Shifting issues...and 'twinkly' lights

DemonSatty · 10-28-2005, 03:48 AM

Hey all got a few questions (duh)

I have a '98 SL1 5sp w/ 76,000mi with a few annying issues:

-Im starting to notice a strange rattle when I shift, seems to occur most when I am letting the clutch out. It doesnt seem to matter wich gear I am going into. It also does it when I go WOT, (not hard shifts, just flooring it while in gear)
-My shifter has gotten very 'sloppy' (vague I know). Sometimes I can't shift into first right away, I have to work it 2 or 3 time to get it to go in. In general, it makes 'mechincial' (best word I could think of) noises when shifting, I know it will make some noises, but it just sounds and feels like things are 'loose'. Is there a way to adjust things to tighten them up? Or is this jsut something I have to live with in an older car?
-this really stumps me: ALL of my lights do this wierd mild 'twinkly/flickery' thing when just sitting at idle. All of them, interior, and headlights etc. This goes away at anything off idle, (like when the the acccessoires are underdiven). Also, when I step on the brakes, they all dim momentarily.. Same thing when I turn on the blinkers, these things happen whenever. My alternator and battery checked out fine. I just checked the fuses with the little tester light too, and no problems. My instructor suggested possibly a ground is not tight somewhere? This is more of an annoyance that anything.

Thanks for any help!
Tony

PurdueGuy · 10-28-2005, 05:12 AM

I was going to say alternator, but you said that tested fine. I'd agree with the ground. The lights dimming very slightly on braking is pretty normal, but the rest doesn't sound normal at all (as is probably obvious, lol). I assume you checked battery cables for corrosion while you were playing with the batt & alt?

*edit* oh, and for the shifter, I'd be pulling the center console shroud off & checking the linkages for the cables.

bldegle2 · 10-28-2005, 01:48 PM

76,000 miles?

have the motor mounts been changed? if not, you prolly have at least the upper right that needs replacing and the tranny mount might be going.

whenever mine need replacing, the shifting acts just like you decribed.

you can change all of them in less than a hour, pretty simple job. i have 270,000 miles on mine, i am on my fourth upper right, third tranny mount and one set of dogbones to date.

as the previous poster stated, checking the linkage under the console is in order too, just in case the bushing is going at the end of the shifter cable.

baldy

ian12 · 10-28-2005, 03:46 PM

im going with a possible bad throw out bearing/worn clutch and a loose belt or bad battery or just loose battery connection/ground. on most every saturn the belt tensioner typically wears out and becomes loose, and for some lucky people, including me, the spring snaps and you loose everything.

where does the clutch seem to start to engage, then where does it fully engage? have you ever noticed a bit of a slip under load? have you tried to rev up a bit and let the clutch out to see if it spins a bit then graps or does it grap almost instantly? does this noise seem to be while the clutch pedal is on the floor or when you release?