Auto Shift Lockout - adjustable? Jim Shea?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 1
Auto Shift Lockout - adjustable? Jim Shea?
Do those of you with the old TH400 transmissions have the ability to partially shift out of park with the key out. Mine will almost shift out into reverse.
Since I've got everything apart anyway, I checked on the lockout arm on the steering column. It seems that this arm has a little bit of play, allowing the cable going to the transmission to move a bit.
Is there an adjustment procedure for this? I've already tried loosening the floor pan bolts to take up the slack - no luck. I can't see where the cable itself is adjustable. Am I just SOL with a 28-year-old cable?
My preference is to not be able to move the shifter at all with the key out.
And Jim, I just put your name in the post title because it seems that you know EVERYTHING about steering and related matters!
Since I've got everything apart anyway, I checked on the lockout arm on the steering column. It seems that this arm has a little bit of play, allowing the cable going to the transmission to move a bit.
Is there an adjustment procedure for this? I've already tried loosening the floor pan bolts to take up the slack - no luck. I can't see where the cable itself is adjustable. Am I just SOL with a 28-year-old cable?
My preference is to not be able to move the shifter at all with the key out.
And Jim, I just put your name in the post title because it seems that you know EVERYTHING about steering and related matters!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 112
From: Saginaw Michigan
Re: Auto Shift Lockout - adjustable? Jim Shea? (mayberg)
Thanks for the compliment. I've got a lot of the engineering background for the Saginaw produced steering parts. I'm just a bit short on the practical experience.
I looked through the AIM books again on the backdrive system and I don't see any point where the cable(s) can be adjusted.
There is a page (UPC 7A, Sheet 14) in the 1976 AIM book that is entitled Transmission Control Linkage Adjustment. But all it says is: Place the shifter lever in Park. Rotate the lever on the transmission clockwise into Park. Finally push the lower column lever all the way up. Attach cables. It makes no reference to being able to adjust any cables at any point. Looking at the other sheets in the AIM book, I don't see any mechanism to adjust the cables.
I guess with a 30 year old car you just shouldn't get uptight about "almost" being able to pull the shifter out of PARK with the column locked.
I looked through the AIM books again on the backdrive system and I don't see any point where the cable(s) can be adjusted.
There is a page (UPC 7A, Sheet 14) in the 1976 AIM book that is entitled Transmission Control Linkage Adjustment. But all it says is: Place the shifter lever in Park. Rotate the lever on the transmission clockwise into Park. Finally push the lower column lever all the way up. Attach cables. It makes no reference to being able to adjust any cables at any point. Looking at the other sheets in the AIM book, I don't see any mechanism to adjust the cables.
I guess with a 30 year old car you just shouldn't get uptight about "almost" being able to pull the shifter out of PARK with the column locked.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 1
Re: Auto Shift Lockout - adjustable? Jim Shea? (Jim Shea)
....I'm just a bit short on the practical experience.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,268
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From: Roanoke Virginia
Re: Auto Shift Lockout - adjustable? Jim Shea? (mayberg)
I'm not sure I understand - details please!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 1
Re: Auto Shift Lockout - adjustable? Jim Shea? (thejaf)
If I recall, the slot for PARK is fairly long.....It appears that the throw of the cables (backdrive and transmission) is governed by the placement of the holding brackets. As long as these brakets aren't bent, broken, etc. you should be within factory specs, I would assume.
I'll have to check out my Haynes manual. Thanks.
