Thanks for all of your help and the very informative diagrams. I needed to get the car running right away and bought a complete tilt column from a salvage yard, installed it and the car started right up first shot, BUT... it will not go into gear now, the button on the shifter won't budge.......this blows. Any suggestions?

1986 Trans Am stock (for now)
305 c.i. engine, carb
700r4 automatic transmission

 

Not like I know the whole story, but from what I read from that post, I have a suggestion...maybe a lame one, but you never know. The shifter **** is locked when the ignition is off, due to a metal rod which runs from the shifter to the barrel. Have you connected this rod up correctly?

 

drop that thing out and put in a t5 i donno ... try pulling off the **** and see if the little rod moves ?? sorry i don't know much about auto trannys :lala:

 

when you turn the ignition key it's supposed to pull/push (not sure which) on a cable that releases the shifter

 

Yes. Enable the interlock that was on your original column so you can shift when the lock cylinder is turned.

You have to be really careful when swapping columns, since the little features and functions vary a lot between models.

 

Problem solved.. The cable that runs from the shifter to the column was jacked up and not engaging, causing the button on the shifter not to release, and let the car go into gear, so I replaced the entire cable and connections and bingo, runs and starts like a champ. My thanks to everyone that helped out, you guys are the best......later all.

1986 Trans Am stock (for now)
305 c.i. engine, carb
700r4 automatic transmission