Question-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
when i went to park, the shift lever broke something inside the column. the lever now free flows & i can not start car (must be stuck in drive). what part(s)inside the column do i need to replace? '87 cadillac fleetwood, tilt steering wheel.
yes, the ignition turns as normal & pops back from start...
no, i can not put it in any gear, the shifter lever freely moves without engaging any gear, in fact it actually moves further toward the floorboard than the low drive position.
if the broken piece(s) are in the shift bowl, what parts does that entail?
AnswerBefore you dig into the column, make sure the shift arm is connected to all linkages from the bottom of the column to the transmission (under the hood). Try shifting it by hand into Park at the transmission. If it's already in park, try Reverse and Drive. You should be able to move it if the shift bowl isn't working. The bowl is part of the lock out.
It's a fairly complex repair to replace the shift bowl. It's easier to pull the complete column out of the car. Then you will need a couple of specialized tools to disassemble the column (steering wheel puller, lock plate compressor, and a pivot pin removal tool). The shift bowl is a tight fit onto the shift tube. It has a notch and indention that line up to keep it in line. But to get to all that you will have to remove the steering wheel, along with the turn signal and ignition mechanisms. After those are removed the tilt mechanism will be disassembled to allow you to remove the steering shaft.
As I said, it's a fairly complex procedure. I wouldn't recommend trying without the proper tools, and especially if it's your first try. Most of the tools are available at the local parts store. The pivot pin tool isn't very common, so you may be pressed to find one. If you break a tool off on a pin, you're out of luck. The shift bowls are still somewhat available from an authorized dealership though.
You might want to check your options on the cost of a used column from a recycler. Just make sure it's tight or comes with a guarantee of some sorts. You might find this route more appealing than the parts, labor, and tools cost of doing it yourself. Removing a column itself is probably the easiest part of the whole procedure.
Here's an exploded view of a similar steering column:
http://www.selectric.org/column/vantilt02.jpg
This might help you understand how the bowl and tube fit together (again, it's similar, not exact). As you can see it's basically underneath everything.
I hope that helps you. If you need further assistance please ask again.
Thanks,
-Jay
