I replaced my shift rod coupler yesterday and the improvement is huge! I have a pan based IM, so the pan is shortened. Does this mean my shift rod is also shortened? When I put the new coupler on the end of the rod, there's still horizontal play. Is there supposed to be play? Could there be a lot of material worn off the end of the rod?
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Shane.... I assume you mean horizontal movement is in the shift lever / handle..... This is the classic worn / missing shift rod bushing syndrome.... The bushing is normaly located just to the rear of the shift lever in the tunnel... With the shift lever and pivot removed, you can see it ...(easier with a mirror)..... To replace it, you go to the front of the car and remove the tunnel access cover located just behind the center of the front beam.... With that removed, remove the rear cover over the shift coupler, disconnect the rod and work it forward just enough to clear the bushing..... Remove and replace the old bushing. (if its even there)...Reinstall the shift rod and coupler, close the covers and its done except for fine tuning the shift pattern.... The bushing itself is a nylon piece which slips into a bracket welded to the top of the tunnel... It is retained with a wire type spring clip.... Installing the clip is the most agravating part of the job.... Dropped clips take advantage of selective gravity to find that crevice under the shadows..... ( How do he know ? ) 
And yes your rod was shortened.... I am assuming this IM has a heap of miles or years on it....
....The bushing itself is a nylon piece which slips into a bracket welded to the top of the tunnel... It is retained with a wire type spring clip.... Installing the clip is the most agravating part of the job.... Dropped clips take advantage of selective gravity to find that crevice under the shadows..... ( How do he know ? )
Yeah, Leon; you've been there...
I shortened the pan for my IM (11 3/4" iIrc) and it's all right in front of the shifter coupler, so as Leon pointed out, the shift rod has to be shortened the same amount. Al
