1986 Auto won't shift out of Neutral?
#2
Chronic Tool Dropper
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Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Bend, Oregon
The gear lever is connected to the transmission by a cable. Look on the left side of the transmission and find the cable and the connector where it snaps onto a ball on the arm. The connector has a little wire bale that must be remove carefully. It rolls off the barrel and then slides free from a hole in the end. Don't Lose The Wire Bale. Then you can use a broad-blade screwdriver to pop the cable end off the ball. You should be able to rotate the little arm with the ball on it, and feel as the transmission indexes in each gear location as you do.
If you can't move the transmission arm with your hand and feel it snap to each gear position, you have a problem inside the transmission. Else the problem is in the lever or the cable.
There are good instructions in the workshop manual that describe removing the tamber plate and the console trim to get access to the lever mechanism. Four small bolts hold the lever assembly in place. Make index marks on the mechanism or take precise measurements so you can put the lever back exactly as it was from the factory. Tie a rope to the aft end of the cable after you carefully remove the brackets, end connector and the little guide tube from the aft end of the cable. Then pull it out with the lever into the cabin.
I found some pretty good help with pictures on the Pirtle tips pages.
If you can't move the transmission arm with your hand and feel it snap to each gear position, you have a problem inside the transmission. Else the problem is in the lever or the cable.
There are good instructions in the workshop manual that describe removing the tamber plate and the console trim to get access to the lever mechanism. Four small bolts hold the lever assembly in place. Make index marks on the mechanism or take precise measurements so you can put the lever back exactly as it was from the factory. Tie a rope to the aft end of the cable after you carefully remove the brackets, end connector and the little guide tube from the aft end of the cable. Then pull it out with the lever into the cabin.
I found some pretty good help with pictures on the Pirtle tips pages.