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I think the brass casing for the shifter cable/rod is bent, preventing the shifter from ratcheting beyond N. It will shift from P to R to N and then almost into D but not quite. Something is preventing it from reaching D. I've already tried tightening the bracket bolts and bending the brass "sleeve" in the picture straight but I might have just damaged it more.
I recently replaced the flexplate and stupidly ran the securing chain from the transmission jack around the bellhousing and weaved it between the transmission pan and the shifter bracket/rod, leading me to think I bent it. The question is, how do I tell which direction to bend the brass casing and what should I bend, to make the sliding of the shifter rod/cable smooth again?
I know I messed it up through negligence because it worked fine before I replaced the flexplate... stupid mistake that I hope doesnt lead to needing a whole new shifter...
Shifter rod on transmission bracket.
Same rod, different angle.
Update: After looking into it more, it appears I have simply damaged the shifter cable and should just order and install a new one. It doesnt look like I can bend it back to being straight because of the nature of how brass tends to bend, so a nee cable is very likely to be needed. Will update after attempting a new cable install, for documentation purposes.
Last edited by Wickydooda; Jul 4, 2020 at 02:47 PM.
Reason: New findings
A new shifter cable fixed the issue. Sorry for the lame post
Also, a question for the wise: if I align the shifter lever with the cable tip (at the transmission, under the car) in Park & 1st gear, is that good enough? Or should I follow the Megashifter instructions and check for proper sliding in & out of the cable tip at each and every gear position?
