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[GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325106] Wed, 18 October 2017 11:28 Go to next message
Ron Murray is currently offline  Ron Murray   United States
Messages: 20
Registered: January 2013
Karma: 0
Junior Member
Hi Everyone,
Yesterday I started up my '78 Royale, planning on moving it 12 spaces at my
storage site. I stepped on brake, pulled the shiftier back, an I couldn't
get it to come out of *park* into reverse. It seemed to be locked in* park.*
I turned the engine off and turned the ignition to accessory, no change,
still stuck in park. Any suggestions on how to temporally get it into
reverse so I can move it? Then what to do to permanently resolve the issue?

Ron Murray
Seattle
'78 and 2 -''77 GMC's
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Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325108 is a reply to message #325106] Wed, 18 October 2017 11:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
77Royale   United States
Messages: 461
Registered: June 2014
Location: Mid Michigan
Karma: 6
Senior Member
Is it possible that the transmission is very low on fluid?

Other than that you may need a helper to look underneath at the linkage while it is being shifted. If nothing is moving underneath than the linkage needs to be tighted. Id go with low on ATF first though.


77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies, Patterson carb and dizzy. Mid Michigan
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325110 is a reply to message #325108] Wed, 18 October 2017 11:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jimk is currently offline  jimk   United States
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
Senior Member
Your cable must be frozen.
Has nothing to do with level of fluid.
Call me and I can show you how to finger it out

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 18, 2017, at 9:52 AM, Wayne Rogewski wrote:
>
> Is it possible that the transmission is very low on fluid?
>
> Other than that you may need a helper to look underneath at the linkage while it is being shifted. If nothing is moving underneath than the linkage
> needs to be tighted. Id go with low on ATF first though.
> --
> 77 Royale, Rear Dry Bath. 403, 3.55 Final Drive, Lenzi goodies, Patterson carb and dizzy.
> Mid Michigan
>
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325112 is a reply to message #325110] Wed, 18 October 2017 12:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
larry.whisler is currently offline  larry.whisler   
Messages: 356
Registered: August 2005
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Senior Member
Is it parked on an incline?

Could be the parking paw won't dissengage.

You could try pushing it a bit while moving the shifter.

larry
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325116 is a reply to message #325112] Wed, 18 October 2017 12:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mike Kelley is currently offline  Mike Kelley   United States
Messages: 467
Registered: February 2017
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Senior Member
To Ron Murray:
Ditto what Wayne and Jim K. have said - if still no luck try this:
Go to Walmart or similar and buy a bottle of Trans X - pour half in to transmission (down dip stick tube) - wait 10 mins - start engine & try shifting into all gears 8 to 10 times - if no luck try again in 10 mins - if no luck try again in 10 more mins - if or when it starts to move limp to a mechanic to have Trans pan dropped, sludge removed, and new trans filter installed.
JWID & John Miller & others.
Good Luck in solving this and let us know how it was solved.
Mike/The Corvair a holic

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 18, 2017, at 12:22 PM, larry.whisler wrote:
>
> Is it parked on an incline?
>
> Could be the parking paw won't dissengage.
>
> You could try pushing it a bit while moving the shifter.
>
> larry
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325118 is a reply to message #325106] Wed, 18 October 2017 13:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lqqkatjon is currently offline  lqqkatjon   United States
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
Senior Member
Cable is most probably frozen. Call jimk like he said and He can guide you on how to deal with that.

However just double check under the driverside outside hatch that something is not blocking the shifter arm. Between master cylinder and base of where steering column is. I have seen stuff fall down and jam in there.


Jon Roche 75 palm beach EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now. St. Cloud, MN http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325119 is a reply to message #325106] Wed, 18 October 2017 13:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
Senior Member
Sounds like a frozen cable to me. Time for penetrating oil on the upper
part of the cable and the passage of time.
Jim Hupy

On Oct 18, 2017 10:41 AM, "Mike Kelley" wrote:

To Ron Murray:
Ditto what Wayne and Jim K. have said - if still no luck try this:
Go to Walmart or similar and buy a bottle of Trans X - pour half in to
transmission (down dip stick tube) - wait 10 mins - start engine & try
shifting into all gears 8 to 10 times - if no luck try again in 10 mins -
if no luck try again in 10 more mins - if or when it starts to move limp to
a mechanic to have Trans pan dropped, sludge removed, and new trans filter
installed.
JWID & John Miller & others.
Good Luck in solving this and let us know how it was solved.
Mike/The Corvair a holic

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 18, 2017, at 12:22 PM, larry.whisler
wrote:
>
> Is it parked on an incline?
>
> Could be the parking paw won't dissengage.
>
> You could try pushing it a bit while moving the shifter.
>
> larry
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

