Hello everyone, if some of you may have seen my last post, i was asking about installing a 200-4r into my original powerglide 1965 chevelle malibu. Now this car came with a column shifter, and i wanted to keep that so i bought a linkage kit to work on the 200-4r. It does work, it shifts through all of the gears, but it does not lock into the positions of different gears. I pull the shifter towards me, then to the right into reverse, but when the shifter retracts toward the windshield, it loosely sits in that gears locking position. I am even able to run the shifter into all of the gear positions without having to pull the lever towards me, there is just a bit of resistance. hopefully there is an answer for this, thank you guys! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Is the shifting mechanism in the column worn out? Do you need a shop manual to see how it works, and give you instructions to take it apart, and clean and inspect the parts, and figure out what's wrong?
A powerglide shifter won't have enough bumps for an overdrive transmission? Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
it hasn’t been worked on since i got the car i can take a look inside and check for wear. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The shifter goes through all the gears. Are you saying the column is specifically made for a powerglide? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
There's a "gate" in there that is specifically made for a powerglide, it won't have notches for the two lower gears that the od transmission has.
The “linkage kit” may have included a replacement for the gate. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
unfortunately i did not, i have started looking online but have not had any luck so far. will keep looking Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
If the rest of the gears (PRND) are not working right, then there is more to your problem, than the wrong gate.
You'll have to engineer yourself on im thinking. Get Park to work and drive to lock in and your good. IMO. In doing all this don't forget to get the neutral safety switch working
so i will have to take out the detent “gate” and find what pieces to cut out to get it to work? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Yeah, but probably easier to make a new gate from scratch. Also a good time to work in positive locking detents for safety reasons. Ford got a deservedly bad reputation for having weak detents. Deep notches save lives.
would it be possible to take gate plate from floor shifter and make fit into column? Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Not really. The floor shifter will be a straight pattern while a column one will follow a curved path around the column. Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Although I believe your detent plate won't be correct for your transmission, you may also have a problem with a worn or broken shift lever spring. The gear lever should have positive pressure holding it toward the front of the car. That spring can be replaced fairly easily on most columns.
Check out Shiftworks, there are floor and column shifters with correct detent and lenses to keep it looking OEM. As an example, PG would be similar with only 2 detents and not 3.
How are you adjusting the cable? start of in neutral and get that working. Then get park n drive in line if you can. Like squirrel said. You won’t be able to get 2 and 1 with the stock gate. But if you don’t care oh well. You “ should” still be able to get park neutral and drive to work.
No matter what is wrong with the shift gates on the steering column, it will never lock into your current transmissions shift pattern, there are two more positions than the power glide had.
Hey Gordon, PM me, I have the exact same setup and vehicle as you. Maybe we can FaceTime, I can show you my setup
did you see this thread? it has pictures... https://www.chevelles.com/forums/33...99327-modifying-column-shift-gate-200-4r.html
Hm. Bummer. I’d think it’d be kinda important to have a correct gate to make the linkage useful. So they sent you some rods, and you’re on your own to figure out the rest? Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
yeah pretty much. i tried getting into the column to take out the gate but it seems to be apart of a piece of the column, and i didn’t want to break anything trying to get it out. i’m gonna say f*** it and put in a floor shifter with a riser piece so i can reach it. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The column shift gate on GM vehicles is bolted to the column next to the column shifter lever. Has someone possibly removed it before you and it's just missing? Should be able to grind in new gates for the 200 4 R transmission if you can find a gate. A floor shift would be easier, but you still need to install a neutral safety switch. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
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