help swapping trannys

[shanetwotrees]

Hey guys, got a tranny from an 87 cougar for my 89 gm. Its mounted in the car and everything is hooked up besides the shift linkage. Its too short to reach the shifter on the 87 tranny. The gm tranny is pointing up towards the throttle and the cougar is pointing down. Whats the easiest way to fix this? Extend the shift linkage? Or swap the shifter on the trannys? If its to swap the shifter on the trannys could someone explain how to do it so I don't have to figure it out for myself. Thanks in advance!

[phayzer5]

I vaguely remember something about taking it out and flipping it, but I could be completely talking out of my @$$ on this one. The only tranny work I've physically done resulted in an egg-shaped converter snout

[VicCrownVic]

Phayzer5 might be right, I have no clue, but IF flipping the lever will not work you will need to swap your shift lever from the original trans. If the original trans is junk it might be best to start by taking that one apart just to see how things work before touching the good trans.

85crownHPP mentioned this lever swap Here in post #6.

I know there is more on this subject somewhere on this site, if I find it again I can direct you there.

I hope it's ok that I copied this picture from Andypot1985 in "Wierd difference in new/used transmission" thread, I modified it for the purpose if this thread:

I'm not sure of the best order, but remove the nut on the outside of the trans on shift lever where the Red arrow is in the pic.
Then remove the large nut inside the trans on the end of the selector shaft, you can't see it in the pic but it's somewhere near the yellow arrow.
And there is a pin that needs to be removed, dikes work well, where blue arrow points in the pic.
Once those three things are done, and not necessarily in that order, the shift lever can be removed but make sure not to move the internals too much.


I have only done this once, I just did a trans swap 2 months ago between a 89 MGM and a 91 MGM and had to swap shift levers. My dad had a junk AOD that he let me practice on since I had never done this shift lever swap before and both transmissions needed to work the same as they did before I touched them. It was a good thing too, there is a little spring that I ended up popping out of place on the junker, but once I got into the good trans I knew how to avoid this and everything went smooth.

Also here is a a must see thread, aod tv cable adjustment info, that you really should take a look at once you have everything back together.

[gadget73]

you need to change the lever out. On your old one, remove the pan, the nut holding the small outer lever, and the large nut on the inside of the trans holding the shift lever. There is also a roll pin in the pan rail that needs to come out. Once thats all undone, the shift lever should pull straight out of the side of the case. Do the same thing to the one in the car, and replace it with the original Grand Marq parts. Make sure you get all the bits inside lined up right or you won't have any gears.

[VicCrownVic]

you need to change the lever out.

If gadget73 says you need to change it, you need to change it. I might be new here but I know he knows his stuff.


Vic

[johnunit]

Here's what you need to do.

[jaywish]

great find there.