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1986 F150 AOD 5.0L
Question: Is there a detent mechanism built into the column shifter? The transmission shift shaft itself has detents to positively "hold" shaft in the selected gear. The question refers to the selector lever on the column. Does it also have detents? Does the column have to be synchronized with the transmission?
Since the recent transmission R&R on my truck, the lever is out of whack compared to before. I have to fiddle with it a bit to engage the Park/Neutral switch. Not so much Park as Neutral. I have to "lean" the shift lever left to engage the switch and also to "unlock" the ignition switch.
EDIT: It wasn't an issue with the P/ N switch. It was the key switch interlock. Should have been focusing on the "unlock" key switch.
Same transmission, same column, same linkages as when new. I did "mess" with it a bit. I had the column uncovered to pull the dash out. I broke and then repaired the indicator cable.
1986 F150 AOD 5.0L
Question: Is there a detent mechanism built into the column shifter? The transmission shift shaft itself has detents to positively "hold" shaft in the selected gear. The question refers to the selector lever on the column. Does it also have detents? Does the column have to be synchronized with the transmission?
Since the recent transmission R&R on my truck, the lever is out of whack compared to before. I have to fiddle with it a bit to engage the Park/Neutral switch. Not so much Park as Neutral. I have to "lean" the shift lever left to engage the switch and also to "unlock" the ignition switch.
Same transmission, same column, same linkages as when new. I did "mess" with it a bit. I had the column uncovered to pull the dash out. I broke and then repaired the indicator cable.
No detents on the column it's all in the trans. The Neutral safety switch is out of adjustment is all.
Isn't there an adjustment on the linkage sticking out of the column under the hood? I can't remember on these particular trucks. Some vehicles will let you slide the rod up and down out there to co-ordinate the column with the transmisson. Rust and poor body mounts will also cause a problem like this.
Isn't there an adjustment on the linkage sticking out of the column under the hood? Rust and poor body mounts will also cause a problem like this.
Hmm. I did install new cab mounts.
I don't see any adjustment for the switch. The George Reid AOD Transmissions book makes no mention of switch adjustment. Haynes only deals with C4, C5, C6. If the adjustment is internal, how could it get out of whack? Dropping the transmission on the shaft side? Transmission may have rolled over on that side when I was removing it.
Isn't there an adjustment on the linkage sticking out of the column under the hood? I can't remember on these particular trucks. Some vehicles will let you slide the rod up and down out there to co-ordinate the column with the transmisson. Rust and poor body mounts will also cause a problem like this.
Really you have no clue and still have to comment .....
I don't see any adjustment for the switch. The George Reid AOD Transmissions book makes no mention of switch adjustment. Haynes only deals with C4, C5, C6. If the adjustment is internal, how could it get out of whack? Dropping the transmission on the shaft side? Transmission may have rolled over on that side when I was removing it.
Double-check the nut holding the linkage on the input shaft. Also check that the link on the trans was not bent since it was rolled over while out.
The adjustment is at the end of the link coming from the column. If you can not get it adjusted properly with that. There is the possibility that you have bent/twisted the splines in the roster comb inside the trans when you rolled it over. That will require some surgery to fix and a new rooster comb.
The adjustment is at the end of the link coming from the column..
So there is an adjustment on the column linkage under the hood. I thought there was but wasn't sure. That will co-ordinate the column PRNDL of the column with the detents in the transmission.
So there is an adjustment on the column linkage under the hood. I thought there was but wasn't sure. That will co-ordinate the column PRNDL of the column with the detents in the transmission.
The underhood adjustment is to set the end of travel so it matches the column end of travel, if you are getting a no start on the right detent (Park or neutral detent on the rooster comb) then other issues are at play.
There is a long slot for adjustment in the linkage.
I can see where this will probably solve the column indicator issue.
On the other hand, I think I must have a misadjustment at the switch. Column indicator aside, if the shifter is positively in a gear, including P & N, I shouldn't have to fiddle with the lever to coax the switch. Both shift shaft and switch are "downstream" of the linkage.
I see no indication that the transmission rolled over on the shifter side. When it rolled, it was about five inches off the floor. Jack and a slab of plywood under the pan. I thought I remembered it rolling towards me on the passenger side. There's not a mark on the shifter.
So, if it needs looked at inside, well, I'll wait on that.
I do have a AOD from a '88 Crown Vic sitting here with all the oil drained already. I may look at it to see how the whole deal works. I'll go back through the Reid manual to see if he has something to say about the switch in the assembly section.
The underhood adjustment is to set the end of travel so it matches the column end of travel, if you are getting a no start on the right detent (Park or neutral detent on the rooster comb) then other issues are at play.
You posted this while I was typing. Yes, I do believe something else is afoot.
I would not adjust the column linkage to adjust the PRNDL indicator. The PRNDL cluster indicator is adjusted on top of the column, underneath the plastic cover you take off. Where the string bolts to the column it should have a slot there.
I thought you could mark the column adjustment under the hood, slide it just a little bit so your neutral safety works in neutral, and then put it back in park and see if it still starts in park position.
Thanks to the dialogue here I did solve the problem. I didn't help! I, in fact, muddied up the discussion.
I thought I was fiddling with the Park / Neutral switch. I wasn't. It was the mechanical key switch lockout. So my original post pointed everyone the wrong way. I'll go back and edit in a note on that first post.
I placed the shifter in Park and I notice that the lever was in a slight bind against the key switch interlock. I loosened the nut on the slotted linkage and everything just settled in where it wanted to be. Tightened the nut there and it works just as it always did before. The indicator is not perfect but I guess if I was inclined to do so, I can adjust it as mentioned just above.
Very, very happy with my truck's transmission now.
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