71 4-speed won't shift
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 56
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From: Milwaukee Wisconsin
71 4-speed won't shift
Today I took my 1971 Coupe (350/M-20) into the emissions station to get tested. The tester did not know how to shift the car into reverse. Instead of asking me or stopping to think, she takes both hands and attempts to get the car in reverse. As im pounding on the window to get her to stop, she finally gets shifter in reverse despite reverse lock digging into her hand. Right now the car won’t shift into a forward gear and is stuck in 4th gear. The shifter goes into reverse but the car just dies. Any hints on what’s broken?
Also what does the back drive cable do?
Also what does the back drive cable do?
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 3
The back drive cable connects to the steering column to lock the transmission in reverse when the ignition is locked. That is how and why the transmission has to be in reverse prior to removing the key.
It sounds like your transmission is stuck in two gears at once. If you go under the car and put all the levers into neutral and everything should work OK.
It sounds like your transmission is stuck in two gears at once. If you go under the car and put all the levers into neutral and everything should work OK.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,342
Likes: 7
From: Connecticut
Check your shift lever positions on the transmission... Ill bet it's in reverse and 4th gear at the same time.
This happened to my '65 Impala SS with a Muncie shifter (reverse linkage broke) and when I let the clutch out slowly the trans would just bind up and try to stall the engine.
Go below and get it out of reverse and you will be able to use forward gears but not reverse until the broken linkage is repaired.
