Need help with craigslist buy. Shifter is very hard in and out of Park position. Works fine otherwise. Feels like jamming against a gate that isn't open. So bad that I use neutral & parking brake instead.

Anyone know of an adjustment in shifter or linkage that can be tried to solve problem?

Thanks in advance.

/s/ Retired guy in Boise.

 

Sound like a problem with your shift-lock cable. It runs from the top of the brake pedal, all the way to the shifter. You will need to remove the centre console for access.

 

Skiddy is probably on target. I had a different problem that had similar symptoms. The entire shifter assy rotates on an "axle" bolted to the floor. There is a thin black plastic sleeve/bushing that keeps the axle and shifter from rubbing and binding. The sleeve on my truck had completely disintegrated and I had very hard time shifting - moreso from Park.

Another symptom of this is that the shifter would wiggle left and right more than it should. Check for this when you are looking for the possible cable issue. My sleeve was so far gone I didn't even know it was supposed to be there. Black plastic crumbs on the tunnel were my only clue.

Ron

 

I reckon this would be an issue with the shifter bushings, although that shouldn't interfere with shifting. Were they completely broken?

 

Not just broken - completely disintegrated!

It acutally did cause a problem with shifting as the metal on metal situation eventually made it harder to shift. That was my first clue something was wrong (the left/right slack was not that obvious.)

Ron

 

Wow! Common problem, unfortunately. As soon as I see my shifter's loose, I tend to replace the shifter bushings ASAP. The intense heat over here doesn't do the plastics any good at all to be honest.

 

I looked haed in my Chilton, and found reference to adjustment of cable at shifter. I will attack it Monday. Will check first that some idiot hasn't disconnected at brake pedal!

Does anyone know where I can get an OEM service manual? I had one for my 83, and think Chilton and Haynes sorta suck.

My truck is Max. Wife's Saturn is Carlotta, after the "Emperor and Emporess" of Mexico. They both met with tragic ends. Not hoping such for our vehicles.

We are looking forward to getting Max muddy from top to bottom.