Author Topic: Stuck shifter (auto)  (Read 4302 times)

Offline _Russ_

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Stuck shifter (auto)
« on: July 10, 2013 - 02:43:34 AM »
OK, so the Challenger is in the body-shop getting some rust repaired, and the boss calls me up and says "it won't get out of gear and won't start".

Turns out it won't start because it won't get out of 1st or 2nd gear (A727 TF floor shift).

I don't believe it's a linkage/rod problem, nor something on the inside of the trans.

I'm pretty sure it's related to the actual shifter mechanism up top. It moves freely between 1, 2 & D, but that's it. If I give it a tap on top with a hammer it frees up and goes into N, R, or P - but won't go back down to 1, 2 or D unless I give it another tap downwards.

When you remove the shifter handle, there's little to no movement in the main shaft, and I don't believe it's pushing down sufficiently. So something is either broken or worn out. Any ideas?

I took a quick video - excuse my breathing. I was in an awkward spot and my face was 10cm from the microphone, haha.

I'll go back down tomorrow and get a better one, with a hammer demonstration.

Any thoughts on what I should be looking at?

Here's the vid:

1970 Dodge Challenger auto shifter - stuck




 :clueless:

 :working:









Offline brads70

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2013 - 07:22:20 AM »
Has the spring fallen off the other side?
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline _Russ_

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2013 - 05:23:59 PM »
No idea. Will be going back today for a proper look, but I don't know what I'm looking at.

Has anybody got an exploded view of the shifter mechanism? Won't know if something is missing if I don't know what's suppose to be there.

Offline hemiken

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2013 - 07:26:47 PM »
It does look a little like a spring problem, the thread should be up all the time, not you pulling it up, the spring holds the thread up, imagine the button is up all the time and compresses when you push on it. Try hold the thread up with your fingers and go through the gears again on the video, or better yet show a shot of the other side when operating please Russ :2thumbs:
1970 Barracuda   (O^--^===|===^--^O)
1971 Barracuda   (O O {]{]{]|[}[}[} O O)
1970 Challenger  (O O [======R/T=] O O)
1971 Challenger  (O O ===== ===== O O)
I pay homage to the best Mopars ever built.

Offline Bullitt-

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2013 - 08:20:26 PM »
highjacked pic... (edit)  it's a video ,,click on the pic to watch

[/quote]
« Last Edit: July 10, 2013 - 08:22:41 PM by Bullitt- »
Wade  73 Rallye 340..'77 Millennium Falcon...13 R/T Classic   Huntsville, AL
Screwed by Photobucket!

Offline hemiken

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2013 - 08:42:59 PM »
 :woohoo: awesome Wade :2thumbs: thanks for posting that :wave: that should help him heaps ! :clapping:
1970 Barracuda   (O^--^===|===^--^O)
1971 Barracuda   (O O {]{]{]|[}[}[} O O)
1970 Challenger  (O O [======R/T=] O O)
1971 Challenger  (O O ===== ===== O O)
I pay homage to the best Mopars ever built.

Offline _Russ_

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2013 - 08:52:46 PM »
Wade, you're a legend among legends.

That vid will allow me to take my laptop down and compare them side by side.

You're an absolute champ. Thanks mate.

 :cheers:

Offline _Russ_

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2013 - 02:20:56 AM »
Got it figured out. The main shaft/rod is bent at the bottom and is sliding out of place when the button is pressed. Also, the main side spring on mine is a flimsy piece of crap; nowhere near as sturdy as Wade's above - which means when the button is pressed and the rod goes out, there isn't enough force for it to return to place, so it stays there.  Other than that everything else is working as it should.

Time to find a new unit as I don't think this can be replaced?










Thanks for all the help gents. much appreciated.  :2thumbs:


Offline brads70

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #8 on: July 11, 2013 - 05:48:31 AM »
Glad you found the problem! :2thumbs:
Brad
1970 Challenger 451stroker/4L60 auto OD
Barrie,Ontario,Canada
Proud to own one of the best cars ever made!!!!!

My restoration thread 
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=59072.0
 My handling upgrade post
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=73985.0

Offline hemiken

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #9 on: July 11, 2013 - 06:30:59 AM »


Hi Russ,

By the looks of it, i would not say that the shaft is bent buddy. To me it looks like the bracket on the lef has broken out and letting the plate that holds the spring and rod true and straight has kicked sideways to make it stick.
If you get stuck, this is a proceedure i am able to do, i do custom fabrication and could fix this pretty easy if you can not find anyone local to yourself to fix it.
let me know, it would save you from buying a whole new one. :wave:
1970 Barracuda   (O^--^===|===^--^O)
1971 Barracuda   (O O {]{]{]|[}[}[} O O)
1970 Challenger  (O O [======R/T=] O O)
1971 Challenger  (O O ===== ===== O O)
I pay homage to the best Mopars ever built.

Offline _Russ_

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2013 - 05:09:59 PM »
Thanks for the offer Ken. I'll wait until I get it back from the body shop and check it out properly.

I've asked on H6P if anyone has one locally they can spare. Might get lucky. I'll drop you a line if anything changes.

Cheers.

Offline hemiken

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2013 - 06:15:11 AM »
Thanks for the offer Ken. I'll wait until I get it back from the body shop and check it out properly.

I've asked on H6P if anyone has one locally they can spare. Might get lucky. I'll drop you a line if anything changes.

Cheers.
No worries Russ :2thumbs:
1970 Barracuda   (O^--^===|===^--^O)
1971 Barracuda   (O O {]{]{]|[}[}[} O O)
1970 Challenger  (O O [======R/T=] O O)
1971 Challenger  (O O ===== ===== O O)
I pay homage to the best Mopars ever built.

Offline nqkjw

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2013 - 06:28:22 AM »
Probably best to put a wanted add in the MoparMarket classifieds Russ.
Burnouts are cool but Traction is the Action

Offline _Russ_

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2013 - 05:01:49 PM »
Probably best to put a wanted add in the MoparMarket classifieds Russ.

Damn it. I always forget about MM. I put one up on H6P. Already have one inbound from the US now.

Offline hemiken

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Re: Stuck shifter (auto)
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2013 - 03:39:26 AM »
 :wave: Glad you got one on its way Russ :2thumbs: Are you coming to Mopar Sunday buddy ? :dunno: maybe :thinkerg:

Anyone else coming to Mopar Sunday :dogpile:
1970 Barracuda   (O^--^===|===^--^O)
1971 Barracuda   (O O {]{]{]|[}[}[} O O)
1970 Challenger  (O O [======R/T=] O O)
1971 Challenger  (O O ===== ===== O O)
I pay homage to the best Mopars ever built.