Coming across an issue where she won't start in park.
Not even turn over, jus like a dead battery.

Move the gear shaft up and down and sometimes starts.
Also, noticed that the shift indicator don't quite line up with
PRND2L...

Any suggestions...?

 

That problem happens a lot with older vehicles. The neutral safety switch no longer makes contact due to wear of the selector components. If you hold up on the gear selector it will most likely start every time.

You can adjust the selector rod from underneath the truck. There should be a rod with a long slot and a lock nut. You just need to loosen the lock nut and slide it to shorten the rod length a bit so it makes contact with the safety switch again and it will most likely line back up with drive letters on the column. It helps (not necessary) to have a person in the cab while you are adjusting the rod.

 

Automatic Transmission Shift Rod or Shift Cable Adjustment... C6 and E4OD

1 Raise vehicle on jack stands or hoist. (I'd block well and scramble under)

2 From inside the vehicle, place the select lever in D/C6 and OD/E4OD . Hang a three

pound weight on the selector lever ( six pack still full)

3 Remove shift cable from the transmission lever ball stud/shift rod.

4 Pull down the lock tab on the shift cable body.

5 Position transmission lever in drive position. This is three detents from the front-most

lever position with the first position counting as one.

6 Connect the cable and end fitting to the transmission lever ball stud/shift rod.

7 Push up on the lock tab to lock the cable in the correctly adjusted position or tighten nut

and bolt.

8 Remove jack stands and lower vehicle from hoist. Remove three pound weight from

column shift select lever.

9 After making adjustment, check for Park engagment. Check the transmission control lever

in all detent positions with the engine running to make sure correct detent/transmission

actions. Readjust if necessary.

CAUTION:
Under no circumstances will it be permissible to adjust the cable/shift rod in any position

other than D for C6 or OD for E4OD.

Now all should be ok if it is in PARK and everything works, remove blocks.

Road test...................(drink warm beer)

 

Good post PLC7.3. I keep forgetting about shift "cables"...comes from having and working on old stuff all the time I guess.

 

PLC, thanks for the detailed info, I did this last sunday and it worked great for about three days, now it is back again, however, the indicator still matches up with the letters. Is the switch bad?, Is it possible to bypass?

Thanks for all the help!

 

If this is a C-6, It may be that the neutral safety need to be adjusted to the shaft. Loosen the 2 bolts that hold the neutral saftey to the case. In neutral, there is a hole that you insert a #43 drill bit thru. Make sure it goes thru 3 holes in the switch. (Insert aprox 1/2 in.) Tighten the bolts. This should be done after the manual linkage is adjusted.

 

Thanks for the reply, I was going down that path thanks to partly trustable Haynes. However, what does a #43 cross reference to? For now, I will try to find one that fits.

Thanks again.

 

It is between 5/64 and 3/32. Don

 

Now, I'm really scratching the head...
Loosened the 2 bolts, placed shifter into neutral, stuck in drill bit and it went about 1/2 inch through. Not sure what else to do, so I tightened it back up and still will not start, unless I go through the gears with the left leg up...

What else could I be missing?

 

just in case, 86 F250 2WD 6.9 C6

 

Do you have reverse lights. They work thru the neutral safety switch. If you have them, then the switch is probably adjusted right. If not try loosening the bolts and rotating the switch slightly. Good luck Don

 

Yes the Reverse Light comes on in when the selector is in reverse.
Went back and check the alignment in neutral and the drill bit still slides in Is it possible for this switch to go bad?, Is there a way to bypass?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

I suspose only half could go bad. Will it start in when you have the drill bit inserted? If so, I would go back to the shifter adjustment. They should be available from NAPA or who ever you deal with. You could bypass, but will really kick yourself when you forget, start it in gear and bust something. Don

 

Has to be a bad switch!
Is there anything in particular I need to know
or is it a straight forward remove and install.
Haynes does not provide any info...

 

So I went and bought a new neutral safety switch, oh and by the way Oreillys has the Motorcraft part for ~$37 but had to wait a day versus Ford who wanted ~$57....I waited the day. Anyways, put it on did the neutral adjust and the samething!!! I did notice that my batts were dead, charged them and they died trying to start the truck, however, I was only partly successful and that was when I placed the gear selector almost on "D" to which I felt that any more nudge I would sent the truck through the garage door.

Any advice on solving this riddle?