Shifter won't go into reverse

[41plymouthcookie]

It takes many tries to get it to engage reverse

help please

[dpollo]

That is a simple fix.

 The link between the shifter and the transmission has two rods.  One transfers the motion of the lever up and down, (or clockwise and anti clockwise.)  The other transfers the motion of the lever being pulled toward the driver.  It is this rod in your car which needs to be shortened slightly. The adjustment will be found  either at the steering column end or at the transmission.  If you tighten it up too much you will have first and reverse but no second and high . For reasons of the angles involved, it is always reverse which gets difficult.

I learned this at the end of a country lane in my dad's car and with  a "date"....... so it is a lesson which has endured for 52 years now.

[ptwothree]

Is this something new or has it always been hard to get reverse?  If it's something new, I would check the rear motor mounts.  If they have collapsed or are need of replacement, then there is another possible source of the problem.  If it's always been this way then it could be bent shift rods, wallowed out holes where the rods attach, or an internal transmission problem. 

 

Btw...You should get a shop manual for this car as it will show you how to adjust shift linkage, among other things....a must have!

[plymjim]

[plymjim]

  Does the drawing I posted help? Sorry, I'm not too computer savy so I accidently posted

the picture with no comment. The adjustment on the shift rods can be sensitive, meaning

loosen or tighten in small increments. Good luck.

[41plymouthcookie]

I'll be looking into this more over the weekend 

thanks for comments and pics

ill let u know how I make out

are there rubber bushings to replace?

[pflaming]

I tired of adjusting for 1 & R so I have fabricated a floor shifter to replace all the original parts on the tree. It works now on the bench and now needs some sophistication. Will put it in my 54 Suburban after our 45 day drip to Maine and then test it. 

Regarding the above post, my shifter worked fine until I lubed it, then the years of crud build got slippery and . . . I finally removed that shifter mech and cleaned it. Works fine now, yet it will be replaced 

 

 

 

[plymjim]

Yes. See fig. 12 in the picture I posted. It's in the control rod (under the flat piece with the nut on it).

Betting your problem can be solved with adjustment though. When that bushing goes it's hard to

get in any gear. 

 

[JD luxury liner]

make small adjustments

you can do it. just be patient. I had to make a small adjustment on my 41 & now it works great.

[wagoneer]

On 5/25/2017 at 7:35 AM, plymjim said:

I'm noticing a trend where the Plymouth/Dodge, and sometimes Desoto shop/user manuals are much clearer/illustrative/direct than the Chrysler equivelents. In fact, it would probably be best to have the equivelent plymouth, dodget, desoto shop and parts manuals for comparison with my Chrysler ones.

 

 

 

 

On 5/25/2017 at 7:35 AM, plymjim said: