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Shift selector will not shift into park?

Tiny
VAN81
  • MEMBER
  • 1981 CHEVROLET VAN
  • 2.5L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 61,000 MILES
I had a problem with the shift selector moving hard and would not go into park. The mechanic installed a new Shift Lever Return Spring. There was no spring installed in the column when he took it apart. The van will shift smoothly in all gears except it still will not shift into park, unless a flat head screwdriver is pushed into the linkage. The mechanic is at a loss of what to do and will not finish the state inspection.
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Sunday, March 10th, 2024 AT 5:20 AM

14 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,445 POSTS
If the bushing on the Zbar under the van is okay (that is the bar that goes from the transmission to the frame in the image) The next step would be to verify that the issue isn't inside the transmission, The easy way to do that is to disconnect the rod that goes between the Z bar and the shift lever. Now with the wheels blocked, does the transmission freely shift through the gears and into park? If yes, then it's likely that the linkage needs to be adjusted due to wear. For that you go under the van. Loosen the lock bolt that holds the shift rod in the end pivot. (in the image it is the bolt that is above the text) That gets backed off. Then you put the transmission into park all the way. Then go inside and be sure that the shift lever is fully locked into the park position. Then go back underneath and tighten the bolt back down. Test it and be sure you can shift it OK. GM used the same design on a lot of vehicles.

This video is a newer truck but it's the same type of linkage and might help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=7FbfPYDMJso
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Sunday, March 10th, 2024 AT 6:30 AM
Tiny
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Hi Steve,

Thank you for your quick response. I asked the Dan if the bushing was okay, and he said it was. So, I will show him your response and have him do as you have put in your response, and I will get back to you too after he has done that. Thank you very much.
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Sunday, March 10th, 2024 AT 5:37 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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If the transmission itself won't go into park, that would be a different issue, but many times age and wear can cause engine mounts to shift around or the transmission might move just enough that it doesn't move far enough.
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Sunday, March 10th, 2024 AT 8:39 PM
Tiny
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Thank you. Hopefully he can work on it today.
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Monday, March 11th, 2024 AT 2:27 AM
Tiny
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  • 8 POSTS
Update on the Van. The mechanic did everything you suggested, and it will not go into park without a screwdriver inserted in the linkage. He believes there is a part inside the steering column that is preventing it. He does not know how to take it apart and feels the steering column will need to be rebuilt or replaced. I am having a hard time finding a replacement steering column.

What are your thoughts?
Thank you.
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Thursday, March 14th, 2024 AT 6:42 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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Where is he putting a screwdriver? Has he tried removing the park/neutral switch on top of the column? That van should take the same column from 1973-1981.
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Thursday, March 14th, 2024 AT 1:27 PM
Tiny
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He is putting the screwdriver in the linkage by where the column shift lever is located. There is an opening in the steering column.

Is that switch inside the shift bowel? He removed the steering wheel down to the shift bowel to put in the shift lever return spring.

I am taking this van to another mechanic that has an interest in vintage vans and he thinks he can fix it. I will let you know what he discovers.

Thank you for your efforts and the information about the years I can use.
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Friday, March 15th, 2024 AT 1:40 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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The switch is down on the column under the dash. From the location he is putting the screwdriver it sounds like the lever may be hitting something inside the bowl. Taking it to someone who knows those columns would be a good idea. Let us know what the new shop finds.
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Friday, March 15th, 2024 AT 4:51 AM
Tiny
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I will let you know. I added a picture of where I need to place the screwdriver at the shift lever. The area in the white circle. The shifter will not move it to this point.
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Friday, March 15th, 2024 AT 4:38 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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If you have someone watch it, does it move at the same time as you move the lever? That is welded to a tube that is inside the column, there is normally a plastic bushing around the tube to keep it centered, if that failed the lever you drew the circle on will not just rotate, it could be loose in the tube and not moving the linkage.
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Friday, March 15th, 2024 AT 9:59 PM
Tiny
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I will see if I can get someone to shift it for me and watch it. I wanted to do that but I have not been able to. It is hard to see inside the tube now as you can see by the picture, because he lubricated it to see if it would make it move. Before he did that I saw that the lever was connected to the tube, but I do not remember seeing any plastic bushing. I will need to try and clean that and take a look. If that was missing, would it still allow it to shift through all the gears and just not park?

The mechanic was trying to figure out how it works inside the tube. He ordered a new tube to replace this one, but all he got was an empty tube.

The shift selector does not seem to want to move as it used to. I pull back on it and it does not want to move, which is why he thought it was the shift lever return spring. Since that was never installed from the manufacturer, how did it shift for 42 years?
Thank you again for your time and effort.
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Saturday, March 16th, 2024 AT 3:55 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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It sort of sounds like the shift comb might be the issue but to get to it you need to strip the column apart. The column is basically tubes installed inside each other. The steering shaft is in the middle. Then the shift tube is around that, it supports the steering shaft with bearings. Then there is the outer column tube, it uses a series of bearings and bushings to support the other 2 tubes. There are holes in the outer tube that allow the neutral start switch to mount and the lower shift lever to come through.
These might give you a better idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2YdagO286Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6vAUW6Kpo
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Saturday, March 16th, 2024 AT 8:03 PM
Tiny
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I just finished watching the videos. That was quite informative. My mechanic should watch these, since he does not know how the parts that control the shift mechanism. Mine is a non-tilt column so it should be easier, and the key cylinder is on the dash and not the column. I wish I would have seen these videos, since I could not locate the neutral safety switch. My manual showed it on the transmission. I did not see any mention of a shift comb. Where exactly is the shift comb located? I have an exploded view, but it does not show a shift comb. Thank you so much for giving me the information. I was not able to find these videos when I looked for them.
I should know what it is this week.
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Sunday, March 17th, 2024 AT 4:48 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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The shift comb is also called a shift gate. It is the part that stops the shift lever in the correct gear. So, say you shift into drive, you have to pull up on the lever to go from drive into reverse. If you just try to move the lever, it shouldn't move unless you pull up on the lever. It is made to match the transmission you have. So, in an earlier car where you might have a 2-speed automatic or an available 3 speed automatic the gate is different.
Yes, the earlier column with no tilt or key is much simpler. It only has the turn signal switch and the horn in it. As a bit of trivia, it is actually simpler than the original Model T column!
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Sunday, March 17th, 2024 AT 8:09 AM

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