Detent shaft problems trans help
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
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From: Canastota Ny
Detent shaft problems trans help
going to remove the transmission shifter shaft to replace the seal. but once i started working i dropped an S hook thing that attaches to the manual valve plunger? it just appears to be a metal S hook. how does it re attach? also how does the nut come off the shaft how the outside of the shaft with a wrench and then take the inner nut off?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Just use some Channel-loks to hold the shift lever while you break the nut loose. That lever fits over the shaft..which has two flats on it...and it cannot rotate on its own.
By the way, you can simply drive a new seal down on top of the one already installed. Common practice by lots a folks. Getting the old seal out requires an ice pick with the end hooked, so that you can grab the outer casing and **** it to remove it. You also have to be careful not to scratch either the bore in the main housing or the O.D. on the shift shaft. Another seal will fit on top of the existing one and work just fine.
By the way, you can simply drive a new seal down on top of the one already installed. Common practice by lots a folks. Getting the old seal out requires an ice pick with the end hooked, so that you can grab the outer casing and **** it to remove it. You also have to be careful not to scratch either the bore in the main housing or the O.D. on the shift shaft. Another seal will fit on top of the existing one and work just fine.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Nov 24, 2009 at 03:04 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
From: Canastota Ny
okay have the seal out and of course the pan off.hoping this thing seals should i put one on top of the new one just for the heck of it? i dont see how anyone got a socket in there to drive in the new one so i used a nut washer and a bolt and it drew it in just fine and straight. now for park pawl linkage replacement UGH! i hate having OCD!
okay update really need help with this one. - i have everything reinstalled. i dont know if i have the park pawl end installed correctly in the pawl. the car parks when in park cant move. but can be pushed forward and backwards when in gear or neutral. the trans is empty right now with just the shift cable hooked up for test.. i dont want to fill it up if i've missed something. the pawl shaft is going under the pawl (which looks like a U) itself right now. is it posed to go through it instead? what am i missing here?
also the car shifts into gear with the key off. i just push the button and shift the car is this normal?
okay update really need help with this one. - i have everything reinstalled. i dont know if i have the park pawl end installed correctly in the pawl. the car parks when in park cant move. but can be pushed forward and backwards when in gear or neutral. the trans is empty right now with just the shift cable hooked up for test.. i dont want to fill it up if i've missed something. the pawl shaft is going under the pawl (which looks like a U) itself right now. is it posed to go through it instead? what am i missing here?
also the car shifts into gear with the key off. i just push the button and shift the car is this normal?
Last edited by 1nicecorvette; Nov 24, 2009 at 05:50 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Don't put two new ones in...the one on top can't get lubed and will wear out pretty quickly. Use a 3/8"-drive deep-well socket [of appropriate size] to drive the seal in straight and to depth required. I'm not sure why you took the shift shaft out in order to work on the seal. You'll have to go to a library for a Chilton's book [with instructional photos] on how to reinstall it properly.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
From: Canastota Ny
i have an overhaul manual as well as a shop manual.the pics and descriptions are vague. i took the shaft out to replace the seal which i was unable to get from outside the trans. now i have the new seal in correctly and thinsg hooked up and the above questions remain.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 297
Likes: 3
Trans seal replacement
For future reference, there is a tool made to remove the shift lever shaft seal without taking the shaft out of the trans. Just replaced one on a 69 SS 350 Camaro with a turbo 350 trans. All you have to do is remove the linkage nut and linkage, attach tool and it draws the old seal out. Very easy.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
As always, if you are unsure about something, you can always ask folks on this Forum...ahead of doing the work...to get advice on 'How To'. There are a few here that will 'razz' you about it...but most of us will be glad to offer advice that will simplify your work.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 876
Likes: 0
From: Canastota Ny
hey all. i was thinking of the tool. but then 30 bucks and hoping that it worked as apposed to just removing the pan! 
so anyways. this morning i got the pan back up filled it. no gears!!! WTF now. i didn't do that much did i? well the S clip was off laying in the pan. I knew i heard something drop but my stupid self didn't go to look for it. once the pan was back up and filled again it shifts even beater then before. (must be the yearly fluid changes due to me being bored and changing things!) so now all is well. I have to give credit to those who can rebuild these and that work on them everyday. ALOT of little parts you have no idea how they work 2gether if at all thats for sure. i guess they are the pros and i learned by doing.
so anyways. this morning i got the pan back up filled it. no gears!!! WTF now. i didn't do that much did i? well the S clip was off laying in the pan. I knew i heard something drop but my stupid self didn't go to look for it. once the pan was back up and filled again it shifts even beater then before. (must be the yearly fluid changes due to me being bored and changing things!) so now all is well. I have to give credit to those who can rebuild these and that work on them everyday. ALOT of little parts you have no idea how they work 2gether if at all thats for sure. i guess they are the pros and i learned by doing.