I need help adjusting the shift linkage on a Bora. My car's gearbox grinds when trying to put it into reverse when the engine is warm. Works fine when engine is cold. I recall having a similar problem years ago with another Bora and adjusting the linkage solve it. Of course, I have no recollection what I did. I was able after much work to loosen the nut on the left of the photo. The nut on the right (closest to the transaxle) is putting on a fight. 1. Does the nut I am trying to loosen have a normal thread or is it reverse thread? 2. Once I loosen both nuts should I try to make the link longer or shorter? Or is there another adjustment that affects reverse gear? Ivan Image Unavailable, Please Login
I saw a similar issue with a Ferrari gearbox but the oil was actually the issue, had nothing to do with the linkage. Oil changed and it worked ok. From what you are describing, a linkage adjust may not be the issue because it does indeed shift when cold. Question: when you hold the clutch in for an extended period, does the gearbox eventually slow enough to where you can engage reverse? Or does the gearbox never slow with the clutch open? If the gearbox never slows then it might be a clutch issue with light drag from the open clutch continuing to spin the 'box which only shows up once the oil is light (hot). The ZF Bora 'box obviously does not have a synchro for reverse so the gearbox has to not be spinning at all to engage reverse without grinding.
Too long ago for me to remember. Try MIE or any Pantera place or website. It's the same issue at that end of the linkage. Does it seem to go into and out of the gears properly when the engine is off or is reverse still a bit of a fight?
Ivan, Looking at the photo you posted, the nuts are counter-threaded to each other, thus enabling the middle part to turn and make the likage shorter or longer. If they had the same thread, the centre bush would just go either way on both threads, without change of length. Best, Jack.
Of course you are correct, it is counter-threated. That was also my reasoning but since it was not coming loose I needed another set of eyes ... thank you! Last night I left it soaking with PB Blaster penetrating oil. I just went at it with a large open wrench and a 4 foot pipe extension. Godzilla must have been working the assembly line that day! It finally came loose ... Ivan
Ivan, As you probably know by now and infer from above, that center 'nut' acts like a turnbuckle. By turning it you can lengthen or shorten the linkage assembly, or change where the neutral center of your shift lever is left-or-right in the gate (by twisting the links with relation to each other when the lock nuts are loose). The end lock nuts need to be very tight to give torsional grip to the turnbuckle after you're done adjusting it. There is no separate reverse adjustment I am aware of. I'm curious about your problem "grinding" into reverse: Reverse is forward next to 2nd. If you can engage 2nd properly, then it doesn't sound like a problem with fore-aft movement, but rather how far to the left your shift knob can reach in the gate to reach reverse .? What do you think? That was the battle I had with my adjustment: The gate isn't very generous left-to-right, so I could engage reverse, but it took finesse to get 4th and 5th. If I adjusted the shift lever in favor of 4th and 5th, I lost the ability to get reverse. Because the wear in the old u-joints was enough to accumulate 'slack' in the links and reduce left-right action by the time my input reached the ZF, the solution was to replace all the u-joints. Which I just finished. New taper pins, u-joints and rubber boots. Best, - Art
So Art is it all OK now? When I got mine, almost new, it had the binding shaft issue and once I took care of that and adjusted the linkage it's been perfect ever since. It's not like having a nice short throw box right under your arm but it's OK. The modern Getrag 6 speed on my Ghibli Open Cup car far less precise. Same box as on the M3 BMWs. That problem is due to a very narrow L-R selection range and rubber gearbox mounts that move around a lot under heavy loads on the track. That combination means that it's quite easy to mis-select a gear with the stock OEM bushings in place. All of it BMW stuff too. I hope your repairs got everything sorted out properly? I wondered too if Ivan's Bora adjustment had it too far to the left or right but he never responded so I assumed he's fixed the issue.
I have not responded because I'm busy putting a Ghibli spyder back together. Have two weeks before Amelia and a car without much of an interior. I guess I could always display it with a sign that says "work in progress" I took the Bora out for a drive today and the side to side and forward/back shifter movements are all fine. I can get into all the gears easily. I think my problem is elsewhere. Next step will be to replace the clutch slave which will force me to also bleed the clutch hydraulics. As was mentioned before, the clutch is most likely still spinning (dragging) when the clutch is depressed and since reverse is not synchronized it grinds. I really do not think it is the clutch itself as it feels strong in all the forward gears and normal pedal travel. But first ... the Ghibli. Ivan
Ivan, If the slave cylinder isn't leaking, I doubt replacing it will solve the problem. The manual for the Khamsin actually gives a spec for the slave travel, I'd expect the Bora's to give you that info as well. Observe abd measure. More likely your free-play is set incorrectly if the culprit is outside the bell-housing. Put that gorgeous Ghibli together first, can't have silly signs at Amelia Best, Jack.
