Help, turbo hydromatic stuck! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

sactoC10 · 10-19-2003, 12:56 PM

Backed it out of the driveway this morning and while trying to get it straightened out, it got stuck in drive/neutral. I could not get it into reverse or park. Shut it off with E-brake on, and now I can't start it. Grrrrrr. What next? BTW...71 LWB/350/M38 3spd...

lukecp · 10-19-2003, 01:06 PM

Are you saying that the shift lever won't physically move, or that the tranny won't leave the drive/neutral setting?

I had a problem with my old TH350 where the lever kept getting stiffer and stiffer, until one day i couldn't get it to go into drive, then only gear that i still had was reverse. The tranny was getting pretty old though, and took a long time to go into reverse (usually a failing front pump problem), so i just had a rebuilt unit installed. If worse comes to worse, a rebuilt TH350 only usually costs 300-400 dollars.

SWEET7T · 10-19-2003, 01:22 PM

If you need to get the truck started again, just jump the starting selenoid (just use a wrench on the starter to arc across the wires). This will get it fired up since your truck probably isn't in park or neutral.
Or am I just confused?! Can you move the shifter?If you can, and your truck still wont turn over, the above idea will work.
That's all I know...

cableguy0 · 10-19-2003, 02:31 PM

first of all crawl under the truck and disconnect the shift linkage from the tranny then try to move the linkage on the tranny itself if that moves freely which it should just clicking into every gear then look at the rest of the linkage for binding

Longhorn Man · 10-19-2003, 03:19 PM

Cable guy has the idea there.
Also, if the linkage on the side of the tranny will put it in other gears, you can put it in drive, then get in the truck and put the shifter in park. The engine will start and it will be in drive as soon as the engine is running. (About one to two seconds after it starts actually) Be ready for it to want to move just in case your parking brake is not as strong as you think. You can mov the truck into your garage this way, or even drive it to work if need be.
The stock non-tilt columns are known for having junk shifter assemblys, You can rip it all apert and then coat all the moving parts with anti-seize compound, that will help, but the shifter is most likely still junk. (asuming that the shifter won't move after disconnnecting the linkage)
In my opinion, the best fix for this situation, would be a tilt, be it a truck or van unit. You'll have a shifter that is 10 times better, and a tilt to boot.

sactoC10 · 10-19-2003, 03:23 PM

To clarify... I can't physically move the shift lever from where it is stuck, it looks like drive, but will roll as if it is in neutral. I'm concerned about starting it from under the hood, just in case it were to fall into gear once started.

Thinks I'll get underneath it ang go that route to start with.

It has been a bit rough getting it out of park for as long as I've had it (the shift lever).

Thanks! Check back in a couple hours.

cableguy0 · 10-19-2003, 03:26 PM

in that case as long as the transmission itself has worked ok i would really learn toward your column shift linkage but being worn out and finally seizing up totally

sactoC10 · 10-19-2003, 04:30 PM

OK, manually from underneath the tranny shifts EZ, really easy and nice. It is not the tranny. It is the shifter, but I am not sure if it is at the top or bottom of the column.

I can toy with it at the base and get it to move, but I am not able to "pull" forward to then move it up and down to shift the gears. It is BIG TIME stuck. So I've removed the steering wheel and the blinker lever, but I can't get past the blinker wiring.

What is the trick to getting past it to the shifter inside the column?
Or am I wasting my time? Even with the linkage from the shifter to tranny disconnected, it is still S-T-U-C-K, stuck.

Longhorn Man · 10-20-2003, 11:19 PM

Any luck yet, or have you given up?

10-19-2003, 12:56 PM	#1
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,055	Help, turbo hydromatic stuck! Backed it out of the driveway this morning and while trying to get it straightened out, it got stuck in drive/neutral. I could not get it into reverse or park. Shut it off with E-brake on, and now I can't start it. Grrrrrr. What next? BTW...71 LWB/350/M38 3spd... __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

