Gear linkage grease points.
Discussion
If cleaning/lubing/adjusting the rod end at the back of the tunnel doesn't help, I'd suggest disconnecting the cables from the linkage rod and from the tranny linkage, and see how much friction there is in the cables. I've seen a few where the heat from the front turbo has melted one of the cables enough so that the inner lining sticks to the cable. Also, the design of the linkage rod doesn't move either of the cables straight in and out of their housings - the angle and twists will wear out the cable lining at the entrance to the cable housing. Repair for either of these problems is to replace the cable.
If the cables are OK, then check the linkage on the tranny - the pivot on the lever mechanism that goes between the cable and the actual shift levers on the transmission isn't very good. It's a rubber (maybe polyurethane?) bushing with a steel inner sleeve, pivoting on a bolt. If the bolt loosens up, it gets sloppy. If the bolt is too tight, the sleeve can mushroom, making the mechanism bind. If the rubber deteriorates, it gets both sloppy and binds. Clean and lube the pivot, and see if it makes a difference. Better yet, replace the rubber bushing with something better, like a delrin or an oil-impregnated bronze bushing pivoting on a nice chromoly axle, or a spherical bearing, or ball bearings, or...
I'd also take a look at the gearshift itself. If the mechanism is the same as the M12 one that we have in the States, it consists of the shift lever (with the shift knob on the end), pivoting on a rod end which is supported by a bracket bolted to the top of the tunnel. The bottom of the shift lever is attached to the linkage rod, which heads back to the back end of the tunnel, where it's supported by a rod end. Inside the tunnel, the fore-aft cable is attached to the linkage rod. Outside the tunnel, a lever goes between the linkage rod and the right-left cable.
There are many points to check in the above mechanism. First of all, if the bracket bolted to the top of the tunnel loosens up (or, if the top of the tunnel starts to rip out), shifting becomes difficult. The rod end that serves as a pivot for the shift lever may gum up or wear out. Since the rod end is a normal one, not a high-misalignment rod end, side-to-side movement of the shift lever depends on the rod end threading/unthreading from the bracket. These threads will wear out and get sloppy, and are susceptible to grit and dirt. I don't remember for sure, but I don't think there is any real bearing between the shift lever and the linkage rod - I think there's just a bolt through a piece of tubing welded onto the end of the linkage rod. Naturally, this is another place that needs cleaning and lubrication. Or, even better, put in a real bushing. Check to make sure that nothing inside the tunnel is binding on the linkage rod, or with the fore-aft cable.
One last thing - check to make sure the wiring harness running to the rear clam isn't interfering with the shift levers coming out of the tranny.
If the cables are OK, then check the linkage on the tranny - the pivot on the lever mechanism that goes between the cable and the actual shift levers on the transmission isn't very good. It's a rubber (maybe polyurethane?) bushing with a steel inner sleeve, pivoting on a bolt. If the bolt loosens up, it gets sloppy. If the bolt is too tight, the sleeve can mushroom, making the mechanism bind. If the rubber deteriorates, it gets both sloppy and binds. Clean and lube the pivot, and see if it makes a difference. Better yet, replace the rubber bushing with something better, like a delrin or an oil-impregnated bronze bushing pivoting on a nice chromoly axle, or a spherical bearing, or ball bearings, or...
I'd also take a look at the gearshift itself. If the mechanism is the same as the M12 one that we have in the States, it consists of the shift lever (with the shift knob on the end), pivoting on a rod end which is supported by a bracket bolted to the top of the tunnel. The bottom of the shift lever is attached to the linkage rod, which heads back to the back end of the tunnel, where it's supported by a rod end. Inside the tunnel, the fore-aft cable is attached to the linkage rod. Outside the tunnel, a lever goes between the linkage rod and the right-left cable.
There are many points to check in the above mechanism. First of all, if the bracket bolted to the top of the tunnel loosens up (or, if the top of the tunnel starts to rip out), shifting becomes difficult. The rod end that serves as a pivot for the shift lever may gum up or wear out. Since the rod end is a normal one, not a high-misalignment rod end, side-to-side movement of the shift lever depends on the rod end threading/unthreading from the bracket. These threads will wear out and get sloppy, and are susceptible to grit and dirt. I don't remember for sure, but I don't think there is any real bearing between the shift lever and the linkage rod - I think there's just a bolt through a piece of tubing welded onto the end of the linkage rod. Naturally, this is another place that needs cleaning and lubrication. Or, even better, put in a real bushing. Check to make sure that nothing inside the tunnel is binding on the linkage rod, or with the fore-aft cable.
One last thing - check to make sure the wiring harness running to the rear clam isn't interfering with the shift levers coming out of the tranny.
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