1969 442; Shifter wont go back into "P-Park"
January 30th, 2012, 06:40 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: NJ
Posts: 15
1969 442; Shifter wont go back into "P-Park"
I have a 1969 Cutlass 442 with a turbo 400 three speed trans. The shift indicator (on floor) says PRNDSL (not PRNDL), and my problem is this...
After driving the car yesterday, I went to place the shifter from "D-Drive" into "P-Park", and the shifter would not go into Park. The shifter goes into every gear fine: R, N, D S and even L, but it won't shift into Park. It worked fine for years and all of sudden gave me an issue today.
I left the car in N-Neutral (e-brake on) for now becuase it'll start in "N", and I can drive it around through the "D" and "R". I just can't take the key out - becuase the car has to be in P-Park (which it just won't allow me to do).
Hoping there are a few tricks to try first before getting into the Trans.
1) Yes, I tried 'wiggling' the shifter, pushing hard, etc., but it won't go back into Park and I don't want to 'force it'.
2) I've looked for small pieces that could have block the shifter on it's way up to "Park", but saw nothing in the way.
3) Some one mentioned adjusting the "linkage/cable with a few turns", but I'm not sure what that means exactly, nor how to get to it???
Any ideas? THANKS!
After driving the car yesterday, I went to place the shifter from "D-Drive" into "P-Park", and the shifter would not go into Park. The shifter goes into every gear fine: R, N, D S and even L, but it won't shift into Park. It worked fine for years and all of sudden gave me an issue today.
I left the car in N-Neutral (e-brake on) for now becuase it'll start in "N", and I can drive it around through the "D" and "R". I just can't take the key out - becuase the car has to be in P-Park (which it just won't allow me to do).
Hoping there are a few tricks to try first before getting into the Trans.
1) Yes, I tried 'wiggling' the shifter, pushing hard, etc., but it won't go back into Park and I don't want to 'force it'.
2) I've looked for small pieces that could have block the shifter on it's way up to "Park", but saw nothing in the way.
3) Some one mentioned adjusting the "linkage/cable with a few turns", but I'm not sure what that means exactly, nor how to get to it???
Any ideas? THANKS!
Last edited by fast442; January 30th, 2012 at 09:52 AM.
January 30th, 2012, 07:28 AM
#2
Connoisseur d'Junque
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Hudson Valley
Posts: 21,183
You may have a problem in the "backdrive linkage," which connects the trans back up to the steering column and actuates the ignition interlock. It's sort of a bassackwards way of making a system that was designed to be a column shift work with a floor shift.
Look under the hood at the place where the column shift linkage would be and see it all the bushings, etc. look good.
You can also try grabbing the sleeve that would be the column shift sleeve if the car had a column shift and rotating it as though you were shifting an automatic - this might free up the linkage or allow you to take out the key.
- Eric
Look under the hood at the place where the column shift linkage would be and see it all the bushings, etc. look good.
You can also try grabbing the sleeve that would be the column shift sleeve if the car had a column shift and rotating it as though you were shifting an automatic - this might free up the linkage or allow you to take out the key.
- Eric
January 30th, 2012, 07:51 AM
#3
as noted in your welcome thread that 442 should have a turbo 400 unless it was changed. You may want to try disconnecting the shift cable from the trans and manually work it thru the gears to see if thee is no problem there. Cables do wear and bind. They are reproed so they are available.
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