C4 problems

[MotiV8ed_95GT]

Hello, long time reader here but seldom post. I exhausted the search figure with no luck finding a match to my problem. I have a 68 Stang with stock 289 and stock c4. I have had the car about 4 years or so and put maybe 3-400 miles on it in that time. The transmission has always shifted fine and never given me any trouble. After yesterdays triumph(getting the power steering working) I was pretty to excited to work on the Stang and drive it today. I put 50 miles or so on it yesterday with no problems. So I head off for a drive and for a mile or two everything is fine. At the first stop sign I take off with moderate throttle and it wont shift out of first so I pull over and try to put it in park and it will not shift into park either. So I head for home. I found if I got going fast enough it would shift into 3rd gear but not 2nd. I was still unable to get into park when I got home. I thought there may have been an issue with the linkage adjustment so I checked and readjusted it. Still unable to engage park. Took another drive still shifting from 1st to 3rd. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ross

 

[TOM B]

there are only 2 reasons why a C4 wont go into park,
1st is the linkage is adjusted wrong
2nd is you broke of the parking tab in the trany.
The 1st reason is the most common and the second almost never happens unless you try to put it in park when your moving.
Also if the linkage is out of adjustment this will cause your other problems you now have.
To set the linkage put the shift lever in drive and against the stop, now loosen the main linkage nut at the trany, double check that the shifter is still against the drive stop and the trany is really in drive by counting the clicks then tighten the nut, you may want to tie or have someone hold the shifter against the drive stop bar as you adjust it.
Test it again
Also if you have the car on jack stands and you have the linkage apart you can push the trany shift lever to Park, if it goes into park with the linkage off ,then you know the problem is somewhere in the linkage.

 

[MotiV8ed_95GT]

I tried adjusting the linkage using the method you suggested. Still will not engage park. Trans will not go past reverse. Is this repairable without removing the transmission?

Thanks,
Ross

 

[TOM B]

Ok try this, take off the lever rod to the trany, also remove the neutral start switch.
then with a adjustable wrench turn the shift rod and see if it will go into park, dont force it. but do take it all through the gears.
If it works then your problem is in the neutral switch. or still in the linkage.
If it does not go into park with all the levers and neutral switch removed then you have a internal lever problem and you must at least remove the pan and valve body to check it.

 

[MotiV8ed_95GT]

Going to drop the pan and valve body next week(hopefully) to take a look. I read somewhere else that my problem could have been caused by the intermediate band breaking and jamming the linkage. This would explain not only the loss of second gear but also why I can not get into park. I will update after I take a look.

Thanks,
Ross