My shifter is all over the place, it's hard to shift back to park.

And it's difficult to get the van started, due to the shifter is in the wrong position.

Example: shifter is in park, but it may be on the edge of being in reverse. Wobbling the shifter back and forth it will in the end slip into park again, so the truck starts.

Also it's hard to find the right gear, put it in drive and it sometimes is in 2. 1 is not there anymore.
When in drive I can move the shifter up and down without changing gear, between neutral and 2.

Anybody have a partslist of what I need to change in the steering column?

Edit: Also when driving uphill in a hard left hand turn at 40-50 mph the engine revs up and down. Any clue for this?
Another problem, when braking for red lights at intersections, after stopping, the van want's to jump forward even when the brakes are fully applied?

 

Shifter: There are 2 (I think, it's been a while) Torx bolts/screws on the column that typically come loose. Just crawl under and look at the column while you wiggle the shifter. Tightening these bolts make a huge difference.

 

^^^ This is correct, 2 T30 Torx screws at the base of the shifter tube to the plate where the cable attaches. I just fixed this 2 days ago after the same starting issue cropped up. However, the bushings on my shifter tube were also really worn so I replaced the tube with a Dorman unit from Advance for roughly $30. Now the shifter is solid and functions like new. My only complaint is the Dorman unit is Chinese white metal (the original is white metal also, but a bit better looking at least). It came with the bushings pre-installed so I left it alone as to not distort the bushings and threw it on. All the factory parts I saved should the Dorman one break and I assume the bushings can be purchased at the dealer, Advance was way closer to the shop in my case. All in all a 30 minute job.

As for the other issues I can't help there, hope others will know

 

Thanks you guys
FTE forum is the best place to get help with all sorts of Ford truck problems.

Looked under the dash, wiggled the shifter and found 2 T30 torx screws.
One was hidden on the floor under the floor mat and the other was barely in there.

Tightened them up and shifter moves fine in all gears.

The end play of the shaft under there is only about 5mm, should I consider changing the shaft tube and bushings? or just leave it for now?

 

I tighten these bolts about once a year.
Doc

 

Use some Blue Loctite and be done with them...

 

Loctite is on my next shopping list
Truck started and stopped fine all day, but now my brake warning light is on.
I step on the brake and it lights up, let go of the brake, then step on it again and it's hard as a rock, and the truck uses 10-20 yards extra before coming to a halt
After driving a couple of hundred yards the light goes away again.

Vacuum pump is my concern right now i think. Will check the vacuum tomorrow.

Any body tried to use a 12 volts operated vacuum pump for emergency?

 

You got the part number? My shifter bushings are all shot to hell. Torx bolts are tight but I still have a bunch of play.

Richard

 

Dorman number: 905 100 Shifter tube complete with bushings

You can also get the bushings separate.