Linkage issue with reverse gear - Elan S3

[tomjones20194]

Folks - I?ve searched the forum and didn?t find a clear answer

I?ve got my S3 running and driving. 1st thru 4th are fine but I cannot shift into reverse. Feels like something is preventing me from being able to move the shifter far enough left to catch the reverse gear linkage.

I pulled the console but cannot access the top plates on the transmission as I had hoped. There?s only the shifter hole which is about 3? in diameter.

Do the entire engine and trans have to be pulled to adjust gear linkages?

Has anyone ever tried cutting the tunnel to make an access door to the top of the transmission or would that mess up the structural integrity of the body?

Thanks
Tom

[elancoupe]

Are you lifting up when you move the shifter to the left?

[tomjones20194]

No - sounds like I should be though? Let me give that a shot

[tomjones20194]

That was it. Shifted into reverse just fine. Did not know I needed to lift up. Thanks much! I was mentally preparing myself to have to pull the whole drivetrain out... not a happy thought

[elancoupe]

Glad I could help. You are not the first, believe me.

[lotocone]

Glad I could help. You are not the first, believe me.

Yep, a friend who introduced me to Elans forgot about lifting up, but it was about 10 years after he sold his.

Getting into reverse is explained in the little owner's manual, but I wonder where else it's mentioned. Probably not a lot of those manuals come with Elans anymore. If you buy a project car, I see how you wouldn't know about reverse.

[The Veg]

Opposite story for me. The Esprit I had 2010-14 also required lifting the lever, but I'd known this since reading a test of an Esprit in either Car and Driver or Road & Track back in the early '80s! It was memorable because the article mentioned the varying amounts of difficulty that various magazine-staffers had with the lifting. I recall a mention of the 'staff gorillas' doing it with thumb and forefinger, which I found I could easily do with my Esprit's lever. I wonder if it was stiffer when the car was new.

[tomjones20194]

Thanks guys for not calling me a moron. Owner?s manual did not come with my car so I had no clue about the lift up to shift feature. I?m just glad it?s working and I did not have to dig into the trans to fix it.

[lotocone]

I think it's great that you asked the question and ended up saving yourself a lot of work.

[The Veg]

Although if you had pulled it all apart before learning the truth, imagine what good stories you could tell later about that learning experience!