biggiefl

Yesterday I pulled in the driveway and went to shift into park. It would not come out of drive but would shift down into 1st. I eventually got it into neutral and set E-brake so at least it will start again. Later when I was less pissed I went out to give a look and it will now go into reverse but when you pass reverse into park it just makes a plastic ratchety sound and does not go into park(stays in reverse). Are there gears in that shifter or is it the cable that is just shot. I will dig into it this week by removing seat and side carpet to get into the center console but I would like an idea of what or how this shifter works. All shifters I have worked on do not have any detents or gears(except ratchet shifters), any detent feeling is all in the trans. This has a distinct ratchety sound coming from under the center console. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Steve Cattaneo

By your description, I would say shifter cable, linkage on the transmission or the shifter.

Mrmerlin

dont bother taking out the seat or console the cable runs down the tunnel on the underside of the car and you might have a time replacing it due to the foam sound/heat shileds wrapped around the torque tube, check the connection as Steve C says

jpitman2

Year and gearbox type would be useful.......

biggiefl

Car is an 82 3spd but shifter is the same from 78-94 I believe. Like I said above it makes the noise under my shifter, not between the rear seats.

Roger

Make sure you don't force it into the "P" park position. If the cable "kinks", the shifter will be in park, but the transmission will still be in reverse. Of course, this is from experience...luckily, I was picking up a 4ton jack from Sears when this happened. So...4 pumps of the jack in the Sears parking lot, and I was able to address the issue.

Until you can replace the cable, park in level areas with the car in neutral and the emregency brake engaged.

biggiefl

So it sounds like a cable? How much of a ***** to change one?

It will go into park from reverse but it stays in reverse gear. It only makes the noise going from Rev-Park and again it does engage into park, stays in reverse. I am keeping it in Neutral and setting brake for now but it is dangerous and I want it fixed.

joejoe

It is cable going bad. Had same sound on mine. On my '81 it was not too difficult but time consuming. To reach clip on trans. the exhaust must be dropped along with heat shields. Remove shift cable from trans. conector and from upper clip (need skinny hadns )On the interior shifter, bezel, and shift plate need to be removed. Mark the 3 bolts holding the shift mechanism for reinstall, then remove. Work shift gaste out of consul (is tight be careful) and remove last clip holding cable. DO NOT PULL CABLE OUT YET. Tie new cable to old and pull through and hook up in reverse order. Hope this helps.

biggiefl

Sounds good! Where should I get one? They want $210 does that sound right for a trans cable?

joejoe

I cannot remember the price for mine (was a bit ago) but price does sound right. Try 928 intl. 1 714 632 9288