E36 M3, really - Challenge car issue - Help?

So we finish getting the car wired and piped last night, figure out a ground issue and she fires up. Great! Lets run it through the gears, ok those work. How about reverse? Oops, where'd all my gears go? Crap!

The shaft and ball end shift linkage on my Shelby Charger is toast. Well, at least the linkage end that hooks up to the transmission shaft. Looks like someone had epoxied it on at one point but now it is just useless. Dealer says parts have been discontinued for YEARS! There is no way I can take off work and get to the junkyard today to find replacements. Arghhh, I hate when E36 M3 breaks at the last minute!

There is a guy on Ebay selling replacement heims ends, etc. which I almost bought but the kit would have put me over budget so I didn't order a few weeks ago (just in case). Hopefully we can cobble something up tonight and get it in the trailer.

Any Turbo Dodge guys have any of these parts laying around that they want to bring to G'ville?

hobiercr wrote: There is a guy on Ebay selling replacement heims ends, etc. which I almost bought but the kit would have put me over budget so I didn't order a few weeks ago (just in case). Hopefully we can cobble something up tonight and get it in the trailer.

maybe too late, but you bought the car with a working shifter, and the shifter broke during your development of the car. you don't have to hit your budget for the repair. and since OE parts are NLA, that opens the door to using the aftermarket solution at no charge, assuming no performance advantage of aftermarket over OE. i would argue that the only advantages are availability and longevity, neither of which count as advantages in the challenge world.

Work the rules!! Nicely played AC.

Hope you can get it sorted, I'm fairly jealous of all those competing...errrr....attending.

AngryCorvair wrote:

hobiercr wrote: There is a guy on Ebay selling replacement heims ends, etc. which I almost bought but the kit would have put me over budget so I didn't order a few weeks ago (just in case). Hopefully we can cobble something up tonight and get it in the trailer.

maybe too late, but you bought the car with a working shifter, and the shifter broke during your development of the car. you don't have to hit your budget for the repair. and since OE parts are NLA, that opens the door to using the aftermarket solution at no charge, assuming no performance advantage of aftermarket over OE. i would argue that the only advantages are availability and longevity, neither of which count as advantages in the challenge world.

I like this but I doubt I can get the replacements in time now. Had another suggestion of creative zip-tie use so we are going to try that/combo with safety wire to see if it can get me through the event

Automotive Recycling of Gainesville Inc,2014 Northeast 23rd Avenue,Gainesville,FL,32609,(352)377-2234 Damron's Used Auto Parts of Gainesville Inc,9200 Northwest 13th Street,Gainesville,FL,32653,(352)378-1542 Tire Outlet,1320 North Main Street,Gainesville,FL,32601,(352)376-9993 U-Pull'N Save Auto Parts,1508 Northwest 55th Place,Gainesville,FL,32653,(352)378-9060

Karl La Follette wrote: Automotive Recycling of Gainesville Inc,2014 Northeast 23rd Avenue,Gainesville,FL,32609,(352)377-2234 Damron's Used Auto Parts of Gainesville Inc,9200 Northwest 13th Street,Gainesville,FL,32653,(352)378-1542 Tire Outlet,1320 North Main Street,Gainesville,FL,32601,(352)376-9993 U-Pull'N Save Auto Parts,1508 Northwest 55th Place,Gainesville,FL,32653,(352)378-9060

I think I have a set left over from the stuff that I used to build and sell. I think the parts are about $25 total from Midwest Control and Grainger. Unfortunately, it will probably not get to you in time, even with overnight shipping. I can try though, let me know!

The main one that fails, is a 10mm male rod end and is easily replaced as it unscrews from the end of the main lever. If you can't get a metric rod end, you can carefully drill the end and thread it for a 3/8" male rod end. Make sure to use a jam nut and lots of loctite.

Here's the article I wrote on it for my club's website:

http://www.pnw-sdac.org/shiftlinkage.html

Good luck!

turboswede wrote: I think I have a set left over from the stuff that I used to build and sell. I think the parts are about $25 total from Midwest Control and Grainger. Unfortunately, it will probably not get to you in time, even with overnight shipping. I can try though, let me know! Good luck!

Could probably overnight it to the hotel and it would be waiting there friday so they could do the repair when they arrive. Just a thought.

JThw8 wrote:

turboswede wrote: I think I have a set left over from the stuff that I used to build and sell. I think the parts are about $25 total from Midwest Control and Grainger. Unfortunately, it will probably not get to you in time, even with overnight shipping. I can try though, let me know! Good luck!

