Hello all,

My 1985 240 dl will not shift into any gear Any ideas?

Just to clarify the car is rarely driven. However when I do drive it I’ve never experienced any issue with the transmission other than the overdrive unit. I have the overdrive guru here rebuild the serval years ago and it’s been driving excellent.

Hi,

We need a little more information or description Like automatic or a manual?
Since you said five speed so it must be a manual?
Automatics are a three speed with an OD. It has an electric lock out or override button.

Do you mean the shift lever is locked up because of the detents being jammed or is it acting like it’s disconnected?
I say this, if the lever, has the floppy de-go-se!
Is it moving around all over the place!

On the manuals there is one set screw that locks the shift lever hoops to a single shifting shaft.
This is via a horizontal pin through two plastic bushings.
Some part of that stuff might have fallen out.

If everything is still tied up then we will have to talk deeper, especially, if the transmission mounts and engine mounts are intact.


Phil

It is a manual five speed transmission with overdrive. My son indicates he cannot get it to engage in any gear. It is a 1985 240 DL. Overdrive was rebuilt several years ago by the od guru on this board.

Maybe your son should post here and explain what's wrong, so the problem is not presented secondhand.

clutch feel normal? broken clutch cable ?

Shhift lever is fine, the clutch pedal feels weird like it is missing a spring or cable that fails to engage the gears?

That may contradict the title of this thread as with or without the clutch depressed makes no difference when the engine is not running. You should be able to go through all gears just fine.

Assuming you mean that shifting gears is not possible with a RUNNING engine, then I'd say either the clutch cable or clutch diaphragm springs are at fault.

Hi Ted,

So M46 in your 1985 240.

Engine off: Can't shift into any of the four forward gears *and* reverse? Whether pressing the clutch pedal in or not.

Engine on: Can't shift into any of the four forward gears *and* reverse with foot on clutch pedal?

Feels weird as in less clutch pedal resistance? Yet the pedal returns to normal when released?

When was the last time you adjusted the clutch cable to ensure 3-5 millimeter (1/8") free play at the throwout arm? As the both faces of the clutch (brake pad like) material wears, the clutch cable free play reduces. Often neglected, a lack of free play means grinding on shift with engine on at some terrific difficulty.

Engine off will also mean get difficulty shifting?

Do user of your 1985 240 maintain a pressed clutch pedal at prolonged stops? Stop doing that or you will cause premature wear to the clutch assembly including the diaghram with the spring that apply force when the clutch is engaged (foot off pedal).

If not an issue with adjustment, you may need to replace the clutch kit.

The fluid is topped up with quality Ford "Type F" (Never Dexron, Mercon, and the like) or GL4 (never GL5 as used in your differential) gear box oil like Redline? Unsure the preference. Volvo doc says Ford "Type F".

Hope that halps.

Happy Sat-Your-Day
--
Beh.

Ok

This was a very tiny bit of information and now I get the picture that you do not have a hand on the shift lever. You are getting your information second hand! (:)

Well jeez, this is going to be difficult to diagnose as there could be simple or complicated answer.

I had a transmission lock out from a clutch problem. A spring came out of the clutch disc and got sideways between the pressure plate and the disc. No extra amount pressing on the clutch released anything as it was totally stiff.
The only way I got it home was to restart the engine in a low gear and feather the throttle if I tried to shift it. If I did?
Talking about timing traffic lights, luckily there were only two and I slid through some stops signs. Timed the traffic at those too! The Hollywood stop, got a new meaning from me!

You are saying there is no gear as if it’s in neutral or he selects a gear but nothing is moving the car?
Can the car roll? Like rock it back and forth so he can put it into a gear?

If the shift lever isn’t connected, then that’s a clue, to what I mentioned before, might be the problem.
There should be lots of play that he has never felt before. Basically a floppy handle.

Can you do face time with him so he can show you what he isn’t describing?
I hope he looked under the car to see if he still has a drive shaft or if the wheels are barely jacked up off the rear tires !
Does he belong to a sorority class and he is being pranked? (:) Just thinking?

Yep, we need more clues as you can see where this can go!

Phil