So I started up my truck today to tow my brother out because he had got his truck stuck in deep snow in my driveway. After I pulled him out and had my truck parked again I had it in 4x4 from climbing over the snowbank to get to where I park it and I figured I might as well put it into low range and work it out a bit. Welli whent to put it into 4 low and it wouldn't budge past 4 hi, couldn't get it into neutral or low range, pulled as hard as I could and nothing. I tried putting it into park and trying it and that didn't work either. It was working a month ago but it was kind of rough when I moved it. If it helps at all I it was like -20 -30 celcius the last three days so I'm wondering if a rusty linkage and froze linkage combination had something to do with it

 

I have had this problem before. I never solved it because I got a new truck before ever fixing it. But I am almost positive it was just sticky linkage and probably is for you too.

 

Ok thanks for the response, when it warms upa little ill get out under the truck and try and lube up the linkage. I've got a new problem now that I've found. I've got a piece of linkage underneath my air breather that looks like a kickdown from a carbed vehicle. I'm guessing that s what it is, anyways I followed down to underneath my truck and it looks like it was supposed to be attached to another piece of linkage that goes into the tranny, but the bolt or whatever that attached them broke so there just sitting there, cab anyone verify if that sounds like the kickdown and if I could just drill out the old bolt and reattach them with a New bolt?

 

Did you try putting tranny in neutral then you have to push down as you shift it to nuetral or 4low

 

No I didn't try that I will try it tomorrow. I've got another new question now. My tach is acting ready weird. When I first start my engine and it's still cold my tach will be jumping around in a range of about 300rpms but only when my drivers door is open, when it's closed my tach doesn't work just sits at zero, then when my engine warms up the tach gets more constant when it's working with door open and sometimes when the engines warned it will work with the door closed

 

I don't know when they changed over, but the older trucks didn't push down.
On my my 88, you pull the transfer case shifter to the left to get into neutral and 4 low. There is a plate on the linkage that works as a gate, and a nub that sticks up to prevent you from pulling straight back from 2 high through 4 high and neutral to 4 low. However, the part that keeps the lever to the right is a soft rubber chunk and it degrades over time allowing the lever to flop over to the left. I'm guessing this is one of the reasons ford redesigned it at some point to a push down.

Its possible the linkage froze up. The one on my truck was all rusted up and didn't work right. I was able to take it apart, clean off all the rust, and grease it so its nice and easy to use now.

 

Ya idk when they switched either the oldest i have owned is a 92 my in laws have an 89 I have drove but never used the 4x4 in it so can't tell ya it might also be when they switched from the c6 to the e4od both of our trucks have that

 

ok I will be moving my truck today so ill try your guys suggestions, does anyone with electrical experience have any idea whats goin on with my tach?

 

So I tried shifting into 4x4 low and neutral and snapped my effin shifter *** bolts off the god damn linkage right where it attaches just below the floor, didn't even wrench on it hard, so from looking at it I have one spot in the linkage that's easy to get too from inside the truck that's Rusty and the rest is all covered in grease and looks good. So I'm gonna hear that one spot up and try and clean as much rust off as possible. Also the bolts that snapped off are in the wrist place ever to drill em out only way to would be to take the hole assembly apart, so my question is would it be a problem for me to just weld this piece back on? I know for a fact it is not a piece that needs to rotate or anything it's just where the shift lever connects to the linkage to move the linkage around

 

Anyone have an opinion on welding it back into place just want to make surei don't f anything up

 

You're better off taking it off the transmission and drilling the bolts out. Most likely something else is screwed up with the linkage that you need to fix and welding it together won't fix that problem. I think its like two bolts that hold it to the transmission, and you pop the linkage arm off the stud with a pry bar (do that first, then take the bolts off).

 

the BW 1356 t-case used behind the diesels used the push left and pull back to shift to neutral and low, the BW 1354 t-case used the push down and pull back shift pattern in 88, 89, and 90. not sure on when the shift pattern changed to push doen and pull for all t-cases though.

the linkage that goes from the injector pump down to the driver side of the trans in indeed the downshift linkage, if i remember correctly it connects to the lever on the trans outside of the shift linkage

 

Ok I've pulled the linkage off and figured out what was wrong, this transfer case does need to be pulled to the left and back to go into 4 low and neutral, I swear ive done it before without Doing that maybe I just didn't notice. Anyways the piece that needs to move and pull up when you move the shifter to the left is all seized up, I've been hammering it back and forth all day with a ball pean to try and loosen it up, it moves in three hit s more but still isn't moving good, I've sprayed tones of wd40 and lube on it but still pretty seized up, I've also been trying to remove the bolt that holds the piece in but it is really seized up and my blow torch. Won't heat it up enough, not even close ti getting red hot. So I'll be bringing it into my dad's shop tomorrow to get some real torches on it and hopefully free things up

 

and get some real penetrating oil like PB Blaster.
wd40 is a water displacing formula, and does net work very well at all for penetrating oil.

 

so today I was succesfull in freeing up the part that needs to move left to go to neutral, I also managed to drill out the broken bolts and re tap the holes and get new bolts in, tomorrow I will reattach it and hopefully it should work well. on the other hand ive been working on my 89 mach 1 583 rave trying to get it to quit bogging when I hit the throttle, something that happened out of nowhere. I cleaned the carbs, removed the tank, couldn't find a fuel filter, refilled tank with fresh gas and poured some iso based fuel de waterer in and still is bogging down