Scarlett Semko wrote:
>
> I've tried searching the archives for "shifting problems", but I'm not finding the
> information.
> Any help here would be very appreciated. I'm sure it is my linkage by the way its
> acting.
>
>TIA
>Ron Semko

Ron,
My new '82 had the same problem. It appeared to be caused by wear on the
little plastic ball that is part of the linkage on the trans itself. It
sits in a fork on the end of the shift control rod coming from the front
of the van. It could probably be repaired by replacing the ball. My
cheap fix was to locate the joint in the control rod about half to
two-thirds the distance between the shift lever and the trans. At that
point, one part of the rod fits inside the other and is held by a collar
and setscrew. By loosening the setscrew and twisting the rods slightly,
I was able to "adjust" the linkage to account for the wear. The linkage
was a tad sloppy, but no different than before the adjustment. It simply
keeps you from having to go into the reverse-lockout position to engage
first. Be sure to mark the rods before any adjustments are made, so you
can go back if you goof up. You need to loosen the setscrew and move the
FRONT portion of the rod slightly in a clockwise direction, as viewed
from the rear. It only takes a very small amount of movement to fix the
problem. Good luck!
Larry