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Don't know why, but car suddenly wouldn't start in park. Turns out the shifter cable isn't consistently getting back to the neutral safety switch. Saw a very old thread on this, but it didn't help. Please review pics attached. Does this cable look correct? If so does the front or back slot on the cable go into the bracket mounting to the transmission pan? I assumed the front slot is for the rubber boot. Problem is, cable seems to work better if installed using the front slot, front being closest to rubber boot end of cable connecting to the transmission shifter control.
Put the cable where it is supposed to be and adjust the Neutral Safety Switch (NSS) at the shift lever area. UNLESS the cable is so badly preventing the shift lever to move the NSS positioning is really independent of the cable position.
Cable HAS to go into the bracket all the way and then the clip goes in to the groove closest to the shoulder (top groove in your pic)
NSS is adjustable once the cable is in the correct spot... As posted in the AIM capture above, it's forced all the way forward so when it's in it's normal position the trans if fully into park and the switch is set accordingly
All:
Thank you again for your help. I was ablet to get the cable installed back onto the transmission thanks to the pics and help. I still have an issue. The cable seems to be too long, however, this cable once worked and it basically is brand new. I can start the car in neutral. I can start the car in park "IF" the cable is disconnected either at the transmission or the shifter. I have removed the cable from the shifter. It appears to be about 1/4" too long. Is there a way to adjust the cable length? When connected, it goes into park, however, with some force. I understand adjusting the NSS as recommended, not sure exactly how, but I feel that if I attempt to do that I still have the shifter in park under some stress.
Is there something I am missing or doing wrong that is causing my shifter cable to appear to be too long?
All:
Thank you again for your help. I was ablet to get the cable installed back onto the transmission thanks to the pics and help. I still have an issue. The cable seems to be too long, however, this cable once worked and it basically is brand new. I can start the car in neutral. I can start the car in park "IF" the cable is disconnected either at the transmission or the shifter. I have removed the cable from the shifter. It appears to be about 1/4" too long. Is there a way to adjust the cable length? When connected, it goes into park, however, with some force. I understand adjusting the NSS as recommended, not sure exactly how, but I feel that if I attempt to do that I still have the shifter in park under some stress.
Is there something I am missing or doing wrong that is causing my shifter cable to appear to be too long?
No real way of adjusting the cable length (and shouldn't need to be) assuming the correct cable and trans bracket is used.
There is a small amount of adjustment on the lever that bolts to the shift rod on the transmission, the bolt that the cable connects to is in a square slot, but it's unusual that it would need to be moved there. look elsewhere first
Make sure the cable is into the shifter bracket correctly inside the car
For the NSS, the two screws that hold it onto the side of the shifter are in slots, loosen them slightly and you can rotate the switch so it gives conductivity in neutral and part
The two large purple wires are the neutral safety, continuity in the park and neutral locations so started there
Set the shifter into park, rotate the switch until the meter showed continuity, snug up the screw closest to the front of the switch, then move the shifter into low (1) and snug up the other screw. This will make sure the arc the shifter pin is making is the same as the switch wants to follow.
Move the shifter into drive and then slide it into neutral and the meter should beep before the shifter is against the neutral stop and stay on as it is held fully against the stop.
Re-check park and tighten the screws.
The green and pink wires are the reverse lights, only show continuity in the reverse gate position
The pink w/white and pink (same as above) wires show continuity in drive (3,2 and 1) so they must be related to the seat belt reminder circuit but I haven't checked to make sure
Thank you. I will look there again. Thought the adjustment was as much as it could be at transmission. I'll adjust the NSS if so. I'll have to look back at where cable was bought, but did work before just fine. Puzzling.
Is my 3 speed automatic shifter cable correct
