TORQUE FLITE Shift Cable Removal

[Mark Merritt]

Guy's; I'am having difficulty removing the shift cable at the tranny,I had it out once when I took the motor out,but I am not sure if it went back in right,is there A wrong way to put it in? I'm not getting the starter to engage might be the nuetural switch/cable not lined up properly,also the buttons do not go in when pressed,something obviously wrong.The manual said to take out the "plug" and release the spring but I don't feel anything what I took out was not A plug but A threaded adjustment screw what is the purpose of it? The manual says to put it in 1 to alighn the spring hole,but like I said the bottons don't move,it also say's to hold it in R when installing which I did,but something is not right,anyone know anything about this animal? Mark M

[rogerh]

I'm sorry nobody has yet answered your question here. Fortunately for me, I never had to deal with the cable. I have read enough to know it's a tricky thing. It definitely sounds like you got something jammed. You should remove the cable and re-start the installation procedure. I do not have my service manual w/me. I remember you are to open an access and use a flat screwdriver to depress a spring so that you can pull out the cable. Since you've removed the plug, try to shine a flashlight in there and find the spring-thing. Again, sorry I cannot help...try re-posting the question...surely Big M John Fowlie will know the answer, as would Tom Fox.

[big m]

I can help, but I need to know if yours is an early or late production '59. The early transmission had a slide adjustment bracket on the trans case, the later one had an adjusting wheel.

There are different removal procedures for each.

---John

[Mark Merritt]

John; I found an excellent website and lots of info and pics,i'm not good at doing links but if you google 300 chrysler torqueflite cable install it can be found.I think the home page is out of France some where.The guy has alot of tricks and knowledge.I was going to take the cable back out,I see there is A spring/slot that releases it,also I think I need to re-orientate the ratchet back to reverse,it might be in low,He also say's you can drain out A couple of quarts of fluid and remove the nueteral switch,stick A screwdriver in the hole and also feel for the safety lever to contact the ball where the switch was,also shows pics with the pan off and the ratchet divots,and proper anti reverse lock out position(A safety devise to prevent an accidental "R" button press at high speed above 10 mph,works off fluid pressure) My tranny is the one that has the slide adjust and not the wheel.I have A good handle on it and am going to get into it over the week end,probably the shift ratchet position had moved when I had the tranny rebuilt,the lever in the tranny has to hit the reverse switch to complete electrical loop,look up the site I learned alot. Thanks Mark M P.S. someone needs to hold it in reverse (button) when putting in the cable to complete the final adjustment.

[rogerh]

I think you are referring to the Imperial Web Pages...I think the guy's name who seemed to run it alone for so long is Philippe Courant.
I just visited the site and I see it has grown quite a bit! It has always been a great resource- showing me how to rebuild power window switches for example.
I am really glad you found some thorough information to assist you-
As the Imperial site says...we need to help each other!

[big m]

Phillipe Courant is a wizard with the old cast iron torqueflites. I ship hard parts to him from time to time.

---John

[Mark Merritt]

Guys; Thanks for the come back,the tranny shift spring attachment in the housing was misaligned at the shaft to tranny housing,needs 7/32 clearance,it was too wide,also the spring connector(the part the cable goes into and "clips") was upside down on the kick down shaft,the mount screw/slot was on the forward side of the kick down shaft and should be on the rearward side.Problem started when I inserted the cable, the round slide/clip would bind,I also took the pan off to see the gear select ratchet,reverse pin and nueteral switch lever/"tit".I went through the gears,and nueteral and reverse before I put it back together,made my adjust to the cable and made sure everything was hitting.Now it shifts smooth,like A hot knife through butter!!!!!!!! I don't know if the tranny builder did it,or it was like that,I am thinking the latter,I didn't drive the car to much before the tear down,everything about the car from the previous owner/owners left me with what I call monkey sh#t and gremlins.Somebody did it half a##ed or wrong it is everywhere!!!!!! Bye the way the part pictured has no function and no purpose,I took it out and put in A hex plug(another gremlin)where they got it or what it come from I have no idea,it was there before the rebuild.I will keep that web site from France on my favorites for sure,he also mentions type F tranny fluid and not Dexron. Another note I tried to fire it up but do not have spark,I did notice A broken wire to the + side of the coil,i am going to replace some wires(gettin crunchy) and check my grounds,I'M not real concerned about it,just going to take A little time,she cranks over nice. Bye for now Mark M

[rogerh]

Mark, you are obviously a mechanic or engineer if you absorbed all of Philippe's tips on transmissions ..Imperial Web Pages is a great source! You've done what I never dared to do, and make it sound easy!
With my restoration, I was fortunate to purchase a used engine-tranny combo with shift cable still attached.
I remember Tom Fox altered the valve body so as to give him more solid upshifts...I never really understood it when he talked about it. The transmission section of my Parts Book is clean and like-new, 'cause I never go there!-