ATX Shifter broken

[andrea]

How do I fix it? On this 94 I just bought, the ATX shifter handle is loose- basically spins freely, and it is extremely hard to get it out of Park- has to be aligned just perfectly, and even then, takes considerable force on the button to get it to disengage Park. This is the shift lock doing it's job, but my hand now has bruising because of this... is there a way to get the thing back on?!??? This thing is driving me nuts.

Thanks...

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

i take it theres no staple holding it in? you might need one if there isnt.

if you need to replace it its real easy, you take the center console out (only has one screw holding it in under the cup rest, the rest is held in by clips, so it will pop off if you pry it up with a big screwdriver or something), then pull the handle straight off if theres no staple holding it in, careful not to pull so hard as to smack yourself in the face. i know, ive done it....twice...::cough:: moving on now....with that part done you will see 4 tiny nuts holding the shifter panel on the floor, remove them and disconnect the O/D button wire on the shifter and take it out, then put on a new one.

 

[andrea]

Staple?? Errr... no... not that I know of. There's a cut in the leather on it...

I need to get a new shifter ****? Is there any way to use/fix the one I have on now?

Thanks...

 

[kaoticSHO]

You are, of course, stepping on the brake BEFORE you are trying to move the shift lever?

 

[andrea]

I'm not stupid. I KNOW what the shift lock is for, and yes, my foot is firmly on the brake when I am trying to get it out of Park.

It also doesn't like going into Park- it's a repeat of the procedure to get it out of it, except the car is sitting in Reverse while I'm trying to get this into Park.

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

be cool andrea, im sure he wasnt trying to be a ****. but the cut in the leather is for the staple that holds it in place. you may need a new one. new shift handles can be had on ebay for cheap, there are one or two on there right now. im sure some junkyards may have them but i dont know in your area. its quite possible that the spring in the button on your shifter has gone out of whack with the twisting and turning. i would say get the shifter off and either you or someone you know is good with little things see if the button comes out with the spring attached to it so you can possibly replace or repair it. but you should get a staple to hold it in place, although i dont have the staple in mine and havent had a problem yet.

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

ps - i just read the part about not going into park, i had this problem with my chevy, it hated going into park. just started out of the blue one day. but it didnt do it all the time. after a month or two i lost all my gears and was in 4th permanently. had the car towed and it turned out the fluid pump in my transmission blew so it didnt want to change gears from lack of lubrication. in the end it cost me $350 with parts and labor to have it changed out. i would suggest that you *might* have the same problem although it may be more related to the shifter being broken than anything.

<small>[ January 14, 2003, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: BlackOnBlackATX ]</small>

 

[andrea]

The car doesn't like going into Park because the shift handle is broken- basically, I have to align the shift **** (which moves freely, and can be lifted up and down and spun around almost 360 degrees)... the same problem getting it out of park. It's not the tranny, it's the lever. There probably isn't any staple/screw/thing to hold it in place, and I have no idea how to fix it... I don't even know if that's the problem- if something else may be broken.

 

[kaoticSHO]

No, I wasn't trying to be a ****. I just posted to help.

 

[Jr's Sho]

First, find out if you have a clip or staple in there holding the handle on. It sounds like maybe your handle is just coming off the lever below. Take a pick and try to pry inside the cutout to see if there's a clip even in there. If so, maybe you can squeeze it smaller and hope it fixes it. If there isn't, a local Ford dealer or a junkyard can provide you with one. If you need a new handle, consider getting one used. Thunderbirds, Cougars, and Lincoln Mark's use the same handle during the mid 90's.

 

[andrea]

I checked- no clip or staple in the cut in the leather. I tried sticking a paperclip into both ends to see if it would grab- no avail. Paperclip went in both ends (went in pretty deep) and still got the same movement...

 

[91 SHOplus]

kaoticSHO:
You are, of course, stepping on the brake BEFORE you are trying to move the shift lever?

I'm only laughing because I really did that, almost. I had an 80's vintage Caddy and put the parking brake on at my girlfriend's house. Her Dad needed me to move the car so he could get out and I couldnt get the P. brake to disengage. There was NO RELEASE lever.

He then yelled at me "put it in gear" and it came out on it's own automatically. Damn Caddy. Man, was I embarrased!

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

I'm only laughing because I really did that, almost. I had an 80's vintage Caddy and put the parking brake on at my girlfriend's house. Her Dad needed me to move the car so he could get out and I couldnt get the P. brake to disengage. There was NO RELEASE lever.

He then yelled at me "put it in gear" and it came out on it's own automatically. Damn Caddy. Man, was I embarrased!

ha ha, thats funny man. this one time i was valet parking cars for some side cash, it was a real ritzy party, and i went to move this one couples car out of the driveway (a brand new $50,000 mercedes) and i put it in gear and rev the gas and it doesnt go anywhere but it got real loud, and the couple turns and glares at me, and the other guy i was with leans in the window and says to me quietly, "take off the e-brake". i was soooooo embarassed. live and learn i guess

btw, shoplus, did he forbid you from seeing his daughter after that? i would have. j/k, im sorry i couldnt resist

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

you should also throw this post in the troubleshooting section, you might get more replies.

 

[Porod]

Obtain a clip (ask at your ford dealer-they can't cost that much shrug ). Align your shifter in the correct position, and push the clip onto the metal shaft the shift handle sits on (hold clip firmly in needlenose pliers). This will most likey solve your problem. Be sure (not mentioned in your post) that your O/D button is working. This is the time to fix it if it is not. Otherwise, just push that clip on there. If the handle still twists, it will only be a little bit, and you can fix that by removing the clip, squeezing it so the opening is a little smaller, and reinstalling it. HAVE FUN! (sorry about the long post)

 

[Jr's Sho]

After replacing my broker shifter handle recently, it will still twist around, but just a little bit. I could always squeeze the clip a little smaller and hope it fixs it. But for real, call a Ford dealer and if they can't get it, get a small pick and head to the local junkyard.

 

[Bizzy]

when putting the clip in be careful not to drop it, I dropped mine down into the console on my 94GL, and then had the fun task of removing the whole console just to get the stupid clip back. Not really a bad job, but not something I really wanted to do.

 

[mygreensho]

just in case u needed i have a 93 shift handle on ebay right now...looks like new almost...they replaced it when they replaced the OD button after i told them not too oh well....it dont have a staple but if anyones interested
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33703&item=2400234903&rd=1