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Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325124 is a reply to message #325118] Wed, 18 October 2017 14:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Sammy Williams is currently offline  Sammy Williams   United States
Messages: 522
Registered: August 2010
Karma: -2
Senior Member
I'd go with "stuck cable" its preventing the lever from moving the vehicle
out of park. I had a Camaro that did the same thing. :)

On Wed, Oct 18, 2017 at 1:15 PM, Jon Roche wrote:

> Cable is most probably frozen. Call jimk like he said and He can guide
> you on how to deal with that.
>
> However just double check under the driverside outside hatch that
> something is not blocking the shifter arm. Between master cylinder and
> base of
> where steering column is. I have seen stuff fall down and jam in there.
> --
> Jon Roche
> 75 palm beach
> St. Cloud, MN
> http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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>
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Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325130 is a reply to message #325106] Wed, 18 October 2017 16:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
Ron Murray wrote on Wed, 18 October 2017 12:28
Hi Everyone,
Yesterday I started up my '78 Royale, planning on moving it 12 spaces at my storage site. I stepped on brake, pulled the shiftier back, an I couldn't get it to come out of *park* into reverse. It seemed to be locked in* park.*
I turned the engine off and turned the ignition to accessory, no change, still stuck in park. Any suggestions on how to temporally get it into reverse so I can move it? Then what to do to permanently resolve the issue?

Ron Murray

Ron,

This is a jury rig, and like any jury rig, it will get you moving but after that.....

As those that know have said, it is probably the cable - that does seem to be the common mode failure. It goes from the column down to the transmission on the vehicle left (drivers) side. With the engine room hatch open and the crew support device (Belly Board) in place, I can reach mine. The cable is connected to the operating lever with a clevis pin and a cotter. Once the clevis is out, you should be able to move the lever - even out of park - by hand. If the coach is not on level ground, either have a helper to stand on the brake petal or at least chock the wheels so she doesn't roll.

Once you can shift it, make a note to get the cable out and lube it or replace it. (Lubeing this kind of cable after it has been seized has about a 50% success rate (in my experience). They are not all that hard to remove and replace.

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325143 is a reply to message #325106] Wed, 18 October 2017 17:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
Senior Member
Very common problem on parked coaches. The bottom boot rots out and moisture gets in there. I have not been able to find a source for a new boot including Jim K. Jim does have the complete cable with boot. I have to lube mine once a year. Some day I'll remove my cable and coat the bottom with anti-seize.

Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325144 is a reply to message #325106] Wed, 18 October 2017 19:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
Senior Member
Open drivers hood and spray CRC chain and cable lube in under cable boot. Use the straw that comes with the can and work it in under the boot end by slightly pinching. Get it at least half way and connect can and spray liberally. This way gravity is your friend and the jacket acts like a conduit. This is smelly stuff with graphite that will stain clothes and hands----so you know it's good. Fixed it and for good here.

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325156 is a reply to message #325144] Thu, 19 October 2017 10:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ron Murray is currently offline  Ron Murray   United States
Messages: 20
Registered: January 2013
Karma: 0
Junior Member
Thanks to ALL!
The cable was the issue. I have owned my '77 Eleganza since '84 and I have
never had an issue of not being able to shift out of park. I disconnected
cable from the bottom trans shiftier, than shifted by hand till I moved
100' to new location.

There was 3 possible issues:
1) was steering column locked up? (unhooked cable, shiftier worked fine).
2) hookup cable to steering column, unhook bottom of cable at trans,
shiftier won't move.
3) was trans broken? No, moved the trans lever from park to reverse etc.*
therefore it was a corroded cable.*

I have never felt so helpless when I couldn't drive or tow the coach.

THANKS AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGEABLE GMC
FRIENDS!!!!

Ron Murray
Seattle
'78 & 2 - '77 GMC's

*(Soon to be selling all 3, I've gotten to old to tinker)*

- 1978 Royale 403 Central Kit on passenger side. (85k miles)
- 1977 Eleganza 455 Rear dinette (bed) (65k miles)
- 1977 Royale 455 Rear Bath (dry) (55k miles)
- 26' storage trailer full of corduroy furniture, wood cabinets, and
various used parts ie (bumpers, mirrors, sink, toilet, doors etc.) most
form a recycled 77 Eleganza.


