Trouble adjusting shifter

Oldchevyguy

Well-Known Member
Hi. O5 SS/SJ F35 Manual. I cant get all the gears. If I adjust in the rear for 1st, I cant get enough movement to go to 2nd. If I adj 2nd, the opposite happens. Can't get first. I'm not getting enough throw. I tried shortening the front( in front of the shifter) top rod, thinking I was running out of movement ac t the shifter. It changed the rear adj. but didn't help. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
 

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Ross

Goblin Guru
Hi. 05 SS/LSJ F35 Manual. I cant get all the gears. If I adjust in the rear for 1st, I cant get enough movement to go to 2nd. If I adj 2nd, the opposite happens. Can't get first. I'm not getting enough throw. I tried shortening the front( in front of the shifter) top rod, thinking I was running out of movement ac t the shifter. It changed the rear adj. but didn't help. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
How much "slop" in your shifter? I have seen the shifter handle's center plastic ball sanded down by years of dirt and abuse. Also had the nuts and ball studs loosen up on my shifter. The more slop you take out, the more range you get out of the cables.
 

Oldchevyguy

Well-Known Member
Wow. I wish I had these directions 3 or 4 months ago when I assembled it! I couldn't find any. I think my cable (big nuts) adjustment under the shifter is wrong, causing the cable(s) to bottom out, limiting overall travel.
Another thing no one to my knowledge mentioned is to use nut sets to mount the shifter. I wish I did that. Now I have to pull the seats and tunnel to remove the shifter. Oh well hot rodden.
 

Karter2026

Goblin Guru
Wow. I wish I had these directions 3 or 4 months ago when I assembled it! I couldn't find any. I think my cable (big nuts) adjustment under the shifter is wrong, causing the cable(s) to bottom out, limiting overall travel.
Another thing no one to my knowledge mentioned is to use nut sets to mount the shifter. I wish I did that. Now I have to pull the seats and tunnel to remove the shifter. Oh well hot rodden.
None of us really had written directions.

You should not have to remove the seats to get the shifter out.
 

Oldchevyguy

Well-Known Member
How much "slop" in your shifter? I have seen the shifter handle's center plastic ball sanded down by years of dirt and abuse. Also had the nuts and ball studs loosen up on my shifter. The more slop you take out, the more range you get out of the cables.
I dont think that's the problem. I drove the doner home 50 miles and it shifted good. I know sometimes when you dissemble old stuff, problems arise that wernt there before though.
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
It's been awhile. I thought it was held down with nuts and bolts?
My center tunnel had the shifter plate welded on it, with nuts welded on the underside of the shifter holes. So 4 bolts held the shifter down to the center tunnel... those bolts had spacers so the cables could run under the Cobalt shifter.
 

Oldchevyguy

Well-Known Member
My center tunnel had the shifter plate welded on it, with nuts welded on the underside of the shifter holes. So 4 bolts held the shifter down to the center tunnel... those bolts had spacers so the cables could run under the Cobalt shifter.
Will get a fresh start on it tomorrow. Thanks
 

Oldchevyguy

Well-Known Member

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Ross

Goblin Guru
It lifted up to allow the local shifter to travel further right, where reverse is.
When I changed to the aftermarket shifter, the Cobalt shifter lockout was gone, so it is local to the shifter in the image.
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
Well it is not the cables or the transmission. It is a function of the shifter. Check to see what that lever use to lift, it has to be 8" below the shift knob.
 

Oldchevyguy

Well-Known Member
I really appreciate your help. I know the problem is the shifter. I guess my question is how does the lockout work? What mechanical engagement does that black piece have with the shifter?
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
I don't have a Cobalt shifter to look at anymore, so I'm not much help.
Your picture shows the base of the shifter shaft broken and at a weird angle... bad picture or bad shifter shaft?
 

JeffsGoblin

Goblin Guru
I'm sure
I really appreciate your help. I know the problem is the shifter. I guess my question is how does the lockout work? What mechanical engagement does that black piece have with the shifter?
Neutral:
14183

Pull up on shifter handle and move to reverse. The lock out happens when the handle passes the plastic allowing the shifter to obtain the reverse location.
14184

14185

Hopefully this helps if this is what you were looking for.
 

Oldchevyguy

Well-Known Member
I don't have a Cobalt shifter to look at anymore, so I'm not much help.
Your picture shows the base of the shifter shaft broken and at a weird angle... bad picture or bad shifter shaft?
Nothing is broken. The white spot is just the black paint falling off. There seems to be something missing.
 

Oldchevyguy

Well-Known Member
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