Gear stick rattling

[KAL SPL]

Have always had a very annoying tinny rattle coming from the base of the gearstick inside the center console/channel , pretty much filled it with grease and never made a difference , I finally got around to changing the entire shifter linkage out few days ago and the second 1 does exactly the same thing !
It only does it in 3rd and 4th , its got me stumped !

Theres a cone washer at the base of the shifter which is quite loose around the shaft but held down by the spring , assuming it could be that as it showns signs of wear on the shaft aswell but this could just be from the downward motion of selecting reverse.

Surely I cant be the only person to ever have this annoying noise ?

[Rusty's Uncle]

The gear stick is spring loaded to get reverse but there is also an anti rattle spring that goes at the front of the gear lever box.

[KAL SPL]

Both springs are intact and both units operate 100%.

[smallcox]

Worn bush in lever control unit, you have to remove the linkage to change it

[Rusty's Uncle]

Sounds like a tricky one. Is the flexible link at the back of the gear shift rod OK and do the two mounting bolts have the sprung washers fitted .

[KAL SPL]

Bush looks fine , although it does have a crack 1 side its not letting metal touch metal.

[Rusty's Uncle]

That all looks pretty tidy but if that bush is cracked then I would say that it is on the way out & best to replace. There should also be a similar bush in the rear bulkhead where the rod passes through.

[smallcox]

Hi,
 Once your bushes are in order have ago at adjusting the rear gear link, (Twist it) as you may find the rattle is the stick just touching the cars tunnel and as you rev the engine the linkage is aloud to go light and rattle. Goes it do it in all gears or in just one of them?

Smallcox

[KAL SPL]

Even though the bus was cracked it was NOT loose , I couldnt pull it along the shaft at all so I think its still fine , given the other linkage has the same rattle its bloody odd , it does it in 3rd and 4th only , I only have to just touch the stick and it stops , I will try and get a video of it for you guys.

The bush on the rear is also perfectly in tact , that was my guess that it would be touching metal but its a long way off.

I can also leaver the stick a couple of mm off the tunnel and the rattle is still there.

[lilgreencar]

I had a very similar rattle as you're having. In the end the problem with mine was an improperly assembled linkage snubber (the funny looking bit with the rubber sandwiched between the metal tabs that connects the gearshift linkage to the transmission):

http://bit.ly/luWCvP

Mine was assembled without the special bolts, bushings and spring washers. Make sure that the snubber is mounted with the correct bolts that have the collar on them, so that tightening the nut does not cause the snubber to bind to the connection at each end. The snubber should "float" at each end on the bolts with the spring "wave" washers sandwiched between the collar and the snubber keeping the snubber sprung and rattle free.

Once I corrected this on mine, the rattle went away completely...

[KAL SPL]

Thanks mate I will check it out , I know 1 end has the right bolt bt Im unsure of the other end , I never really took much notice of that just made sure it was tight , could be where the problem is coming from.

[AlleyNiki]

Mine produced a tedious squeaking some months ago, especially when the car would vibrate at slower speeds. I cured this problem by taking off the gearstick rubber boot and liberally spraying WD-40 in there! Also the surrounding main chassis had a large bend / dent in it which I had to lever out.  

Maybe your rattling is caused by the gearstick hitting the surrounding metal .. er tunnel as someone else described it?

Alastair

[KAL SPL]

Pumped the whole section full of grease , trust me its not something obvious in there , been chasing it for years

[smallcox]

OK so you been chasing it for years, just to check is the gearbox mount sound and tight? is the handbrake cables touching the box? are the springs fitted in the end off the axle shafts that bolt onto the rear hubs.

As this sounds like you have more vibration than normal and is transmitten towards the linkage

[KAL SPL]

Its only a very small tinny rattle , I always assumed it was the shifter linkage and only recently had good reason to swap it out as its not a 5 second job to do ...

I wouldnt have bothered asking if anyone else has had the same issue if it wasnt for the fact the second inkage has the same noise which leads me to believe the vibration is emminating from elsewhere.

Dont get me wrong , I will strip the whole bloody car again to find it and fix it :p