4+3 Stuck in reverse
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
From: Detroit
4+3 Stuck in reverse
I've got an '85 that's stuck in reverse. At first the shifter could only move from the reverse to neutral position, (while still being in the reverse gear) but I got it free and am able to shift to the other positions. I figured it was linkage, but there's one detail that has me worried. When shifting into any of the forward gears, the engine stalls and the rear wheels don't budge, even with the car lifted off the ground and giving it extra gas. Would that be normal for a linkage issue? I'm worried the gears are jacked up and will need to drop the trans.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,394
Likes: 2,741
You could start with aligning the shifter rods/shifter for a start. Were you trying these reverse gear movements with key in the 'RUN' position. Does the ignition work as expected? You need to have shifter in reverse to remove key?
Do you have the FSM(Factory/Field Service Manual)?
Do you have the FSM(Factory/Field Service Manual)?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,895
Likes: 592
From: New Port Richey FL
Start by clearing the gears, Go under car on the Main box (T-10) make sure that the arms are straight up and down. then go to OD unit I believe that arm goes with Top Towards the rear either way slide it. so with the front up/down and OD one way or the other wheels should roll if your still locked up things need to be taken apart.
You should be able to move all these linkages by hand 1 rod at a time and you should feel the Detent Clicks for each gear, If you can put both main box levers in a gear you have a side cover problem. If you can move the T-10 levers and you don't feel a positive click (no effort hooked to nothing) you have a broke shift shaft or fork.
You should be able to move all these linkages by hand 1 rod at a time and you should feel the Detent Clicks for each gear, If you can put both main box levers in a gear you have a side cover problem. If you can move the T-10 levers and you don't feel a positive click (no effort hooked to nothing) you have a broke shift shaft or fork.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 10
Likes: 1
From: Detroit
Thanks for the info! I got under there and was moving the arms around. Everything felt good and all I needed to do was slide the rod furthest to rear of the vehicle to the left position. Able to shift into neutral and the forward gears now, so I guess it was just the reverse lockout rod that was causing the whole issue. I opened up the shifter to find that it was missing. It looks like it must have broke and fell down somehow. I think all I have to do now is take the shifter out and remove the lockout rod from wherever it got lodged and come up with a replacement.