On Wed, Oct 18, 2017 at 5:43 PM, John R. Lebetski
wrote:

> Open drivers hood and spray CRC chain and cable lube in under cable boot.
> Use the straw that comes with the can and work it in under the boot end by
> slightly pinching. Get it at least half way and connect can and spray
> liberally. This way gravity is your friend and the jacket acts like a
> conduit.
> This is smelly stuff with graphite that will stain clothes and hands----so
> you know it's good. Fixed it and for good here.
> --
> John Lebetski
> Woodstock, IL
> 77 Eleganza II
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325164 is a reply to message #325156] Thu, 19 October 2017 15:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
jimk is currently offline  jimk   United States
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
Senior Member
What is surprising to most of us is that this happens so fast, that there
is no warning.
One time I had a fair warning when my shifter was getting hard to shift.
Did I fix it then? NO, it locked up when we stopped for dinner. I swore it
was not the cable but I was wrong.

On Thu, Oct 19, 2017 at 8:18 AM, Ron Murray wrote:

> Thanks to ALL!
> The cable was the issue. I have owned my '77 Eleganza since '84 and I have
> never had an issue of not being able to shift out of park. I disconnected
> cable from the bottom trans shiftier, than shifted by hand till I moved
> 100' to new location.
>
> There was 3 possible issues:
> 1) was steering column locked up? (unhooked cable, shiftier worked fine).
> 2) hookup cable to steering column, unhook bottom of cable at trans,
> shiftier won't move.
> 3) was trans broken? No, moved the trans lever from park to reverse etc.*
> therefore it was a corroded cable.*
>
> I have never felt so helpless when I couldn't drive or tow the coach.
>
> THANKS AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGEABLE GMC
> FRIENDS!!!!
>
> Ron Murray
> Seattle
> '78 & 2 - '77 GMC's
>
> *(Soon to be selling all 3, I've gotten to old to tinker)*
>
> - 1978 Royale 403 Central Kit on passenger side. (85k miles)
> - 1977 Eleganza 455 Rear dinette (bed) (65k miles)
> - 1977 Royale 455 Rear Bath (dry) (55k miles)
> - 26' storage trailer full of corduroy furniture, wood cabinets, and
> various used parts ie (bumpers, mirrors, sink, toilet, doors etc.) most
> form a recycled 77 Eleganza.
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 18, 2017 at 5:43 PM, John R. Lebetski >
> wrote:
>
>> Open drivers hood and spray CRC chain and cable lube in under cable boot.
>> Use the straw that comes with the can and work it in under the boot end
> by
>> slightly pinching. Get it at least half way and connect can and spray
>> liberally. This way gravity is your friend and the jacket acts like a
>> conduit.
>> This is smelly stuff with graphite that will stain clothes and
> hands----so
>> you know it's good. Fixed it and for good here.
>> --
>> John Lebetski
>> Woodstock, IL
>> 77 Eleganza II
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
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>



--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325170 is a reply to message #325156] Thu, 19 October 2017 20:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
thesmith is currently offline  thesmith   United States
Messages: 589
Registered: February 2015
Location: Cary, NC
Karma: 6
Senior Member
So this cable is all under the driver side hood?


Pete


Cary, NC 1978 Center Kitchen Royale.
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325175 is a reply to message #325170] Thu, 19 October 2017 21:48 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
thesmith wrote on Thu, 19 October 2017 21:33
So this cable is all under the driver side hood?

Pete

Pete,

Indeed it is. Just the upper end, but that is the end that is just exactly the place to run in some lubricant.
If you look under that hood, you can see the steering column come through the floor and to the vehicle right a level extends from it. Just below that level is (should be) a rubber bellows that is the weather protection for the upper end of the moving cable core.

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park [message #325183 is a reply to message #325144] Fri, 20 October 2017 02:50 Go to previous message
USAussie is currently offline  USAussie   United States
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
Senior Member
John,

When I was building hot rod Harleys in Hong Kong I couldn't get the pressurized cans of CRC cable lube so I mixed graphite grease
with acetone making a mix that was thin enough to run down in between the cable and housing. I'd disconnect the clutch or throttle
cables at the handlebar end and raise them. I used a small squeeze bottle to apply the mix to the exposed cable and watch the other
end. When the mix appeared at the other end I'd stop squeezing the mix on the exposed end. When the acetone evaporated the cable OD
and housing ID was coated with graphite.

Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
USA '77 Kingsley - TZE 267V100808

-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces@list.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of John R. Lebetski
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2017 8:43 AM
To: gmclist@list.gmcnet.org
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] '78 Royale can't get out of park

Open drivers hood and spray CRC chain and cable lube in under cable boot. Use the straw that comes with the can and work it in under
the boot end by slightly pinching. Get it at least half way and connect can and spray liberally. This way gravity is your friend
and the jacket acts like a conduit. This is smelly stuff with graphite that will stain clothes and hands----so you know it's good.
Fixed it and for good here.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II


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Regards, Rob M. (USAussie) The Pedantic Mechanic Sydney, Australia '75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428 '75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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