Shifter cable/linkage problem

[imjoesnuffy]

Just got my car running today after having the engine rebuilt. Ran into an issue with the shifter and changing gears.

Went to back it out of the garage and it was in a forward gear. It's possible it was initially in neutral, I may not have noticed and thought it was in park when I reinstalled the motor and trans.

So I disconnected the shifter cable from the trans. Moved the arm on the side of the transmission all the way forward/up into park. Reconnected the shifter cable moving the shifter into P.

Now the shifter acts like it has too much slack in it??? Too loose to shift the gears. Starting from P I can go to R, N, OD but no further down. Once in OD I can't move all the way back into P. If that makes any sense.

Any way to tell if the shifter cable is broken? I thought maybe I had rebolted the shift cable bracket in the wrong place on the bottom of the pan, but it is where it was before, I can tell from the grime outline where it bolted to the pan.

If I have someone hold the button in on the shifter I can move the gears manually from the below the car and it will move into the corresponding position. The shifter cable feels solid and in one piece. Won't work from above????

Any ideas?

 

[imjoesnuffy]

Not even a guess???

 

[notacarlo]

did you rock the transmission linkage into park, then the console shifter to park - then reconnect?

Is the bracket that holds the linkage (on the tranny pan) in the same place as before you removed it....if you removed it at all?

 

[imjoesnuffy]

I placed the bracket in the same place. I removed it to make sure, I could tell it was in the same spot from the thin grime marks where it had been there before.

I didn't rock it back in place. Disconnected the linkage cable, moved the transmission lever all the way forward towards the front of the car into park, then reconnected the linkage while holding the button on the shifter. The shifter still won't move the trans into the right gears.

 

[notacarlo]

If I sound like I am repeating myself, please shoot me.

Remove the cable from the transmission linkage.

Put the transmission in the park position using a wrench. I think it rotates toward the firewall for park, if not it's the exact opposite.

Make sure the selector - in car - is moved to the park position. Then reconnect the cable.

You may have already done this and I am reading it wrong.

Again, sorry if I am repeating myself.

 

[imjoesnuffy]

Notacarlo,

Thanks for responding. That is the first thing I did. Seems I either broke, stretched the cable because the shifter won't move through the gears properly. Could be the cable is in a bind?? Could be out of adjustment? Dont know how to adjust it. There are no kinks in the cable up to the top of the trans tunnel.

 

[notacarlo]

Is it the stock shifter and a new cable? If the cable has a smooth 90 degree radius in it is should be ok. If it has a tight 90 degree then it will bind. I put a Hurst Quarter Stick in my car and the cable they give you is about 4 foot too long. Where it goes through the transmission valley is a tight 25 degree bend and it bound there. Then the extra under the car had to make a fairly tight 90 and it bound. I could not feel the detent in the shifter and it was tight.

I think the reason you are having trouble is the linkage that goes to the steering column. If you can't move the shifter into the desired gear I would check there.

I would liberally spray the P/R/N linkage with some type of lubricant. Remove it from the transmission linkage and move it through its range. I reassembled that linkage incorrectly when I put the hurst in and I couldn't move the shifter at all.

If you decide this is where your problem is, I can shoot you some pictures of that linkage.

Either way we'll get it figured out.


Dan

 

[imjoesnuffy]

OK I'll try that. I just rotate the sleeve around the column to adjust that right?

Original shifter and original cable with a smooth 90* bend in the cable.

Thanks again,
John

 

[notacarlo]

When you remove the P/R/N linkage, try to hold it in it's natural position (as if it were hooked up) and try to run it through it's range of motion.

Do you have any issues with turning the ignition key?

Another thing to check (with a scanner) is what the R/P/N switch says it is in. This will at least tell you if that linkage is moving correctly.

 

[imjoesnuffy]

I did have problems removing the key initially, but then turned the sleeve on the column and it came out.

With it disconnected it moves smoothly, a little too smooth for my liking between N and 3. By that I mean, it transitions very easily from N to 3 with the cable disconnected.

Will try to do the adjustment at the column tomorrow.

 

[notacarlo]

Hows that littlenylon bushing in the connecting rod where the transmission linkage connects to it? The one with the spring.

There really isn't any way to adjust that linkage per-say. But the fact that there was a slight issue removing the key tells me there's a little too much slack somewhere.

Try pulling on the cable from underneath the car (disconnected) and see if there's anything wrong there (as you fist suspected).

At this point we may be getting into the guts of the shifter itself. Like the spring/shaft that allows you to move the lever.

Keep me posted, and I will continue my research.


Dan

 

[imjoesnuffy]

The little nylon bushing is present at the end of the spring where it connects to the arm.

Rotating the sleeve on the column didn't do anything either.

Cable seems tight with no issues. What could go wrong in the shifter?

 

[GNVAIR]

I have several things. First off; Did you pull the motor and leave the trans in the car with the linkage hooked up? If you did, it is quite possible that you bent the shifter linkage rod that runs from the steering column down to the frame. Second, if it seems like the shifter is excessively tight you could either have something in the linkage rods that are seized or bound up. You could also have an internal problem with the steering column. Lastly the cable might be stretched. They usually get really tight right before they break. Ask me how I know that! The OEM shifter cable installed on these cars was actually a little bit short. The replacement GM was selling was slightly longer and works better that then original one.

 

[imjoesnuffy]

Well got it fixed. Not sure how but the cable was frayed on one end. Had popped loose out of the plastic retainer on the shifter end. Bought a new one, works great. Thanks to everyone who helped!

 

[notacarlo]

That's exactly what I said!!:biggrin:

Glad you got it worked out, go kill mustangs,

 

[superjaay]

I'm having the same issue. Any other info would be of assistance.

 

[imjoesnuffy]

If you are having the same problem I would check the shifter cable. Mine was frayed, the tubing that the cable is in had popped loose from the connection at the shifter. I guess it happened from changing the gears underneath the car with no one pushing the button in on the shifter. Lesson learned. You have to remove the console to see it. That is how I found it.

I was also having a problem with the rod that runs from the steering column to the frame. I don't know how I bent it, but I did. Got it loose and straightened it back out. Hope that helps and good luck.