been moving cars and bikes around and I would've been blocked in for about 3 weeks! :oooh: Rod-greasing is not one of my usual pass-times

Jamie - I can do, yeah....although one part was a sizeable spring....and I have no idea where that goes :lol: I'll stick the rest up at some point Only seven parts in the end I think, some of the parts needed are discontinued and only available if the whole linkage is bought. The parts added up to 11 squid, but two can be removed from the list so it would be about 5-6 pounds I would think

Adjusting the lever is no biggy. Helps if there's someone to help you, but if you're careful you can do that on your own too. Put the car in 4th gear. Slacken off the 13mm pinch bolt on the selector rod sleeve, get someone in the car to play around with the gear lever and find a point that feels good for 4th gear. Tighten the 13mm pinch bolt back on the selector shaft and you're good to go Check all the gears etc before you drive miles and find it's buggered

[heeman10]

Part numbers would be good

Does it make a big difference?

Like I say, it feels tighter and more precise, but I do suspect that crumbly brown resin could be what's causing the shifts to be reluctant. I'll see how it gets on when I take it for a spin. Bit damp at the moment you see

[heeman10]

Part numbers:

2 * Catch assy 6172154 (return spring holders) 0.68p each
2 * spring, lock 6193756 (horizontal return springs) 0.31p each
2 * screw, pan head 1648726 (return spring retaining screws) 0.98p each
1 * bearing, gear change lever gate 6192095 (bush for the change rod) 0.81p

1 * bracket, retracting spring (vertical return spring) 0.27p
1 * spring, gear change rod retracting 6073629 £1.00
1 * insulator 6164018 (for the stabilizer bar) £2.91

Parts in bold are the ones I used this afternoon. Parts in italic aren't necessary. the 27p bracket and 1.00 spring are for some weird gearbox I think, with a push down/pull up reverse function. The 2.91 insulator shouldn't need replacing, and needs pressing out and pressing in with a proper hydraulic press. So you can remove 4 pounds (+ VAT) worth of parts from that list. Nice cheap job

[Brammer]

Good guide mate might try this next week mine could do with some attention.

Chris....

[Max M4X WW]

Looks good, doubt there would be any point in doing mine.

So with a quickshift whats different? I like the idea of one of these i think.

[heeman10]

The difference with the Quikshift is that Streetdragster sells that just as you're thinking of buying it

[Max M4X WW]

Eh?

[carlos]

Great guide, was thinking of having ago at this myself so its good

to have something to refere to,

cheers,

carl

[John_D]

i bring thee back from the death

need to do mine as its shot, emiled fordpartsuk to see if they still stock the parts, got my doubts though

[dijsil]

if the gear leaver doesnt stay in the moddle if i service the linkage it will solve my problem ?

[TANGO.]

can anyone tell me if a 99 puma gear linkage would fit my mk3.5??

[John_D]

if the gear leaver doesnt stay in the moddle if i service the linkage it will solve my problem ?

yes, mine stays where it was last left

[dijsil]

ok thanks,

and from where do you get the parts ?

[John_D]

ok thanks,

and from where do you get the parts ?

ford probably

[dijsil]

but do they ship outside uk? :S

[John_D]

dont know im afraid

[heeman10]

if the gear leaver doesnt stay in the moddle if i service the linkage it will solve my problem ?

You probably need new plungers and springs. You can see them in the pic below (the two springs, and the plastic components they sit in):



My linkage is for sale if anyone wants it, has only done 8,000 miles or so since the overhaul

[dijsil]

was going to remove and rebuild my gear linkage but found a better solution and was done in about 15mins

connected the spring with 2 tick cable ties because the silencer gets hot, if it smelts i will replace it with some copper wire or something metal.

[96festy]

just rebuilt the spare one i had outside!!! Doesnt seem toooooo bad just take your time!!!

and if you curse and swear at it while your brother is holdin it, it wont work!!!

dont forget to lift the stick slightly so you can put the snap washer over the half round rubber/plastic thing!!! i made that mistake there for the past 40 minutes

will fit it tomorrow and say how it is

[John_D]

contacted fordpartsuk

and got the up-to-date prices

Fiesta MK3-Pin Locking
Part Number: 6172154(QTY2)
Retail Price: £1.19each
You Pay: £1.07each

Fiesta MK3-Spring
Part Number: 6193756(QTY2)
Retail Price: .61p each
You Pay: .55p each

Fiesta MK3-Screw
Part Number: 1648726(QTY2)
Retail Price: £2.67each
You Pay: £2.40each

Fiesta MK3-Gear Change Lever Gate Bearing
Part Number: 6192095(QTY1)
Retail Price: £1.48
You Pay: £1.33

Fiesta MK3-Spring Gear Change Rod Retracting
Part Number: 6073629(QTY1)
Retail Price: £2.75
You Pay: £2.48

Fiesta MK3-Spring Gear Change Rod Retracting Bracket
Part Number: 6063773(QTY1)
Retail Price: .53p
You Pay: .48p

Fiesta MK3-Spring Gear Change Rod Bush
Part Number: 6164018(QTY1)
Retail Price: £6.43
You Pay: £5.79

[jateu_01]

Hey how are we all, just a quick one what gear box is this 5 of 4 speed?

Cheers J

[jayrs]

that would be a 5 speed

[jateu_01]

Is the parts list the same for four gears, mine is very wobbly in gates ?

[jayrs]

i belive so

[jateu_01]

Any other ideas what the issue is ?

[jayrs]

could be the joint up the front worn out, thats not uncommon.

[jordan2litre]

anyone fitted a Puma gear likage , supposed to have 50% reduced travel , my linkage is now completely gone ! how hard is it to fit if indeed anyone has done it.

[rsturbonutter]

Excursion has done a guide on his website you can find it here
http://mwstewart.co.uk/articles/pumalinkage/
You will find everythinbg you need here fella

[jordan2litre]

lol cheers yeah ive had that one saved for about a year in anticipation , cheers anyways , im just a little bit baffled about what has to be cut out and if thats all that has to be modified for it to fit.