Could probably overnight it to the hotel and it would be waiting there friday so they could do the repair when they arrive. Just a thought.

that's what i was going to say.

AngryCorvair wrote:

JThw8 wrote:

turboswede wrote: I think I have a set left over from the stuff that I used to build and sell. I think the parts are about $25 total from Midwest Control and Grainger. Unfortunately, it will probably not get to you in time, even with overnight shipping. I can try though, let me know! Good luck!

Could probably overnight it to the hotel and it would be waiting there friday so they could do the repair when they arrive. Just a thought.

that's what i was going to say.

Great minds think alike ;)

I certainly could do that. I just need to know who it should be held for.

turboswede wrote: I certainly could do that. I just need to know who it should be held for.

Paging OP, Hobiecr to your thread please, solutions abound!

Go GRM rescue unit!!

turboswede wrote: I certainly could do that. I just need to know who it should be held for.

Just responded to your email. The part that failed is the plastic cap that attaches to the transmission lever arm. If your set can fix this then I'm all in. Ship to the parts to the hotel UPS RED and I'll get them there. Let me know where I need to send the money!

I'm stopping at home for lunch and will look at what I have. Should have an answer in a few hours.

Let me know asap what you have 'cause I can prep the lever arms tonight (drill, etc.) That wil just make loading into the trailer less fun..

No need. I had an entire set ready to go:

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s10/fiat22turbo/Fabrication/525_shift_linkage/

turboswede wrote: No need. I had an entire set ready to go: http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s10/fiat22turbo/Fabrication/525_shift_linkage/

This,right here,this is why this community is the awesomest one in cyberland.

For what it's worth, we brought our Millermatic 180 MIG (runs off 120V) and a full tank of Argon if you need it. We'll be working on our Miata in the parking lot, come find us.

Well, it probably won't get there Thursday, missed the shipping cut off today.

It will be there Friday though (maybe earlier if we're lucky).

Good luck!

Just got off the phone with Hobiercr and well, they may not make it.

Quick background, its a Shelby Charger GLH-S clone, so oddball 86 T2 electrics, apparently poorly installed by one of the previous owners (wire nuts were used, etc) running in the under $1000 class.

It was running, during the discovery of the broken shift linkage. Unfortunately, now the car won't stay running, it starts, but won't stay running. The dashlights apparently don't work, so they can't get the error codes out of the computer. I pointed him at the old trick of soldering the pins on the circuit board on the back of the cluster.

Also, pointed him at the grounds, especially the ground that runs from the fuel rail to the firewall, which is easily missed and can cause issues like this.

The only other thought would be a hellacious vacuum leak someplace (like the MAP line) and if computer codes were available, then a direction could be narrowed down a bit.

If anyone is in the area and is willing to lend a hand or at least a beer, I'm sure they wouldn't complain.

Yep, "she's dead Jim". At least for now. Too many issues with too little time (and some may say, talent). The not staying running issue is electric and probably something simple like a missing ground. Car was running and driving, wouldn't go into reverse (linkage) and while screwing with that something happened. On top of this the power steering system is leaking like a sieve (oh, THATS why it was empty) and they probably wouldn't have let me on the drag strip anyway. On top of all this I may have dragged the car to G'ville but the trailer I was using doesn't have a winch and finding a few guys to help load just was too daunting to deal with. I've had a few projects blow up before but this one really defines the "soul crushing failure" feeling. Could just be that I'm exhausted from working 2 jobs (11+ hours a day) and then spending 3-4 hours on the car every night.

I really wanted to take today off work and tray and finish this but I have deliverables that have to get done and today I need a job more than I need pretty much anything else.

I'll regroup and shoot for next year but I'm not happy about it.

Stefan has been awesome with the linkage and after I collect it I plan on installing it soon. He is going to refit my old stuff and, as he says "pay it forward". That is what I plan to do this weekend at the Challenge. Hopefully I can help someone else get a run in.

Punt. Change of game plan. Bringing my '67 122S. It's slow, handles poorly and needs a master cylinder. But it runs and is in budget.

Damn, sorry to hear you're out. I know I've tried several times to make it to the Challenge, so I know the feeling all to well.

At least you've got time now to fix the issues for next season/Challenge. I'll dig around to see if I have anything electrical left over from my old turbo L-bodies that you can use. Sometimes just taking a step back can help solve potential project road blocks.

Oh and believe me, there wouldn't have been an issue getting the car on or off the trailer, just have to believe in the power of the GRMChallengers :)

Good luck!