by Guest Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:03 pmHey is there any grease fittings on the shift rod linkage near the bottom of the column??...I have 1st and reverse no problem....if i force down in neutral..i can catch second and third...but i know it should slide from first to neutral to second much easier..thought i would ask before i get to worried about it..thanx
shift lever problems?
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12246
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
It has a spring that holds the shift shaft down in 2nd and 3rd position,,,,,,,there is a plastic cap over the spring,,,,,,,the shaft probably needs some lube in that housing that bolts onto the steering box,,,,,,I would shoot some WD40 on the whole thing and see if you can get the shaft to move up and down with the shift lever,,,,,,
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12246
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
But make sure first that the levers are adjusted right,,,,,,with the van in neutral, the levers should be even, not out of alignment.
Guest- Guest
thanx donivan...that helps me out huge...i will confirm the shift lever location...and add lots of wd 40...like i say i can get 2nd 3rd..but i really have to force it hard ..so i thought i should ask before i break something......hey i guess its true you have pictures of almost everything pertaining to these trucks!!!!
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12246
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
I got lots of parts hanging around and a Red Van and a Blue Van wearing those parts also. Either your shifter shaft is sticking or the trans levers are stopping your shifting. I would put a piece of tape on the shifter shaft by the blower switch with the van in neutral. Then, lift up on the shift lever and see if the shaft goes up about 1/2" like this blue tape on my shaft. And if you have to move the shift lever up or down a little just to let the shifter shaft go up, then it is out of adjustment at the trans. This is a 3 speed shift lever assembly,,,,there is a dowel rod in the shift shaft that the spring pulls down into the 2nd and 3rd lever,,,,,and when you lift the shift lever, it slides that dowel rod up, out of the 2nd and 3rd lever, into the 1st and reverse lever. And then you select your gear and it moves the lever and rod......
donivan65- Governor
- Number of posts : 12246
Location : San Diego, California
Registration date : 2008-05-12
AND,,,,,,,don't be mean to your shift lever,,,,,if you break that little ball off it you won't have 1st or Reverse,,,,,,
Guest- Guest
thanx again....im off to my truck it was a little cold this morning...minus 10 ferinhight..or how ever you spell that....but i will take heed of what you have told me and i will investigate further...should be interesting to see if she will start...with this cold.....i figured that if i reefed on it to hard i would mess something up......again thanx for the pictures....
Guest- Guest
thanx for all your help...adjusted the shift arms just a little lubed everything up...shifts like it was new......glad i asked......
Guest- Guest
Put an automatic in...problem solved. 
Guest- Guest
donivan65 wrote:AND,,,,,,,don't be mean to your shift lever,,,,,if you break that little ball off it you won't have 1st or Reverse,,,,,,
The shift lever on my first one was broken off at the hole (Fulcrum), and for two years all I had to shift with was the stubby lever housing on the column itself...After I installed the 283, I usually started off in second gear anyway...
