Mazda MX-3 silhouetteMX-3

Transaxle Assembly Notes (shift rod, crank lever, reverse idler)

J2-44prose procedure

Manual transaxle (M/T) assembly notes.

Shift rod and control end coupling

  1. 2
    Insert the spring seat and spring into the reverse lever shaft, install the steel ball, and place a scraper against it.
    Photo showing the reverse lever shaft area with a scraper placed against the spring/steel ball; the control end edge is pressed against the scraper. The word SCRAPER is labelled near the bottom center.
  2. 3
    With the edge of the control end against the scraper, push the control end in the direction of the arrow so that the ball goes into the shaft. This will line up the rod with the shift rod coupling hole in the clutch housing.
  3. 4
    Set each clutch hub sleeve to the neutral position, and tap the shift rod from above so that the steel ball goes into the center groove (of the three grooves in the control end).
    Photo of a hand tapping the shift rod from above with the clutch hub sleeves set to neutral; an arrow points down at the shift rod so the steel ball drops into the center groove of the control end.
  4. 5
    Pull the ball part of the control end forward so that the steel ball goes into the detent in the groove.

Crank lever assembly and crank lever shaft

  1. 1
    Install a new O-ring to the crank lever shaft.
    Photo of the crank lever assembly fitted between the change arm and control end, with the crank lever shaft connected and pin holes aligned to the clutch housing.
  2. 2
    Fit the crank lever between the change arm and the control end, and connect the crank lever shaft to the crank lever.
  3. 3
    Align the pin holes of the crank lever shaft and the clutch housing, and insert a new pin.

5th/reverse shift rod end and 5th/reverse shift rod

  1. 1
    Install shift rod end (1) and the shift rod (2), and tighten the gate mounting bolt.
    Photo of the 5th/reverse shift rod end (callout 1) and shift rod (callout 2) being installed; an arrow indicates the assembly direction and the gate mounting bolt location.
Gate mounting bolt
116 - 134N·m

Reverse idler gear and reverse idler shaft

  1. 1
    Install the reverse idler gear and the reverse idler shaft.
    Photo of the reverse idler gear/shaft installation; an arrow shows the interlock sleeve aligned with the control lever, and SCREW HOLE is labelled at lower-left indicating the direction the reverse idler shaft screw hole must face.
  2. 2
    Attach the magnet to the clutch housing.
  3. 3
    Align the end of the interlock sleeve with the control lever (arrow), and face the reverse idler shaft screw hole in the direction shown in the figure.

Search Manual

Search pages, specs, and procedures