Won't go in park, column shifter issue?

[350Cutty]

Well, last week after another drive around the block I parked somewhere with a bit of a decline and put it in park but then it started to roll. Kept trying to shift between different gears and finall slam it back into park, but park kept acting as neutral and would start to roll. It felt as if the shifter was bottoming before the transmission would actually get to shift into park, so it gets caught in the dead space between R and P but the indicator reads P. I decided to put some wheel chocks and just live with it for now. A couple days later, I had it in park (would keep rolling) and suddenly without touching anything it just shifted into reverse. But today I started twisting and messing around with the larger piece of the column that the shifter is attached too and finally got it to go into park again. The piece is very loose and twisting it shifts the gears.

Well, though I'm some what glad that it shouldn't be an issue with the transmission or parking powl, I would love to reliably be able to use park and not have to run out and use wheel chocks all the time. So, would it be an issue with the bushings in the column or shifter? Any tips on how to take this apart, look at it, and tighten everything.

Car was originally a V6 with unknown trans, now has a TH350. Has had loose shifter, with misaligned gear indicator since i bought it (drive was actually between D and N). Any info and help is greatly appreciated.

 

[AZRegal]

Sounds like you need to adjust the shifter linkage. Under the hood, attached to the steering column, there is a rod that goes down and bolts to another rod that pivots on the frame and connects to the trans. Make sure there is no play in these parts or missing bushings where it connects to the frame or the steering column. Loosen the bolt that connects the 2 rods, put the trans in park, make sure column shifter is all the way up in park, and then tighten the bolt. That is the watered down version of where I would start. All this work will be done under the hood and under the car.

 

[TURNA]

Did it ever go into park with the "new" trans??

Did it go into park with the old trans??

The shifter mount location should be in the same spot from a 200 to a 350

 

[fleming442]

Assuming column shift: It sounds like the backdrive/shift linkage has some worn out or missing bushings. First check the top side- column at the firewall where the rod goes down to the trans. Then slide under and check the frame side of the shift linkage. If all is tight on those 2, try adjusting the linkage. Put the shifter in neutral so it backs up against the reverse stop, loosen the adjustment bolt near the trans, put the trans in neutral, then tighten the bolt and check operation.

 

[pontiacgp]

next time that happens by hand turn the part of the column just below the section with the key counterclockwise til it stops

 

[350Cutty]

Thanks for all the info guys. I'll get to work on it this weekend and check everything out.

It has gone into park with this trans. Just think something got a bit loose or worn over the last couple of weeks.

And thanks. That's actually what I did yesterday that finally got it in park. Messed with that piece below the key on the column.

 

[fleming442]

If the frame bushing is wore out, a quick, cheap fix is an open end lug nut with some bearing grease, or you can pony up the cheese for a new bushing.

 

[350Cutty]

Well, a few of days ago I parked my car and couldn't get it out of drive. Finally forced it and I heard some stuff fall on the ground. Look under the car and found a spring and saw the linkage the connects the column shifter rods to the actually transmission selector just hanging. Couldn't find the nut for it anywhere. Went to the hardware store and got a nylon washer to use as a bushing for that one bottom piece the sideways rod slides through that holds the spring, and got a nut for the linkage to mount on the gear selector on the trans. I think it was 10mm if I remember correctly. Tightened everything up and everything works perfect now. Shifts are firm, column selector rods is not hitting the headers, works like factory. I think the whole thing had been loose, if it even had a nut on there. Ordered the appropriate bushings on ebay. But glad that is no longer an issue. Park works absolutely perfectly now. It was pretty embarrassing having to run out with wheel chocks every time I parked before. Haha.