Hi folks. I have a 442 with a th350 transmission. The car didn't move since 10 years, and its shifter is broken and stuck it dont move. Somebody told me that i can unlock the transmission from down the car. But i dont know how to do that and i cant find what i should do to unlock the transmission to make the shifter move. The car wont turn because it is parked at D (drive). So i need help here to unlock the transmission to set it at P (park) position. Plz send a video link if available. Thank you.

 

You've got bigger problems than a broken shifter.

With the transmission in Drive, the car should roll and the engine should turn freely.

If you do need to shift the transmission, just grab the end of the selector with a pair of Vise-Grips and rotate it - P-R-N-D-2-1.

- Eric

 

I'm not clear as to what your exact problem is. It also matters if the car is a column shift, factory floor shift, or converted floor shift.

The trans linkage just pins together under the car. All you need to do is remove the spring pin at the trans lever and rotate the lever on the trans fully clockwise to put the trans in PARK. Do this BEFORE ever trying to start the car to be sure it is in PARK.

This will NOT move the linkage to the neutral safety switch, however. That's simply an electrical switch that can be bypassed for the purpose of starting the car. Simply locate the NSS at the base of the steering column under the dash, pull off the connector with the two purple wires, and jumper across the terminals in the connector. Again, be SURE the car is in PARK and the brakes are on before doing this.

I'm confused because if the linkage is installed correctly, you shouldn't be able to remove the key unless the shifter is in PARK.

 

"I'm confused because if the linkage is installed correctly, you shouldn't be able to remove the key unless the shifter is in PARK."

not prior to 1969... I do not see the year of this 442 mentioned.

I will say this though, if the original poster does not grasp the concept of disconnecting the cable or rod at the trans and moving the now-free trans selector to his favorite position, and the dangers involved in that.... then he needs to get guidance or help with this in-person.

 

TH350 didn't exist until the middle of the 1969 model year, and the first time it was factory-installed in a 442 was the 1972 model year. Yeah, it could have been swapped into an earlier car - hence my question about more details needed.

 

You guys that pay attention to details and know all the facts.... boy.

 

Sorry for not mentioning more info about the car. It is a 1976 olds 442 with a factory console automatic th350 transmission and 455 engine. The key is atill in the ignition and i want to set the park position to start the car and then remove the key. So all what to need to do is to go under the car and rotate the transmission selector fully clockwise??

 

Olds never installed a TH350 behind a 455 from the factory. Has the 455 been swapped into what was originally a 350-engined car? If so, has the backdrive rod from the trans to the steering column been removed, or mis-adjusted? This rod is required to lock the shifter with the key, per federal requirements. If the rod is removed, bent, or out of adjustment, all sorts of problems with key removal and/or shifter movement can result.

Can you rotate the key to the LOCK position and remove it? If not, is the backdrive rod in place? If not, rotate the collar of the steering column fully counter clockwise then try to remove the key. If the rod is in place, remove one end from the arm on the steering column, rotate the arm all the way up, then remove the key.

As for the trans, with the rod disconnected, does the shifter operate? If so, put the trans in park and adjust the backdrive linkage per the Chassis Service Manual. If the shifter still doesn't move, the shift cable is likely bad and needs to be replaced. The cable is a braided steel cable inside a teflon sheath. Once the strands of the cable start to fray, they dig in to the sheath and the cable stops moving.

Help us understand your exact problem so we can offer correct advice.

 

It has an original 350. It has been swapped to a 455. All parts are at their places. Do the 455 works good with the th350? Or it will encounter issues?

 

Thank you so much for the info you gave. I will tell you what its happening with me.
I didn't touch the transmission yet. Yet, the shifter don't move because the key is in the ignition at pre-starter position, the key don't turn to lock because the shifter is on drive, the rod is in it olace, i can feel some movement under the car in the trans when i try to move the shifter And i am sorry but i didnt undertood what you told me about the collar of the steering column. I am very thankful you are helping me. But please if any pics or video links are available send them to me to know what precisely you are talking about, and where their location is in the car. Thank you again.

 

The "collar" on the steering column is the part of the column where the shift lever would have been if this had been a column shift car. The GM locking steering column used concentric tubes inside the column to operate the shifter and the locking mechanism. Since the law required the trans to be locked with the key, the linkage from the trans connects to the steering column, even with a floor shift car. The backdrive rod I mentioned previously moves a lever at the base of the steering column, which rotates one of the concentric tubes inside the column. This tube is connected to the collar on the column - you should be able to see this part of the column between the ignition key lock and the dash move as you move the shifter. Grab the collar and rotate it as far counterclockwise as possible. This lines up the locking mechanism inside the column that locks the wheel and the shift linkage, which allows the key to rotate to the LOCK position.

If the collar cannot be turned far enough, disconnect the backdrive rod under the hood and try rotating the collar again.

If this allows you to get the key out, you've verified that the column is OK and the problem is elsewhere. If not, there is a problem inside the column. Try this and report back.

 

"The cable is a braided steel cable inside a teflon sheath. Once the strands of the cable start to fray, they dig in to the sheath and the cable stops moving."

I am hearing that the engine has been replaced.
It is common for the body ground wire from engine to firewall to be omitted when installing an engine.

Lacking the proper low-resistance return path, body electrical return current then flows with much greater amperage than it used to thru ALL OTHER RETURN PATHS including the throttle cable and the SHIFTER CABLE which can lead to sparking within the cable and heating and subsequent destruction.

The shifter pulls the cable from P to L and pushes the cable from L towards P. Looking under the car at the trans selector, you should readily be able to grasp how this works and which way is P or L. The cable connects right to the trans selector. The "equalizer" rod also connects to that selector, and its other end resides in a bracket on the frame. An arm from the equalizer rod actuates a rod that goes up to an arm on the steering column for the Park/Lock feature. So, if you disconnect this steering column to trans selector mechanism you can then test each half individually and see which part is misbehaving.... and/or move it to the desired position for today's repairs.

Here is an example of sparks coming from the steering rag joint of a Corvette which has no proper ground cable, and so the electricity is passing thru the steering column:



http://vid19.photobucket.com/albums/...psab9uuqc4.mp4


When I did not have to hold the camera, but was using both tools, the spark shower was much more graphic. Sorry, I guess I do not know how to link a video here.