C4 Problem - slipping into gear

[mysavioreigns]

I can't keep my car sitting in park. If you take off the shifter bezel and look down in there, you will see that when you squeeze the T-handle buttons, it lifts this little "arm" which allows you to move the shifter into R, N, D, etc.

Problem is, the car is in park: I try to start it, and it won't even try to clank (this is because the car thinks it is in Reverse). I push the handle forward, and it "nudges" a hair. It then starts fine. It is like it can't distinguish between Park and Reverse, unless it is pushed all the way forward.

The biggest problem is, I'm afraid if I leave it in park, and it gets windy or something, it will slide into that "reverse" area, and start rolling.

Parking brake doesn't work either, that would help a little, but that's another story.

 

[fb71]

ok, so fix your shifter assembly. :

 

[CoupeBoy]

There are two small poly bushings on at the bottom of the shifter assembly. When the metal housing wears them out your shifter gets sloppy and is a pain in the buttocks to get into park and keep there. When I replaced mine they were like 15cents each. It took a few hours to put them in though as you need to pull the shifter assembly out of the car to put the bottom bushing in place.

Or the arm that is supposed to hold it in gear is getting worn out. Or the detent that is supposed to hold it in park has worn down over time and no longer holds it in park. My best guess is the stupid plastic bushings though.

-ron

 

[mysavioreigns]

I got those plastic bushing...not sure where in the world they go, but I will open it up and look at it.

I don't have to drop the tranny out do I? Ohh please no! lol

 

[CoupeBoy]

Nope, not the tranny. If its a standard Ford floor shifter you need to remove the handle, the bezel then climb underneath and unhook the shifter linkage (at the shifter end). Then back up top remove the screwsthat hold it to the floor and lift it out. Once out you will see a crossbolt at the bottom of the shifter handle. Take off the nut and it will come apart. You will most likely see pieces of your old bushings in there. Insert the new ones and reverse the process.

-ron

 

[mysavioreigns]

Awesome - I saw that "crossbolt" thing you're talking about, and it did look like it had some wiggle. Hopefully I will do that tomorrow.

 

[CoupeBoy]

The first time I "fixed" mine I only replaced the easy bushing, the one inside the car, easy to replace. And it worked for quite a while, making the shifter feel better and stay in park more easily. But eventually it wore out and I ended up doing it the right way.

Save yerself some time. Do it right the first time.
-ron

 

[bigcatchdaniel555]

how did you get the shifter knob off my allen screw stripped out and the knob on top is very loose how can i get the knob off to fix it?

 

[CoupeBoy]

Id recommend a reverse rotation drill bit then if that screw is rounded. You may also be able to work on it without taking the handle off. But I didnt have to go that route so I'm not 100% sure.

-ron

 

[mach1 mark]

I'm going to chime in. As I was reading the beginning of this post, I was thinking that the Neutral safety switch was the problem. Coupeboy, you didn't say it was popping out of gear into reverse. Try to put it in neutral and see if it starts. If not or you have to put force on the Handel either direction, I would say the Neutral safety switch.

I'm not saying its a bad Idea to replace the bushing that is an excellent idea, I will keep that in mind myself for any future problems.

I had a 1969 Galaxie w/column shift, it just had direct linkage to the trans. I had to grab the column shift Handel and slam it in park to get it to start. I don't know if the neutral safety switch was the problem, or the bushing, just the way the linkage was set up, I never thought it was bushing.

When you put the shift Handel in park, the parking prawl is engaged in the housing of the transmission, it is a direct link to the shifter. If the bushings are bad, the car my pop out of gear. The car doesn't know if its reverse or park to start. You can take the neutral safety switch off, put the car in reverse and it will try to start, of course the car will lunge back just like putting a car in reverse w/manual and trying to start it.


Again not taking any advise away about the bushing replacement I think that is a good idea, I would go ahead and replace the Neutral safety switch also. $5 to 10 at bone yard or $25 at part store. The bolts holes on the neutral safety switch are oval for adjustment, mabey start with that.


Just my two cents.

 

[mysavioreigns]

Thanks for the posts guys,

mach1 mark - Mine sounds very similar - you have to slam it into park to get it to start. Though, mine won't even try to start in Reverse. Doesn't try to crank or anything.

Got my bushings, maybe I can get after this...wish it would stop raining

 

[fordconvert]

My floor shift C4 would sometimes have the starting problem. I gave up and bypassed it last fall. Transmission is now rebuilt. I checked the switch with an ohm meter and it seems to be fine. I gues the transmission shop cleaned it up so maybe it was just full of crud from the bad leaks mine had. The mustang places have the switches new for around $40 IIRC. There seems to be 2 styles that but the connectors/ harness is differnt between the two so it shouldnt be hard to figure out which one you need. Hopefully I get the motor back in today so maybe tomorrow can tell you if it works.