84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park

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Jul 31, 2010 | 05:22 PM
  #1  
Was pulling into my driveway - stopped to let the kids out before I pulled in the garage - put it in park - went to put back in drive and the shifter moves from gear to gear without engaging the transmission at all. I am guessing the shifter cable broke. Here is the immediate problem though - I need to get it in the garage and cannot get it out of park! Is the a way I can manually get it into neutral so that I can push it into the garage? I only need to move it about 30 feet. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Jul 31, 2010 | 05:25 PM
  #2  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
I had a shift cable slip off of the transmission in a camaro I used to have. Look under to see if the cable is still attached, or just broken. If it came off, you should be able to shift it to get into your garage. If it is broken, have someone in the car holding the brakes, and try to push the shift lever on the transmission with your hand. Pushing it towards the back of the car that is, 2 clicks back will be neutral.
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Jul 31, 2010 | 05:27 PM
  #3  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
yeah you can, you need to make sure your engine is off, make sure you lock your wheels with bricks rocks or something of that nature, apply emergency/parking brake... then underneath from the drivers side you would simply move the lever 2 clicks to neutral, then simply just push it on in...
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Jul 31, 2010 | 06:15 PM
  #4  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
Thanks guys - worked great. Car is in the garage. When I was under there (too big to get all the way under) I noticed that the spring (which I presume is the "cable") was not attached to the lever. The spring has a hoop or a circle on the end and presume it somehow attaches to the lever with that circle and it somehow slipped off. Am I on the right track? Thanks again for the help - I really appreciate it.
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Jul 31, 2010 | 07:43 PM
  #5  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
Quote: Thanks guys - worked great. Car is in the garage. When I was under there (too big to get all the way under) I noticed that the spring (which I presume is the "cable") was not attached to the lever. The spring has a hoop or a circle on the end and presume it somehow attaches to the lever with that circle and it somehow slipped off. Am I on the right track? Thanks again for the help - I really appreciate it.
Not a problem.

It isnt a spring, but rather just a rubber cover to keep debris out of the cable. There is a small stud on the transmission shift lever that the cable simply presses onto. The plastic on the end of the cable gets worn out and causes to cable to come off.

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Aug 1, 2010 | 07:55 PM
  #6  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park - additional question
right - it isn't a coil. I have located it and all it did was slip off. I put it back on the stud and it works - but when I shift it back into park it pops off again. What holds the cable to the stud? It seems like there may have been a cap or something that would have have slipped over the stud after you put the cable on? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again.
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Aug 1, 2010 | 09:22 PM
  #7  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park - additional question
Quote: right - it isn't a coil. I have located it and all it did was slip off. I put it back on the stud and it works - but when I shift it back into park it pops off again. What holds the cable to the stud? It seems like there may have been a cap or something that would have have slipped over the stud after you put the cable on? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again.
No cap or anything, its just the way that the plastic end is molded to the cable. It works similar to the way that the clutch master cylinder would hook to the clutch pedal, just snaps in place, and when the plastic gets weak, it just keeps popping off, and needs to be replaced.

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Aug 9, 2010 | 08:45 PM
  #8  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
I am going to risk getting laughed off this forum but I cannot figure it out so I have to ask. Let me start by saying I have not actually been able to see under the car because I do not have a lift so what I am going to say is based strictly on what I can feel by reaching under the car. I bought a new shifter cable. The cable has a screw-like fitting on the end that attaches to the shift lever underneath the car. But, from what I can tell the lever that I am attaching the cable to just has a stud on the end for a ring or loop to fit over - not a place to screw in a fitting. So, I figure I am missing something obvious and will be embarrassed when someone tells me the answer but I cannot figure it out. The new cable is the one sold by all the major auto parts stores for third gen camaros. What am I missing? I appreciate the help.
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Aug 9, 2010 | 09:07 PM
  #9  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
The selector arm on the tranmission has a slot on it. The threaded part on the cable goes through the slot, and a nut is screwed on from the other side.
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Aug 10, 2010 | 04:48 AM
  #10  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
I replaced mine back in 04 or so, but I can't recall, however, what I do recommend is getting yourself a mirror... I'm sure your wife has one..
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Aug 24, 2010 | 09:13 PM
  #11  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
Appreciate all the help. OK, so I finally got a cable from O'Reilly - my neighbor got it up on his lift - and it is 1/4-1/2 in short. Because it is too short it won't go into park - when the shifter is in park the car is in actually reverse. Is there some sort an adjustment that can be made to the cable (I couldn't find a place to adjust the length of the cable)
or do I need to go get a cable from another manufacturer? Thanks again for the help.
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Aug 24, 2010 | 09:42 PM
  #12  
Re: 84 Z28 700R4 automatic stuck in park
Are you sure it's clipped in correctly at the shifter end?
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