Posted by Mavdude (IP: 38.31.107.183) on August 02, 2000 at 18:24:11:
In Reply to: sloppy/loose column shift (automatic) posted by roadrage on August 02, 2000 at 08:19:19:
OK. First this is probably Not an external problem but what the heck it might be. There are two rods that connect to the C4. Block the back wheels and set the E brake. Jack up the front of the car and put it on stands. At the least you will jack up the drivers side. Depending on the year of your Mav, one of the rods will be spring loaded or it will have an outside spring connecting to a bracket on the bell housing. No matter they work the same. The rod your looking for attaches to the tranny with a clip. When you are under the car, eye ball the two rods on the driver's side of the tranny. That way you can put them back. disconnect both rods and shift the tranny by hand. The little lever will click each time you go from P to R to D to 1 and to 2 and back. P is all the way up and low 2 is all the way down. if this clicks fine the your problem is most likely external. Reconnect the rods the way they were and tighten them up on the bottom, and drop the car back down.
Lift the hood, I hope your engine is cold, and feel beteen the column and the engine. BTW leave the column alone inside the car for now. If that is your problen the bone yards only sell the whole column and not the pieces. The rod that goes from the shift lever to the tranny is kind of like your elbow and there is a rubber part that wears out. if that has poopped out then you may be able to force it back. after you have done this give us an update and womeone will go from there.