Got in the KJ this morning & could barely get any gears (the manual box has been in for about 3 weeks now with no problems). Really stiff, even just moving the lever across the netral gate. Then all of a sudden it's OK again, except being a bit stiff going into & out of 5th...

Driving to work (just over an hour, mostly in city traffic), it's fine most of the time, but occasionally stiffens back up again. I can't see anything wrong with the shift cables at either linkage end.

Any ideas what might cause this?

Either incorrect fluid or the cables could use greasing up are my guesses.

Madmagna will probably be able to share some insight, seeing as he does manual conversions nearly all day every day :P

I don't think it's a fluid problem as it's intermittent; it's got Nulon synthetic GL4 tranny oil in there, for reference.

I'm thinking either a clutch problem (I have noticed an occasional click after depressing the clutch when it's been in neutral for a while, so I'm wondering if the clutch is not releasing properly all the time?), or a cable issue. Just hoping someone can give me an idea of how to diagnose it.

I have no real idea but sounds a little bit like the linkage is out to me?

When you had the clutch installed, did the installer use the proper lubricant on the splines and did they put the plate in the correct way around

A click when depressing the clutch is not always a clutch issue either, can also be a bearing in the box

When your shifter is stiff, is it any better with the engine off, ie will it move easier also is it easy to move when in in N ie left to right. If it is the same when moving across the N gates then it is either cable or shifter issue

i say take the console out and grease up/replace the bushes in the gear leaver assembly.... tight cables would do it all the time.

possibly one of the bushes may have moved and will start to bind, the when it relocates itself and goes back its free again...does that make any sense?

Thanks guys, much appreciated.

The stiffness is the same across the neutral gate & it's also the same when the engine is off, so sounds like a shifter / cable issue. If it's the cables, are they adjustable for length, or is it likely to be a binding / lubrication problem?

Couldn't say about the clutch installation issues as I wasn't there & I don't imagine they would own up to anything now as you can't prove it without the box out!

Madmagna - Definitely wishing I'd taken the time to come down to Victoria to get you to do this one!

If the shifter is stiff left to right as well as when the engine is off, you have issues with either shifter cables, shifter in the box or the shifter inside

There should be grease on the shifer linkage in the engine bay, look under your air filter box, there is a nylon bush arrangement which you will see how it all moves if you get someone inside the car to move the shifter, make sure that this is well lubricated

Yes, I've seen the linkages in the engine bay - I'll do some tests on them, & on the cabin shifter.

Hope it ain't the shifter in the box...

even if it is the shifter, it is easy peasy to change.
going by the fact that is is intermittant (i am guessing like a switch, bad one minute then good the next) i dont think it will be cable needing grease. this would make the shift gradually harder over time, not instantly. It could be the actual selector mechanism under the center console. that comes out easy to check.
also check to make sure that the cables inside the engine bay are not being crushed against the firewall etc. the moving of the motor while driving may be enough to take the pressure off, and when it is stationary, it may be pined to the fire wall or an engin mount.
just some ideas