[azopelnut]

All aged Opel tranmissions seem to develop some nasty buzzing and rattling that I assume is due to worn bushings or washers on the shift linkage. This is usually muted by placing the palm of your hand on the shift knob, The only down side is you right hand goes numb on long trips and you only have one hand on the steering wheel.
Before I get my old body underneath my old unibody:
1) What typically is the source of the rattle?
2) Are there any recommended fixes that anyone uses?
ie) methods and materials used to repair.

 

[greensmurf20]

the only "buzzing" i've had with my GTs is that stupid little reverse lockout ring. resting my arm on the console with a finger laying on the ring has always muted it out for me.

 

[azopelnut]

Tranny buzzing

The buzzing seems to be more pronounced with my two Asconas than my GT but then the Asconas are both over 110,000 miles and the GT is only 50,000

 

[simplemind7]

is there a way to test or check a tranny that isn't in the car to see if it will buzz once its put in? i have 3 laying around waiting for the car to be ready... might be a good idea to fix it while its out of the car

 

[greensmurf20]

i'm not really sure how to check a trans, but worst comes to worst, its less than an hour to swap them.

 

[72GT]

buzzy shifter stick fix

I had a real annoying buzzy shifter stick, which occured at various engine RPMs. I thought it was coming from the reverse-lockout cable inside the stick. I wrapped the cable in a thin piece of heat-shrink tubing - but the buzzing remained.
Next I found a flat washer that sits between a spring clip and the internal rubber bushing, it was really loose. I cut a piece of felt to fit under the washer and restrict it's movement.
The buzzing sound is now gone!

 

[Bosco2]

Mine was buzzing alot and I found that the bolts attaching it to the bellhousing were not completely tight. Things are MUCH quieter now.

 

[gr_diver]

In my car, I had a noise that suits the description, and was caused by what the Haynes manual describes as "Transverse arm/linkage". Anyway, it's the two long flat arms that fit on the selector shaft. They can get out of adjustment (free-play) and rattle. The adjustment is to locate a square nut on the driver's side end, locked by a regular nut in place. Loosen the lock-nut, and turn the square nut until the gear-stick's "reverse lockout rod" touches to the left with the "step". Then turn the sqaure nut half a turn in the opposite direction and lock with the locknut.
In my case the noise was reduced, but evedent, so I disconnected the transverse arms, and put one fibre washer on each side. Now there is no sound, and the gear-stick is far more "accurate"...

HTH