10-19-2003, 01:06 PM	#2
lukecp Formerly yellow72custom Join Date: May 2001 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 7,531	Are you saying that the shift lever won't physically move, or that the tranny won't leave the drive/neutral setting? I had a problem with my old TH350 where the lever kept getting stiffer and stiffer, until one day i couldn't get it to go into drive, then only gear that i still had was reverse. The tranny was getting pretty old though, and took a long time to go into reverse (usually a failing front pump problem), so i just had a rebuilt unit installed. If worse comes to worse, a rebuilt TH350 only usually costs 300-400 dollars. __________________ '72 Chevy C10 Mild 350/TH350/3.07. Ochre/White. Old high school ride. '70 GMC C2500 '62 327 4bbl/SM465/4.56-geared Dana 60. White/White. Project or parts truck. '97 Saturn SL DD. 1.9/5-speed. 40+ highway mpg

10-19-2003, 01:22 PM	#3
SWEET7T Try spinnin 4 rear tars Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 757	If you need to get the truck started again, just jump the starting selenoid (just use a wrench on the starter to arc across the wires). This will get it fired up since your truck probably isn't in park or neutral. Or am I just confused?! Can you move the shifter?If you can, and your truck still wont turn over, the above idea will work. That's all I know... __________________ SWEET7T 1970 C10, 2wd, LB, 307/TH350/3.08. PS, PB

10-19-2003, 02:31 PM	#4
cableguy0 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Delta,Pa Posts: 14,948	first of all crawl under the truck and disconnect the shift linkage from the tranny then try to move the linkage on the tranny itself if that moves freely which it should just clicking into every gear then look at the rest of the linkage for binding __________________ Owner of North Point Car Care in Dundalk Md. We specialize in custom exhaust on both modern and classic vehicles. We are a full service auto shop from classics to modern vehicles. Feel free to contact me with questions. I will give a 10% discount to any board member.

10-19-2003, 03:23 PM	#6
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,055	OK... To clarify... I can't physically move the shift lever from where it is stuck, it looks like drive, but will roll as if it is in neutral. I'm concerned about starting it from under the hood, just in case it were to fall into gear once started. Thinks I'll get underneath it ang go that route to start with. It has been a bit rough getting it out of park for as long as I've had it (the shift lever). Thanks! Check back in a couple hours. __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

10-19-2003, 03:19 PM	#5
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Cable guy has the idea there. Also, if the linkage on the side of the tranny will put it in other gears, you can put it in drive, then get in the truck and put the shifter in park. The engine will start and it will be in drive as soon as the engine is running. (About one to two seconds after it starts actually) Be ready for it to want to move just in case your parking brake is not as strong as you think. You can mov the truck into your garage this way, or even drive it to work if need be. The stock non-tilt columns are known for having junk shifter assemblys, You can rip it all apert and then coat all the moving parts with anti-seize compound, that will help, but the shifter is most likely still junk. (asuming that the shifter won't move after disconnnecting the linkage) In my opinion, the best fix for this situation, would be a tilt, be it a truck or van unit. You'll have a shifter that is 10 times better, and a tilt to boot.

10-19-2003, 03:26 PM	#7
cableguy0 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Delta,Pa Posts: 14,948	in that case as long as the transmission itself has worked ok i would really learn toward your column shift linkage but being worn out and finally seizing up totally __________________ Owner of North Point Car Care in Dundalk Md. We specialize in custom exhaust on both modern and classic vehicles. We are a full service auto shop from classics to modern vehicles. Feel free to contact me with questions. I will give a 10% discount to any board member.

10-19-2003, 04:30 PM	#8
sactoC10 71 DELUX Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern CA / Sac Posts: 1,055	COLUMN shifter is problem OK, manually from underneath the tranny shifts EZ, really easy and nice. It is not the tranny. It is the shifter, but I am not sure if it is at the top or bottom of the column. I can toy with it at the base and get it to move, but I am not able to "pull" forward to then move it up and down to shift the gears. It is BIG TIME stuck. So I've removed the steering wheel and the blinker lever, but I can't get past the blinker wiring. What is the trick to getting past it to the shifter inside the column? Or am I wasting my time? Even with the linkage from the shifter to tranny disconnected, it is still S-T-U-C-K, stuck. __________________ 5/4 drop LWB wood bed - 15x8 front 235/60 - 15x10 rear 295/50 2003 FORD Escape 1998 Honda VTR1000

10-20-2003, 11:19 PM	#9
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Any luck yet, or have you given up?

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