QuestionDoug
I was asked by my neighbor to take a look at his 1994 ford conversion van. He had it parked on a hill in his backyard and while trying to get it out of park, broke the shifter handle off. This car is destined to be traded in so he isn't interested in spending much on the repair. A little research on the net showed that since these shifter handles are made of white metal (zinc), not steel, there is quite a history of them breaking. after pulling the column apart, which entailed a lower trim panel and brace be removed, the column unbolted and allowed to drop, the removal of the lock cylinder and finally the column trim covers, I saw that there was a stub of about 3/4" remaining. The handle is hollow and has a cable for the overdrive switch fished through it. The handle snapped at the hole where this cable comes out of it. I devised a repair by making a small steel sleeve about 2" long, drilling a hole in it for the wire, then with a plastic mallet hammering it on to the stub after applying a structural epoxy to the stub. Then I fished the wire through the sleeve after cutting off its connector, filled the open end of the sleeve with the epoxy and inserting the handle. Now once the sleeve was on I was easily able to move the shifter out of park and back in. But after reassembling the entire column and starting the truck up I was not able to move the shifter at all. It feels like it is jammed so I didn't try to force it. My question is this, how does the ignition shifter lock mechanism work and do you think its possible that I somehow jammed it during reassembly. Have you ever heard of a failure like this? I am wondering if this wasn't really the reason they broke the shifter handle in the first place. although they did manage to move the van so they must have gotten it out of park. I have never heard of a transmission problem causing something like this but is that possible? I also shut the van off and then turned the ignition back on and tried it, but it still didn't move. I guess what I am looking for is a basic understanding of the linkage and some insight into what could be wrong with it. (I always seem to get the weird failures! hahaha!)
Any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks! Dave
Answer
Ford column
Hi Dave:
It sounds like the brake release mechanism is failing and that's what caused the problem in the 1st place. Since you have had experience lowering and working on the shifter tube, you will understand this a little better. At the bottom of the shifter tube (down by the floor, but on top of the column) is a locking arm that releases the shifter when you step on the brake.
You need to 1st check to see if the brake lights work. If not, then the interlock mechanism isn't getting any power to release and it's a brake light switch problem. If they do work, then it's a shifter interlock problem.
Nice you define the problem you will be better able to cure it
also, here is our company website with some pictorial instructions on removing the shift tube if you decide you need to go that far.
http://www.stolenandrecovered.com/howto/shifter1.php
Finally, I am enclosing a picture of the column removed so you can see what the shift mechanism looks like
Good luck
Doug
