P38 dse pudding stick gear stick

[jd defender]

Hi everyone my gearstick on my P38 dse 1996 model feels like a pudding stick it sits between 1 and 2 not 3 and 4 when in neutral, someone told me it was the detent screws in the remote housing, just wondered if anybody else had this problem and how easy it was to fix, do you have to get the gearbox out or can you remove the center console and get to the housing from inside the vehicle. Any advice would be appreciated

[chrisbowler]

Hi - Can you change gear in all gears OK. Sometimes the pin that operates the selector shaft works loose and then you miss some gears. Sadly the only way to get to this is gearbox out. Suggest you weld the pin on as I have had some do this twice in a year

Chris Bowler

[sheltie50]

On my one it was the detent units, they are screwed into the remote shift unit and have spring loaded balls, these can and do faill with time, I replaced by removing the centre consol and remote shift cover but shreaded all my fingers in the process, it woukd have been much easier to lower the rear of the gearbox a little, unless you have experiance I suggest you have someone do it for you.

[jd defender]

Thanks for the replies guys, iv sused it out now, and sheltie 50 your right its the detent screws. I now have much bigger problems though, the bolt that locks the cam sprocket to the cam came loose and bent all the valves. I changed the valves lapped them all in new head gasket, bolts etc. replaced everything top end timed it correctly and now it wont start, i have checked the pump timing and that is correct but it will not fire up