I'm a little unclear on what I need to do to adjust my shift linkage
 on my "new" (junkyard) transmission I just put in my '81 van.

              Per Bentley                    My response

 Shift lever and trans in neutral.           OK

 Loosen screws holding upper bearing
 plate and align holes of upper bearing
 plate with holes of lower bearing plate.    Looks good, no
                                             adjustment needed.

 Loosen shift rod clamp.                     OK

 Remove spare to get at shift mechanism.     OK

 Move stop finger of front shift rod to
 center of rubber stop in housing.           Hmmm, not too clear,
                                             but it sounds and
                                             looks like I move the
                                             bottom end of the
                                             shift lever FORE and
                                             AFT until it's in the
                                             middle of the rubber-
                                             faced "stop" that's
                                             on the right side of
                                             the shift mechanism
                                             housing box.

 Adjust shift rod end (see picture).         This is not at ALL
                                             clear, especially
                                             with the picture as
                                             murky as it is.
                                             The picture is showing
                                             a gap (19mm) between
                                             something and something.

 Can anybody help with this last step?  It's not clear what that 19mm
 gap is measuring.  From the rubber-faced stop to the right side of
 the front shift rod fork?  Something else?

 And how do you "adjust" this gap?  The shift rod fork want to
 naturally rest against this rubber-faced stop, and I don't see anyway
 to keep it from doing so.

 Thanks in advance.

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Tom Young               young@sherlock.SIMS.Berkeley.EDU
Lafayette, CA  94549    '81 Vanagon
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