4200 manual gear lever not centring

GroovyBoovy

Junior Member
Messages
61
4200 manual gear lever not centring
Discovered an unusual problem with the gear change on my manual. The lever is not centring when it is in the neutral position. You have to move the lever to the centre position when not in gear, instead of it moving there itself.

No other issues changing gear or getting into or out of gear, clutch is working fine. This seemed to happen after I had not used the car for maybe a month.

Anyway I had a few things to do before its MOT in a month, including changing the gearbox oil and filter, which I have done. I have used lithium grease on the linkage on the outside of the gearbox. Then took the centre console out hoping I could get at the gear linkage from the top to lubricate it and check the gear lever housing. No access from the top.

Reading the “Maserati M138 Coupe Workshop Manual.pdf” it looks like to get to it you needs to simply, remove the exhaust, remove the toque tube (presumably removing the rear axle to get to it first) and remove all the heat shielding. This is all quite tricky in a single garage.

Next two things to try
1.) Dis-attach the shift cables from the gearbox to see if I can work out if its the box of shifter housing that is stiff.
2.) Re-assembling the centrer console and take it for a drive till the gear new oil is heated up

Has anyone seen inside the shifter housing, does it contain any springs that may have broken or become dis-attached?, do the bearings in it need some lubrication?
Thanks
Rob
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,748
suspect you are right re the springs... is the Eurospares exploded diagrams of any use?
 

GroovyBoovy

Junior Member
Messages
61
suspect you are right re the springs... is the Eurospares exploded diagrams of any use?
It was looking at the eurospares diagram that made me think I could get to it from the top, having taken the centre console off it does not look like you can. The diagram does not show any parts within the shifter housing.
 

masertel

Member
Messages
102
4200 manual gear lever not centring
Discovered an unusual problem with the gear change on my manual. The lever is not centring when it is in the neutral position. You have to move the lever to the centre position when not in gear, instead of it moving there itself.

No other issues changing gear or getting into or out of gear, clutch is working fine. This seemed to happen after I had not used the car for maybe a month.

Anyway I had a few things to do before its MOT in a month, including changing the gearbox oil and filter, which I have done. I have used lithium grease on the linkage on the outside of the gearbox. Then took the centre console out hoping I could get at the gear linkage from the top to lubricate it and check the gear lever housing. No access from the top.

Reading the “Maserati M138 Coupe Workshop Manual.pdf” it looks like to get to it you needs to simply, remove the exhaust, remove the toque tube (presumably removing the rear axle to get to it first) and remove all the heat shielding. This is all quite tricky in a single garage.

Next two things to try
1.) Dis-attach the shift cables from the gearbox to see if I can work out if its the box of shifter housing that is stiff.
2.) Re-assembling the centrer console and take it for a drive till the gear new oil is heated up

Has anyone seen inside the shifter housing, does it contain any springs that may have broken or become dis-attached?, do the bearings in it need some lubrication?
Thanks
Rob

It's common on the manually actuated gearbox for the linkage pivot arm bushing to partly seize- especially if not used for some time. This will cause the cables to appear tight- thankfully with the car on a ramp it is easy to remove and clean/re grease the bushing (also doable on chassis stands but no as comfortable). Its part 8 & 17 on the attached diagram. I have a manual Spyder and Coupe and had this issue on both of them - I now check this bushing and lube it every time I do an oil change. Euro spares can provide new bushes for little cost. It's a little more involved to replace the bushings but straightforward and will remove any play in the pivot arm if the old bushings are worn.

Hope this helps- happy motoring!!

Terry
 

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GroovyBoovy

Junior Member
Messages
61
It's common on the manually actuated gearbox for the linkage pivot arm bushing to partly seize- especially if not used for some time. This will cause the cables to appear tight- thankfully with the car on a ramp it is easy to remove and clean/re grease the bushing (also doable on chassis stands but no as comfortable). Its part 8 & 17 on the attached diagram. I have a manual Spyder and Coupe and had this issue on both of them - I now check this bushing and lube it every time I do an oil change. Euro spares can provide new bushes for little cost. It's a little more involved to replace the bushings but straightforward and will remove any play in the pivot arm if the old bushings are worn.

Hope this helps- happy motoring!!

Terry
Terry
I'll give that a go next, handy tip that is not in any service schedule. I was thinking it looked a bit exposed down there, and it seems to have the movement, but i have nothing to compare it against. So ill dis-assemble and lubricate it. That do you use to lubricate the bushes with?
Rob
 

masertel

Member
Messages
102
Terry
I'll give that a go next, handy tip that is not in any service schedule. I was thinking it looked a bit exposed down there, and it seems to have the movement, but i have nothing to compare it against. So ill dis-assemble and lubricate it. That do you use to lubricate the bushes with?
Rob
Hi Rob

If the bushing has never been cleaned and greased it will still move but not as freely as it should. As well as the bushing best to remove the rocker arm that the other cable is attached to and clean/grease it also. One bolt holds it in place and the rocker arm pivots on it (part No. on the diagram is 9). There is no removable bush on it but chances are it's partly seized also. Once both of this are moving freely you with notice a much better gear change. Any high quality grease will do the job but as these parts are exposed to the elements if you want to be fussy use a waterproof grease.
 

GroovyBoovy

Junior Member
Messages
61
I removed the rocker arm for the side ways motion cable and cleaned it and greased it up, all seems to work now, with the gear leave cetering itself as it should. I'll take it for a test drive tomorrow.
Thanks for your help and advise Terry
 

masertel

Member
Messages
102
I removed the rocker arm for the side ways motion cable and cleaned it and greased it up, all seems to work now, with the gear leave cetering itself as it should. I'll take it for a test drive tomorrow.
Thanks for your help and advise Terry
Glad it worked out Rob- us gear crunching stick shifters need to stick together LOL. Hope you have your name down for one of the forum group buy gear knobs!!

I also have a couple of CC 4200 but the stick shift Spyder and 4200 are more involving to drive- for me anyway (showing my age). The CC 4200's are now SORN and one of them is being transformed (when I get the time) into a track car.

Happy motoring!!

T