1956 special stiff shifter??

[1956322]

Hi guys.. what would make my shifter stiff to move but only when it’s cold out.. if it’s hot out it’s easy to move..dynaflow 

[Machine Gun]

I gather from your post that when you refer to "cold out" you mean ambient temperature, and not engine/transmission temperature. Also, by "stiff to move" do you mean stiff when you pull the lever toward you to release the detent, or do you mean stiff to move through the gears? You need to isolate where the problem is occurring. If the problem occurs when moving though the gears, I would first disconnect the linkage from the steering column right near the firewall and see if anything changes. If it's all good there, then then the innards of the steering column are probably good. Next, proceed down to the transmission and see what's happening underneath. And so on. You get the idea.

 

In my '64 Skylark shift lever was very stiff to pull when releasing the detent, but it moved through the gears easily. The grease at the pivot point inside the steering column at end of the shift lever had hardened. I cleaned out the old grease and lubricated it, solving the problem. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Machine Gun
Clarity. (see edit history)

[1956322]

Yes i mean the ambient temperature being cold.. it’s stiff moving through the gears…it remains stiff with the linkage disconnected at the firewall