My normally well-functioning transmission in my 1980 264 GLE has a problem. I was parking yesterday and it became stuck in reverse.

The shifter moves, but there is zero resistance. I checked the linkage, which is fine, and saw that when the shifter is moved the selector shaft that comes out of the tranny rotates all the way. When I pulled on the shaft, it moved an inch out of the tranny with no resistance.

It seems like the selector shaft has become disengaged internally. Does this seem right? Has it happened to anyone else? How is it repaired?

Thanks

Toby

Back your way into the garage and drop the pan. It has been a while since I looked, but I think there may be a nut on the inner end of the shaft that retains the pawl that moves the manual shift valve in the valve body. If there is no nut, the shifter shaft has probably broken, but either way involves dropping the valve body to repair. I think. If it is held with a nut you might be able to get it on. There could also be a roll pin in the end of the manual valve that came out, but I really can't remember.

The shop called--they want to replace the whole unit. I'm not sure they looked real close at the problem--is a tranny shop a better bet to get this repaired vs. replaced? I would do it, but it is cold and I don't have any workspace.