Powerglide Question for Mechanics . . .
12-13-2006, 12:58 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Powerglide Question for Mechanics . . .
Went out in my '66 this morning and all as usual, except my Powerglide shift lever doesn't detent at the transmission. Not to be confused with the detents in the shift lever itself, which work fine, but the transmission shift lever going into the transmission has detent positions as well, which are now not "detenting". All else is fine, you can move the shift lever thru the range and all works as it should, drive, low, reverse, and partk, except the lever doesn't detent.
Gonna put it on the rack tomorrow, most likely pull the pan to get to the linkage and valve body inside, but it's been a long time since I've been into the internals, so here's my question . . .
What should I look for inside, how does the linkage connect, and what part do you suspect as being loose/broken? Anybody have any pics/schematics handy?
Thanks . . .
Ron
Gonna put it on the rack tomorrow, most likely pull the pan to get to the linkage and valve body inside, but it's been a long time since I've been into the internals, so here's my question . . .
What should I look for inside, how does the linkage connect, and what part do you suspect as being loose/broken? Anybody have any pics/schematics handy?
Thanks . . .
Ron
12-13-2006, 01:28 PM
#2
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Member Since: Oct 2006
Location: Golden CO
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I'll give an answer with a couple of caveats first:
- I have never disassembled a Powerglide
- I have not reviewed any service literature for a Powerglide
That being said, I used to work as a product design engineer for automatic transmissions. Most automatics have a similar design for providing detent positions on the manual shaft. After the pan is off, you should be able to see the manual shaft runs through a steel plate which has detent ramps (when you see the part, you will know why it is commonly called the "rooster comb"). There is a steel lever spring with a roller follower which rides on the rooster comb. These parts provide the detents. The spring may have fatigued and broken. You symptoms sound like this is possible... the transmission will still shift through all ranges, but just not have detenting action.
I hope others with direct knowledge of Powerglides chime in. Either way, grab a copy of the service manual as your guide.
- Brad
- I have never disassembled a Powerglide
- I have not reviewed any service literature for a Powerglide
That being said, I used to work as a product design engineer for automatic transmissions. Most automatics have a similar design for providing detent positions on the manual shaft. After the pan is off, you should be able to see the manual shaft runs through a steel plate which has detent ramps (when you see the part, you will know why it is commonly called the "rooster comb"). There is a steel lever spring with a roller follower which rides on the rooster comb. These parts provide the detents. The spring may have fatigued and broken. You symptoms sound like this is possible... the transmission will still shift through all ranges, but just not have detenting action.
I hope others with direct knowledge of Powerglides chime in. Either way, grab a copy of the service manual as your guide.
- Brad
12-13-2006, 02:00 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
I'll give an answer with a couple of caveats first:
- I have never disassembled a Powerglide
- I have not reviewed any service literature for a Powerglide
That being said, I used to work as a product design engineer for automatic transmissions. Most automatics have a similar design for providing detent positions on the manual shaft. After the pan is off, you should be able to see the manual shaft runs through a steel plate which has detent ramps (when you see the part, you will know why it is commonly called the "rooster comb"). There is a steel lever spring with a roller follower which rides on the rooster comb. These parts provide the detents. The spring may have fatigued and broken. You symptoms sound like this is possible... the transmission will still shift through all ranges, but just not have detenting action.
I hope others with direct knowledge of Powerglides chime in. Either way, grab a copy of the service manual as your guide.
- Brad
- I have never disassembled a Powerglide
- I have not reviewed any service literature for a Powerglide
That being said, I used to work as a product design engineer for automatic transmissions. Most automatics have a similar design for providing detent positions on the manual shaft. After the pan is off, you should be able to see the manual shaft runs through a steel plate which has detent ramps (when you see the part, you will know why it is commonly called the "rooster comb"). There is a steel lever spring with a roller follower which rides on the rooster comb. These parts provide the detents. The spring may have fatigued and broken. You symptoms sound like this is possible... the transmission will still shift through all ranges, but just not have detenting action.
I hope others with direct knowledge of Powerglides chime in. Either way, grab a copy of the service manual as your guide.
- Brad
Thanks again!!
01-28-2007, 05:05 PM
#6
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
I'll give an answer with a couple of caveats first:
- I have never disassembled a Powerglide
- I have not reviewed any service literature for a Powerglide
That being said, I used to work as a product design engineer for automatic transmissions. Most automatics have a similar design for providing detent positions on the manual shaft. After the pan is off, you should be able to see the manual shaft runs through a steel plate which has detent ramps (when you see the part, you will know why it is commonly called the "rooster comb"). There is a steel lever spring with a roller follower which rides on the rooster comb. These parts provide the detents. The spring may have fatigued and broken. You symptoms sound like this is possible... the transmission will still shift through all ranges, but just not have detenting action.
I hope others with direct knowledge of Powerglides chime in. Either way, grab a copy of the service manual as your guide.
- Brad
- I have never disassembled a Powerglide
- I have not reviewed any service literature for a Powerglide
That being said, I used to work as a product design engineer for automatic transmissions. Most automatics have a similar design for providing detent positions on the manual shaft. After the pan is off, you should be able to see the manual shaft runs through a steel plate which has detent ramps (when you see the part, you will know why it is commonly called the "rooster comb"). There is a steel lever spring with a roller follower which rides on the rooster comb. These parts provide the detents. The spring may have fatigued and broken. You symptoms sound like this is possible... the transmission will still shift through all ranges, but just not have detenting action.
I hope others with direct knowledge of Powerglides chime in. Either way, grab a copy of the service manual as your guide.
- Brad
Good educated guess, thanks much!!
Ron
