dgood

I replaced the seal on my shift linkage and replaced the transmission pan gasket while i was there. I replaced the seal and rod that goes through the side of the transmission. I thought I put everything back together right but obviously not because I do not have reverse now. I have park (because I can start the car) and then drive. No reverse or neutral.

What did I do wrong. Is there anyway to adjust the linkage without dropping the pan again?

If I do drop the pan, is there anyway to check if I have park, neutral, drive before I put the pan back on?

Thanks

7T1vette

#1 After idling the engine and shifting through the tranny gears (whether they work or not), re-check the fluid level. A transmission must fill clutches, torque converter and cooler and get rid of trapped air before the level can be set properly.

#2 If you didn't remove the shift "cockscomb", etc. when you had the pan off, there has been no change to the trans shift mechanism.

#3 Recheck the installation and operation of the shift cable on the outside of the tranny. That could have been installed incorrectly or it could be buckling and not allowing full extension and shift capability.

[My money is on the tranny having too little fluid. My 2nd choice is #3.]

dgood

I am on my way to check it now. I will let you know.

dgood

damn, I checked the fluid and it was low. Still no reverse or neutral. It still goes from park to drive and it is a very hard shift. If I shut the vehicle off, I can can drop it out of park and push it back? Not sure why. Once the car cools off, I will crawl under and check to see if the linkage is binding.

TimAT

I agree with 7T1-

How did you change the seal? Pull the shaft out, R&R the seal and then reinstall the shaft? Or did you change the seal without removing the shaft?

Be careful here too- if the lever is going into park it doesn't necessarily mean the trans is too.

dgood

I pulled the shaft out and then the seal. I had to disconnect the shaft in the transmission so I think I hooked it back up wrong. It is weird though, only park and drive and it really slams into gear when I put it in drive. Before I did this everything worked great just a small tranny leak. Off comes the pan I guess and all that new fluid.

7T1vette

Yep. If you pulled the shaft out, the linkage is likely screwed up inside. You really don't need to pull that shaft to change the seal. All you need to do is use an icepick to stick thru the seal lip and under the metal casing...then hit the handle of the icepick to pop the seal out. In fact, if you only have the one seal on that shaft, you can even put a second one on top of the first and use that for about another 20 years.

You will have to drop the pan again and sort out the shift shaft/shift valve, etc. arrangement. You may have also lost connection with the park pawl [which is why you don't have Park anymore]. Sorry, brother. Good luck on the repair.

dgood

Well, dropped the tranny pan again today and saw that the "manual control valve s link" was not hooked up to the shift linkage. I am sure that this had something do do with it. It moves quiete a few things in there. I will clean it up, put it back together and see how it goes.

7T1vette

We are all 'crossing fingers' that you've located the problem.

dgood

Connected the little S link thingy and put everything back together and it works fine. No more tranny work for me. i am getting tired of laying under the car. I am going to drive the hell out of it this summer and then tear the engine down next winter.

TimAT

If it makes you feel any better, you're not the first one to let that little "S" link get away. I opened one up some years ago and it was gone.

My personal favorite trick is on a 700- ther reaction sun gear is exactly the right size to slide under the edge of the pan when it's all on the bench. The pan is the last thing I install too. Did that 4 or 5 times, and now I really watch that I don't do it again. The good thing is I never got one back into the car without it.