ssome

'86 - this week's problem is the transmission, 700R4, won't go into any gear. the shifter acts like it isn't connected at all. it doesn't 'clunk' into any gear. prior to this, the shifter didn't seem to detent into any position as firmly as it did in the past. i jacked up the car, passenger side, to remove some extra trans fluid. then the problem occurred.

383vett

Jack up the driver's side and see what the cable does to the transmission linkage when the lever is moved. There is a good chance the cable slipped off the lever. A cotter pin holds mine in place. Also, possible the nut holding the lever onto the transmission shifter shaft has come loose allowing the lever to move on the shaft without changing gears.

Calderone

make sure to lock the rear wheels with the e-brake

Cliff Harris

Check both ends of the shifter cable. The top end has a clip that holds it on the shift lever. It's the right side cable in this picture (the silver one):



The bottom end looks like this (I was photographing the cable bracket so the shift lever is out of focus):



If you decide you need a new shifter cable, make sure you get a Pioneer CA-1162. I got mine at AutoZone (had to order it).

Do NOT get a ATP 16674, Dorman 16674 or ATP Y-747. Go here if you want to know why:

http://www.misterpeachy.com/VetteStu...674_Cable.html

ssome

*****
Thanks, this got me looking in the right place.
This is going to make me look dumb, but it might help others.
i loosened the trans pan from the passenger side by feel. taking most of the blind side bolts, drivers side, out to let the fluid drain away from me.

This was the mistake.
Being 70 and short term memory being shot, i forgot about the 2 bolt bracket for the cable in question from a year and a half ago when i replaced the trans filter. When i unbolted the pan this time i didn't realize i had freed the bracket to spring up and away from the pan. When i bolted the pan back in and moved the shift lever it just pushed the cable around having no effect on the trans lever.

On the driver's side for the first time in this fiasco, i just bolted the bracket back up and didn't even chk to see if that solved the problem for sure; Miller Time. ...Day later, the trans works fine.

ssome

thanks, to all
The pics are a great way to clearly illustrate the situation. for web work i use SnagIt32 to crop the relevant portion of a screen view or image to send out in email. a small app that is very handy

ssome

trans works again, but rpm pulses at idle and shuts down at 500 rpm.
the '86 had the exact same problems as my '84: they did nothing to correct the many problems in at least 2 years.
this was all on a '86 with 38K miles on it. garaged, pampered, etc. next car: Cad CTS
but in '84 i was going to buy a Cad Seville ...shudder.

thanks to all for your valuable help; i'm sure i'll be needing it again.

Cliff Harris

If your car idles down to 500 RPM then the minimum idle adjustment is not correct. This is how you fix that:

http://www.batee.com/corvette/dcrg/r...scuss_sim5.htm

ssome

It idles fine at 600 for a while, 2 miles, then at a signal light the rpm will pulse and occasionally drop to 500 and die out. to be safe at lights i shift to Neutral and depress the gas pedal enough to keep it alive.

ssome

How does one insert the pic of your car to the left of the msg?