General Discussion Discuss your Oldsmobile or other car-related topics.

TH400 Problem ?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old January 8th, 2013, 06:07 AM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
Bitburger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Posts: 541
TH400 Problem ?

I have a 69 98 with a 455 and a TH400. With or without the motor running and the trans in park the car will roll very easily.

What if anything is this telling me about the condition of the transmission
or is the problem elsewhere ?

Any help would be appreciated
Bitburger is offline  
Old January 8th, 2013, 06:13 AM
  #2  
Seasoned beater pilot.
 
J-(Chicago)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 5,468
Shifter linkage missing? Or busted rooster comb in the trans?
J-(Chicago) is offline  
Old January 8th, 2013, 06:30 AM
  #3  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
Bitburger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Posts: 541
Originally Posted by J-(Chicago)
Shifter linkage missing? Or busted rooster comb in the trans?
J,

Thanks for the response. I will be pulling the motor in the next few days so missing linkage should become obvious. Re the rooster comb issue is that a fairly easy fix or is it leading to an overhaul of the tranny. The old as long as "I have this thing apart" philosiphy. Odometer shows 95k on it and I believe that to be correct.
Bitburger is offline  
Old January 8th, 2013, 06:47 AM
  #4  
Old(s) Fart
 
joe_padavano's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,361
Originally Posted by Bitburger
I have a 69 98 with a 455 and a TH400. With or without the motor running and the trans in park the car will roll very easily.

What if anything is this telling me about the condition of the transmission
or is the problem elsewhere ?

Any help would be appreciated
This is very simple. Either the shift linkage is misadjusted and not going fully into PARK, or the parking pawl inside the trans is not engaging properly. Either problem is easily fixed without removing the trans (though you do need to drop the pan to access the parking pawl).
joe_padavano is offline  
Old January 8th, 2013, 07:01 AM
  #5  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
Bitburger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Posts: 541
Originally Posted by joe_padavano
This is very simple. Either the shift linkage is misadjusted and not going fully into PARK, or the parking pawl inside the trans is not engaging properly. Either problem is easily fixed without removing the trans (though you do need to drop the pan to access the parking pawl).
Joe,

Thanks for the response. If the shifter linkage is misadjusted would the car start as it should in park ( ie. without physically holding the lever up ).
Bitburger is offline  
Old January 8th, 2013, 09:08 AM
  #6  
Registered User
 
7olds1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Maryland
Posts: 27
If the neutral safety switch has been bypassed (easily done with a jumper wire), it could start in any selection of the shifter
7olds1 is offline  
Old January 8th, 2013, 09:26 AM
  #7  
Old(s) Fart
 
joe_padavano's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,361
Originally Posted by Bitburger
Joe,

Thanks for the response. If the shifter linkage is misadjusted would the car start as it should in park ( ie. without physically holding the lever up ).
Yes. The NSS is in the column. If the linkage rod between the column and the trans is misadjusted, it is very possible that the steering column (and thus NSS) would be in PARK and the car would start normally, but the trans would be in a position just out of PARK, thus the parking pawl would not be engaged.
joe_padavano is offline  
Old January 9th, 2013, 06:59 AM
  #8  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
Bitburger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Hickory, North Carolina
Posts: 541
Thanks all for the responses
Bitburger is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
wolfman98
Transmission
0
December 10th, 2011 10:08 AM
TRW
Parts Wanted
10
January 21st, 2011 05:38 AM
ls442
Transmission
5
November 11th, 2010 10:45 PM
badboy2003
Tech Editor's Desk
0
September 2nd, 2008 12:11 AM
cutlass72
Transmission
1
January 2nd, 2004 05:26 PM



Quick Reply: TH400 Problem ?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:10 PM.