Thanks for asking Bob, Yeah, I got it all back together Tuesday night. Shift-action is nice, but a bit tighter or stiffer than I'd expected. Maybe that's OK, but I'm going to scrutinize it more. It almost feels like the u-joints are binding, which is possible. Or the new joints and cold conditions in my garage (30F/-1C) could contribute to the tight feel. 2nd and 4th are hard to get into, so I'm going to shorten the "throw" at the turnbuckle tomorrow, then check the geometries again, see if I can find a sweet spot. Best, - Art
When you had it all apart did you check the sliding shaft under the left header for smooth operation front/aft and rotationally? I still have the original everything (except for improved boots and enclosure of the support needle bearings) and @ 40K miles last time I drove it, a while ago, it was as new. But most people just ignored the linkage and so after all these years they need a bit of work. Once properly adjusted it's great if a bit long in the throws.
Before replacing the slave cylinder I decided to suck whatever fluid was in the reservoir and put in new brake fluid. Since this Bora had been sitting at a dealer for 4 years I know that it has been at least that long since the clutch hydraulic fluid had been replaced. Sure enough the old fluid looked like Oolong tea. After bleeding the the slave cylinder, took the Bora out this morning to run chores and reverse now seems fine. I wonder if there was a challenge at Maserati's engineering department of who could come up with the most ingenious place to put the clutch fluid reservoir. It is a toss up between the Ghibli's clutch master with its integrated reservoir ... placed low in the bowels of the engine compartment where it is hard to reach and impossible to fill without a funnel with a hose. Or the Bora reservoir located in a tiny compartment which also takes a funnel and hose to fill and the canister is made of metal so that you can't tell how full (or empty) it is. Ivan
Interesting fact, this procedure is still the same for the Cambiocorsa oil reservoir on the 4200 and GS. We blindly fill it with a funnel and hose and we blindly check how full it is by sticking a finger inside it. This is the "official recommended" procedure as well! Talk about preserving the history...
Given that my Bora should have all its fluids replaced. What oil should I use for the transaxle? Should I go with a synthetic? Ivan
Ivan, one day in my garage back in SF I got so GD frustrated with that silly hidden reservoir that I took my big rechargeable flashlight and threw it against the wall. I think I'd have prefered that they put the Khamsin's style power slave system on the car but I've never driven a 5 speed Khamsin so I don't know what that's like. Good to hear that the problems was this simple even if still quite annoying.
I've never tried any of the redline products in it. I use their gear oils in my other cars and really like them. I've had Swepco in mine for years at the recommendation of someone eons ago. That's never given me any issues. No synchro problems. I couldn't tell you which one now though. At the time it was real popular with Porsche guys. I'm not even sure they make anything suitable for it now? Pantera forums ...
I also wondered why they did not put the Khamsin style slave cylinder in the Bora. The Khamsin clutch pedal has a superb light feeling! The Bora clutch pedal is a workout and could really use a power assisted clutch slave. I wonder if going with a larger diameter bore clutch master would help. Ivan
Ivan, You'd want a smaller bore master or a lerger bore slave. It would help making the clutch lighter, but bear in mind that you need a certain amount of fluid to displace for the slave to move from fully engaged to fully free, so there is a limit to it; go too small on the bore of the master and you'll end up with too little travel of the slave. Best, Jack.
Oh I think he should plan out the Khamsin clutch slave modification and go for it! +1 on the smaller bore, just like leverage it's easier to move but you also have to move it more. BTW, speed sensitive electric steering assist is available for the Bora!
Thanks Bob, Yes, I checked the two sliding pin-bearings at the engine, and they're both nice and tight. There is one more at the "firewall", it has a smidgeon of play, but not enough to need service. I am also right around 40k miles, but those are more neglectful miles than yours. The boots were all gone, except the one at the console. Introducing foreign matter into the original joints wore them out quick. The new 5/8" ID Borgeson u-joints and boots are a nice fit. The ID needed a slight hone to fit over the shaft ends. Now that the temperature in my garage is nosing up above freezing I might get in there and torque up the taper pins, reinstall the console, seats and wrap this little project up. But it's also maple syrup season and I'm out in the woods a lot.. how's that for contrasting tasks? LOL
Make sure that if the ZF gear box has yellow metals, especially the synchronizers that you are use the correct GL rated gear oil. A GL-4 is most likely what you need, Ivan. I feel 99.9% sure in saying that if there is brass in that there box, you must use a GL-4, which by the way Redline makes in a synthetic. The Citroen gearbox in the Merak must have a GL- 4 rated gear oil, otherwise = Big Problems even though the Maserati owners manual says otherwise. Ciao, George
