hello,

1992 ford tbird 5.0 with AOD transmission.

I pulled into the driving range parking lot and put it into park. I can
only back out of the space.

When I started it to leave, the shift lever now does nothing -- its all
free play. In order to tow it I have to get it into neutral. I know I can
crawl under from the drivers side and see the linkage there. I'm expecting
to see that its broken away from the trans shift lever.

I've fixed the passing gear problem by replacing the little bushing that
holds the cable to the throttle. Is there another common failure point in
the linkage cable connection to the trans shift lever?

Searching groups.google turned up only 1 or 2 posts about this. Perhaps it
rarely happens.

Is there a way to pull or push the trans into neutral from underneath? I
need to push the car about 50 feet so it can be towed.

tia,
Mark

Ashton Crusher wrote:
if its the same as my crown vic, theres only one small screw connecting
the lever to a cable... i actually found the screw on the carpet, and
started digging through the dash and figured out how it worked.

check that before you get it towed.

it happened to both my last two post 92 crown vics, by the way.

Mark Pryor wrote:
the tbirds shifter on the column or console?

wish i had a 5.0 tbird

On Sun, 13 May 2007 00:23:29 -0300, Picasso wrote:

hi,

the shifter is in the console on top of the trans hump. I was assuming
that the shifter disconnected underneath near the trans, but perhaps it
released closer to the shifter where it joins the cable?

--
Mark

On Sun, 13 May 2007 00:23:12 -0300, Picasso wrote:

Picasso,

Mission accomplished.

I inspected the cable attachment at the shift lever and down under the car
at the trans and everything looks clean. It seems the cable has snapped
inside its considerably long sleeve.

While I was underneath I clicked it into neutral while my assistant
adjusted the lever above.

We then were able to push the car freely and prep it for a tow.

I got a sick feeling that the whole shift-lever-cable assembly will have
to be replaced. I see $300-$500 minimum.

Overall I've been very lucky with this car -- sheesh it failed at a happy
place like a golf course, instead of while underway down a busy freeway.
When I drive I go back and forth between OD and D without thinking about
it. I get some natural braking action when I down-shift to D at about
45-50mph.

--
Mark

Mark Pryor wrote:
Glad you found the problem. The shift cable isn't a bad repair.

Don't do that!!! The OD is about the weakest link in that transmission. If you want
braking action, use...umm...the brakes.

On Sun, 13 May 2007 22:49:04 -0400, Tom Adkins <nospam (AT) centurytel (DOT) net> wrote:

I was thinking the same thing. Parts/labor for brakes is -always-
cheaper then <same> for clutch/tranny work. I down-shift-brake-compression
more-or-less of necessity on a mot'cycle, never in a car.

Did it look that bad down there? I'da thought it just needed a cable,
maybe some lube/adjustment.

Prost,
Puddin'

"Mit der Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens!"
-Friedrich Schiller

On Sun, 13 May 2007 22:49:04 -0400, Tom Adkins wrote:


Just got the quote from the mechanic:
$65 for tow (paid yesterday)
$200 parts and labor for shift cable

The pro at the driving range had called in my plate to check for stolen
and was thinking about a police impound all on sunday morning, after less
than 48 hours parked.