hello i am new to the site and its my last resort after an hour and a half of searchin the web i cant find any help... so i have a 75 pinto with a four speed manual trans and a 2.3 i4 but im not sure of the shift pattern i know reverse is all the way to the driver side and up but it seems super sluggish pullin out of what i think is first gear. i just got this car and any help would be greatly appreciated
sounds like you could be using third. first should be right next to reverse. when you go from reverse, feel out the gears first should be the first top shift point next to reverse. I could be wrong as its been quite a few years since I have drivin a ford with a 4spd trans. anyone is welcome to correct me as im not 100% sure. Welcome to the site and club.
75Bob, you're correct. R is push in the shifter, go left and up. 1 should be straight up, 2 straight down, 3 right and up, 4 right and down. Lately I've been putting the gearshift (accidentally) in 3rd when I want 1st (scary when you're entering fast traffic) and 2nd gear when I mean to go into 4th. Scary too. Or if I'm shifting into 2nd and the stick goes into 4th the car REALLY struggles and there's almost no power.
Oh, just remember the shift pattern as an H, with reverse (R) attached to the H's left side like a one-armed bandit. ;D
ok awesome ya i just had to feel it out i still have to give her the onion to take off from a stop... that idk about... but there is also alot of slop in the shifter you guys know the best way to remedy that or know of anything that causes the issue?
I'm not 100% sure about this, but my Cruising Wagon has the same issue and I've been told it's the rag joint, a piece at the bottom of the shifter that provides some "feel" for differentiating between the gears you've selected. Can anyone with a bit more solid knowledge on this one jump in? My memory tells me this is a heavy leather piece but it's been a while.
Slop in the shifter could be from worn out or missing shifter bushings...little Nylon bushing between the shifter and the shift rod in the transmission..easy to replace once you find the part.
I would call Ford first. you never know if they still have this one part somewhere but if that doesn't pan out...
I would try SSC Enterprises and see if they have one listed for a Pinto or Mustang II. Scott the owner seems to be a good source.
sccenterprises.net
The shifter itself does get a little loose with age but I always start with the bushing.
Best of luck
FrankBoss
Here's a thread I started on creating a Mustang II/Pinto hybrid shifter. Not suggesting that you do the same, but I have some "exploded" photos of the Pinto shifter and the Mustang II shifters which better explain why the Pinto shifters get sloppy over time.
http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php/topic,11368.msg72910.html#msg72910 (http://www.fordpinto.com/index.php/topic,11368.msg72910.html#msg72910)
Pintoe,
I used Dave1987 thread and rebuild my shifter. Only difference, I shortened mine and re threaded the shaft for a B&M T-handle (picture attached). I also have a stock one. I am willing to set something up to allow you to swap them out, then buy if you want.
Dave1987, where did you come up with that idea?! It works great!!!!!!!!!!
Not to sure myself, lol. I think I saw the shifter in the Mustang II I was getting parts from and liked the angle, also seemed to be more comfortable to shift with since the knob isn't as far away from you as it is on the stock shifter.