Adjusting Selector Cable and Switch Sensor

Wile E. Coyote

Wile E. Coyote

3rd Gear Poster
Joined
Sep 21, 2023
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186
Location
NJ
Vehicle Details
1996 Tbird LX, SVO blown 4.6 // 1990 Tbird SC Drift missile, OHV 5.0
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Since I have had my 96 LXs shift assembly on the side of the trans apart, it has not been right.

It wont go fully into park, it wont go into 1st, I have to rock the shifter back and forth to actually select the desired gear, but the car believes that what I select is correct.

If I put the car in park, itll start. But youll hear the transmission grinding against the parking paw since its not fully selected.

If I put the car in neutral, itll start. But the wheels will turn forwards or backwards. Depends on where I shifted from.


I have no idea what ive done wrong. Ive tried adjusting the cable half a dozen times and nothing has fixed the issue.

Any tips, past experiences, or procedures on how to properly align everything would be awesome.
 
Did you take the Neutral safety switch off? Did you do anything to the actual selector lever? Anything done inside the trans?
 
supergordo said:
Did you take the Neutral safety switch off? Did you do anything to the actual selector lever? Anything done inside the trans?
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I have not messed with the transmission internally.
 
That sensor on the side that was mentioned in the above reply is very important to set correctly if it's off you can get all sorts of weird shift issues they will almost buck going into od if it's off so definitely check that and see where it's at. Not sure if it causing your issues for certain but something you want to have set correctly
 
MadMikeyL said:
The neutral safety switch actually has lines on the sensor body and on the moving part that will line up when in neutral. Disconnect the cable from the trans, move the shift lever to neutral, then adjust the sensor until those lines are lined up.
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:headbang: Ditto.
 
If you don't have a datalogging setup, you can use the reverse lights to set it. Mine is never right on the line, for some reason. Make sure it's the upgraded mlps, with the weather seal. With nothing done inside the trans, you should not hear the parking pawl; it's on a linkage inside. possibly the rooster comb is loose. Time to drop the pan.
 
Grog6 said:
If you don't have a datalogging setup, you can use the reverse lights to set it. Mine is never right on the line, for some reason. Make sure it's the upgraded mlps, with the weather seal. With nothing done inside the trans, you should not hear the parking pawl; it's on a linkage inside. possibly the rooster comb is loose. Time to drop the pan.
Click to expand...
The issue ended up being the "balljoint" on the end of the cable. It was loose and causing play and wouldn't go into any gear fully. Removed it, pushed the 'tongs' to be tighter, and reinstalled. Works fine now.



Thread can be closed.
 
Wile E. Coyote said:
The issue ended up being the "balljoint" on the end of the cable. It was loose and causing play and wouldn't go into any gear fully. Removed it, pushed the 'tongs' to be tighter, and reinstalled. Works fine now.



Thread can be closed.
Click to expand...
Love the simple fixes.
 
supergordo said:
Love the simple fixes.
Click to expand...
yes simple fixes are the best but sometimes just figuring out what needs to be fixed is the PITA part of it then for me I always end up telling myself how the hell did I not realize that...oh wait its because i'm in idiot lol
 
I told my buddy that bought the tbird about this thread; he's continued to have a classic mlps problems that I had. I've replaced the switch twice, went thru tons of dielectric grease, and it still randomly gets commanded to 2nd. All I can figure at this point is a wire under the console.
 
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