Column shift linkage question

[Buford T. JuSStice]

Just a quick question, tried searching this up and got dozens of threads that didn't have what I was looking for.


I put a TH700-R4 in my Wagon. The column shift linkage for the 200-C doesn't work. Will the linkage for a TH200-4R work?

 

[wskirvin]

I can't swear to it since I've never personally done the swap, but it worked in my buddies 86 Monte carlo when he dropped a built 700r4 and 355 in place of the 200-4r and locked up 305. He kept his column shift and I think he didn't have any linkage issues. If it doesn't, Lokar makes a couple aftermarket kits. One is a cable and the other is an adjustable rod that I've heard both work pretty well once adjusted right.

 

[oldsmobile joe]

I'd swear it would work, i did that swap 30years ago and i thought it worked. Mine was with a console shifter and i kept the linkage to the column. But that was long ago.

I just recently did this swap on a project g-body, column shift and 4l60e trans. It works, but i haven't tried pulling the shifter all the way down to 1st. I know it will go down to 2nd.
I'm away from the car, and can report back monday if need be.

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

I can't swear to it since I've never personally done the swap, but it worked in my buddies 86 Monte carlo when he dropped a built 700r4 and 355 in place of the 200-4r and locked up 305. He kept his column shift and I think he didn't have any linkage issues. If it doesn't, Lokar makes a couple aftermarket kits. One is a cable and the other is an adjustable rod that I've heard both work pretty well once adjusted right.

I don't know if the cable would work, because there isn't enough clearance at the firewall for the kit to work, unless you modified the steering column somehow. Then again, maybe the guy on YT who tried doing it either didn't know what he was doing, or got the wrong kit.

He did eventually use a linkage kit instead, but that looked like a giant pain in the @R$# with the cutting, bending, and what not.

But if a 200-4R column linkage will work, that'd be the easiest route to go.

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

I'd swear it would work, i did that swap 30years ago and i thought it worked. Mine was with a console shifter and i kept the linkage to the column. But that was long ago.

I just recently did this swap on a project g-body, column shift and 4l60e trans. It works, but i haven't tried pulling the shifter all the way down to 1st. I know it will go down to 2nd.
I'm away from the car, and can report back monday if need be.

Thanks, that's good to know. I don't know just how often I'll be going down into first though, so maybe it's really a non-issue. I guess the only reason to go down into 1st would be to do a righteous burnout... which I'll be honest IS a pretty good reason, but for driving around? Not so much.

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

At least that's a better issue than the one I'm having with the 200-C linkage, where it won't go into park fully! The neutral safety switch reads that it's in park, but the transmission is in between park and reverse which means it tries to start but just gnashes the starter instead. Since the positioning between the gears is awkward, you can't really even go into neutral to start it either, because the transmission is in neutral, but the neutral safety switch reads it being in an unsafe position.

 

[hoffa65]

yes 2004r linkage should do the trick, 2004r and 700r4 have the same throw or very close anyway.
you will need the rod that comes down from the column, the pivot linkage and the bracket that mounts to the gear selector from the 2004r trans in order for it to be correct. Dont mix and match, been there done that.

 

[oldsmobile joe]

At least that's a better issue than the one I'm having with the 200-C linkage, where it won't go into park fully! The neutral safety switch reads that it's in park, but the transmission is in between park and reverse which means it tries to start but just gnashes the starter instead. Since the positioning between the gears is awkward, you can't really even go into neutral to start it either, because the transmission is in neutral, but the neutral safety switch reads it being in an unsafe position.

Are you having a linkage operation issue or a starting issue?
Starter motor teeth gnashing is not caused by shifter linkage or neutral switch issues.

fyi, our cars don't use a neutral switch, its a mechanical interlock inside the column.

If you trans is in park and your able to turn the ignition key, your shift linkage should be set correctly.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Is the rod not long enough. I have the 2004R linkage on my 88, it just reaches park. It is a huge pain to adjust. I had mine good then I had to change the selector shaft seal. It took multiple tries and the lever needs to be pushed hard on a hill towards park. Did you adjust the rod? Unless it is too short to get park, it should work.

 

[Buford T. JuSStice]

Is the rod not long enough. I have the 2004R linkage on my 88, it just reaches park. It is a huge pain to adjust. I had mine good then I had to change the selector shaft seal. It took multiple tries and the lever needs to be pushed hard on a hill towards park. Did you adjust the rod? Unless it is too short to get park, it should work.

The rod is long enough to reach. The angle just isn't right so it doesn't allow it to go up into the correct position fully. I've tried modifying the actual rod that engages with the transmission to angle up slightly by putting it in a vice grip, putting a pair of sockets over the part that goes through the lever (one small socket to go over the actual pin, and another, larger socket to go over the first socket as well as the pin base) and a breaker bar to try and turn the angle slightly... and it ALMOST worked, but it requires a few more degrees of angle and I really, REALLY don't want to break it. It's so close now that if you slam the shifter all the way up, and then hold it there, it'll start up fine, but if you lax up on it at all it has problems.