Gear Indicator Adjustment?

[crobertson1]

I went to start the '93 the other day and it wouldn't start. It has electrical power but when you turn the key to the start position, nothing happens. I got it to start by slowly going from park to drive and found a spot that will send power to the starter. The indicator needle is out of adjustment too. In Drive in looks like it's in neutral and so on.



Are the two symptoms related or separate? Is there a way to correct the indicator needle and will that cure the not starting in park problem?



Thanks,

Craig

 

[KOG]

If these things happened at the same time you want to take a look at motor and transmission mounts. The start is caused by transmission not being in Park or Neutral due to shift linkage misadjustment. The indicator has its own adjustment. I forget if that adjustment is on the column or in the cluster on the D/W trucks, but it shouldn't need to be adjusted when the shift linkage is correct.

 

[B.G. Smith]

The adjustment is something like this. Put the shift lever in the park position and remove the key from the ignition. Block the truck wheels so it can't run over you if you disengage park while doing this adjustmant. Crawl, slide, roll or use a creeper and get under the truck so you can see the shift linkage to the transmission, you should see a rod coming down from the steering column, on the lower end is a square block with a spring above it and a bolt screwed into one side of the block, on one side of the block is a small shaft that ties into the bell crank assy. going to the transmission lever. loosen the bolt screwed into the side of the block and free up the block on the shaft coming from the steering column(wire brush, WD-40, that type of thing), when it is free to slide on the shaft, push the lever on the transmission as far to the rear as you can and tighten the bolt in the side of the block. While you are under there, check for looseness in the shift linkage and look at the motor supports and transmission support, something shifted or wore for the adjustment to get out. Have fun, bg

 

[crobertson1]

Thanks guys. The indicator has been out of adjustment for a while, actually ever since we got the truck a couple of years ago.



Could this have been caused by the truck rolling off a 2"x6" that the front tires were on while it was in park? I put it in park while on the board, then it rolled forward off the edge of the board until it stopped.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Thanks guys. The indicator has been out of adjustment for a while, actually ever since we got the truck a couple of years ago.



Could this have been caused by the truck rolling off a 2"x6" that the front tires were on while it was in park? I put it in park while on the board, then it rolled forward off the edge of the board until it stopped.

No, that should not affect the shift linkage. It might have rolled off the board because the linkage was not in proper adjustment. bg

 

[crobertson1]

Thanks for the info. I did the adjustment per BG's instructions and it worked perfectly. The reverse lights go off in park now and it will start in park too. It works just like it's supposed to!



TDR is the greatest!