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Problem with column shifter or shift cable 91 MGM

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    Problem with column shifter or shift cable 91 MGM

    Posting this one to keep from hijacking another unrelated thread.
    It will be another couple of weekends until I have the time to dig into it but maybe I can get some ideas on what I broke before I get back into it.
    I'm pretty sure I caused the problem myself.

    What it does is the column shifter on my 91 MGM will only shift the transmission into P R N OD.
    Can't get D or 1.

    If I disconnect the shift cable at the trans and move the lever at the trans by hand it moves through all the gears.
    With the cable disconnected if someone moves the column shifter through each position the cable does not move with every movement of the column shifter. The cable only moves 3 times: P-R, R-N, N-OD.

    How did I break it you ask?
    Well when I got the car back in October 2012 I had to swap the trans since it only had 1st and 2nd. The column shifter worked as it should before I did the trans swap.
    After swapping from my 89 MGM I tried to make the trans shift lever work but was unable to get the trans to go into P or R, but if I really jammed the column shifter up into P the trans would go to reverse (I'm not sure why I do things that I know are a bad idea ).
    I figured out that I needed the original trans shift lever for each car so I swapped both and the 89 works perfect now but the 91 works as described above.
    The trans shifts right, the issue is somewhere between the column shifter and shift cable.

    Some pics:

    Trans in Park:


    Trans in Reverse:


    The trans will stay in Reverse through the whole range from R just about to OD.
    Both of these pics the trans is still in reverse:


    The trans in Neutral:


    The trans in Over Drive:


    I should have taken pics to see how much movement I get in the other positions, I'll have to do that tomorrow.
    Hmmm, now that I've sat down and wrote this all down, where I really need to start is at the bottom of the shift tube where the shift cable is connected.
    I've been down there before, the plate/bracket the cable is attached to is attached with 2 or 3 torx screws which were all tight.
    I'll report back once I get a chance to look at it some more.
    Vic

    ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
    ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
    ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
    ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

    #2
    attachments no worky

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

    Comment


      #3
      I couldn't edit the first post so lets try again.
      And the car has been like this since October so I'm not really in any rush to get to the bottom it.

      Trans in Park:
      Click image for larger version

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      Trans in Reverse:
      Click image for larger version

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      The trans will stay in Reverse through the whole range from R just about to OD.
      Both of these pics the trans is still in reverse:
      Click image for larger version

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      The trans in Neutral:
      Click image for larger version

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      The trans in Over Drive:
      Click image for larger version

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      Vic

      ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
      ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
      ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
      ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

      Comment


        #4
        My car has the same problem. The shifter will be in N but I'm actually in O/D. If your Merc is the same way as my Lincoln, it's just a white plastic collar under the steering column that is broken and isn't tight around the shaft. It's supposed to be an easy fix if you can find a good new one to replace it with. Or you could ziptie it if you wanted to. I've left mine the way it is since I'm used to driving with it that way.

        1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series | 249k miles, current project car
        2018 BMW 430i xDrive M-Sport | 50k miles
        2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport | 97k miles

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by L1011tristar17 View Post
          My car has the same problem. The shifter will be in N but I'm actually in O/D. If your Merc is the same way as my Lincoln, it's just a white plastic collar under the steering column that is broken and isn't tight around the shaft. It's supposed to be an easy fix if you can find a good new one to replace it with. Or you could ziptie it if you wanted to. I've left mine the way it is since I'm used to driving with it that way.
          Your problem and his are completely different. He can't physically shift past overdrive on the transmission. Your indicator just doesn't line up.

          VicCrownVic

          Is the shifter really loose to move? I've seen those stupid cable linkages get sloppy after a while, making it almost impossible to shift. The fix was tightening some loose bolts on the back of the column near the firewall. I don't know if this is your issue. But thought I'd throw that out there..

          Comment


            #6
            Mine is just plain sloppy, and doesn't necessarily point to the gear that it is in. My two torx bolts on the cable linkage at the back of the column are fine and tight. The latest problem invoves the key cylinder not being able to turn through all its positions, and the key cylinder itself is fine. Can the damn shift tube cause my problem? Not sure.... It has always been sloppy but seems to have possibly gotten worse. then the key thing.
            95 DGM Impala SS, 383, LT4 cnc heads, LT4 matched intake, Holley 58 mm t/body, GM 846 cam, GMPP 1.5 rr's, F-body MAF, BH OBD I PCM, LT4 knock module, K&N cold air, Edelbrock headers, Flowmaster exhaust, BBHP #73 6-speed, 4:10 gear, sloted and drilled rotors, Z28 cluster
            96 Buick Roadmaster Limited Wagon, mostly stock
            77 Ford F150, 400M auto, longbed
            98 Suburban LS 5.7L Vortec, stock
            90 Grand Marquis, stock

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by 86VickyLX View Post
              Your problem and his are completely different. He can't physically shift past overdrive on the transmission. Your indicator just doesn't line up.

              VicCrownVic

              Is the shifter really loose to move? I've seen those stupid cable linkages get sloppy after a while, making it almost impossible to shift. The fix was tightening some loose bolts on the back of the column near the firewall. I don't know if this is your issue. But thought I'd throw that out there..
              89 TC and 91 MGM are different setup, I have come across that fix before.
              The shifter is very loose to move, I've read about the bolts coming loose but maybe I was looking at the wrong bolts. They're t25 torx bolts IIRC, the bracket that the shift cable linkage is attached to is held on by these bolts.
              If those are the bolts I completely removed those and reinstalled them to make sure they were tight.
              When I had that bracket off, it was a couple months ago but IIRC after I moved the shifter out of park it would flop all the way down.

              I wont be able to get back to either this or the key issue alchemist is talking about until Sunday though.
              Vic

              ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
              ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
              ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
              ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

              Comment

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