Transmission stuck in drive

[The_Handier_Man1]

From: Boise_Chief1  (Original Message)
Sent: 6/22/2005 5:27 PM

When I returned home last sunday, I thought I had made it a whole trip with no problems.  But, as I pulled up infront of the house and tried to park I realized it was not so.  The shifter is in drive and will not move in either direction.  I tapped on it and gave it moderate pressure and all I was able to accomplish was to bend the shifter cable.  So here I sit in drive with a bent cable....  @$$#%^$@#$^ the winne strikes again.

So I was wondering if anyone had any advice on this.  I had originally thought the shifter itself was the problem but it is at the tranny.  Anyone had anything like this happen?  I'm going to go fiddle with it when I get home.  The shifter and cable have worked fine since I bought it.  While on our way home I had downshifted into 2nd and when I reached the top I upshifted right through drive and into nuetral.  I let the RPM's drop and then shifted into drive.  That was the last time it moved.  The tranny acted fine all the way home and downshifted by itself several times.  I haven't looked at it but I didn't think there was much linkage to get jammed. 

Sorry if I don't respond until tommorow, I still can't post from my home machine.
Thanks Sean



From: denison
Sent: 6/22/2005 7:16 PM

In your situation I would disconnect the lower end of the shifter cable -clevis- at the the lever coming from the side of the tranny, and see if it is possible to move that little lever through the gears. All the way back toward the rear would be in park, all the way forward would be in 1st. I think it would take pliers to do this. It seems unlikely that shifter would sieze-up on an RV that was being used, though I have heard of shifter shafts cracking inside the tranny case. Real rare I think.
I can easily believe the bottom half of the shifter cable had stuck in the housing, or that the clamp for the lower end of the shifter cable housing had dropped off the end of the bracket, a few inches ahead of the tranny. A fairly common problem after 25 years. I can also believe some piece of cable or hose got jammed in the way.



From: Boise_Chief2
Sent: 6/24/2005 7:37 PM

I finally got down there to look at it and it is the cable.  It is odd that it went all of a sudden.  It has worked fine with no problems and just like that it is stuck.  I had no prior stiffness or trouble what so ever.  I have one on order through the dealership and it'll be tues. before I can pick it up.  any tips on getting the shifter out to disconnect the cable from it???
Sean