Thread: Gear selector is a gear off after rebuild

There isnt any reason to take that apart but since you did you will need to readjust it. Take the clip out of it so it is relaxed, then put the shifter in the car in D range. Now reach down to the trans and put the lever into D range and then put the clip back in the cable. Move the shifter through the gears and make sure things align, also make sure the shifter does not feel like there is any or minimal slop in it. Sometimes it takes some fine tuning but is needed.

Sorry if I wasn't clear but I never took of the gear selector switch from the trans. I meant I took out the plunger inside the case when I took out the valve body. It was just weird because I had to pull the shifter back two positions from park to get it to go into reverse.

After looking at and adjusting the cable I've come to the conclusion that I must have messed up something internally relating to the inside detent/manual vavle. When the shifter is in park the selector arm is the farthest position, meaning it's closest to the firewall. This means that mechanically from the outside everything is correct. I think somehow I did not correctly connect the clip that connects the manual valve to the link to the inside detent. Does this make sense to anyone else??

This sounds exactly like what my problem is. The clip that attaches the manual valve and the link to the inside detent is in the wrong position or something.

1999 Buick Lesabre Custom Sedan POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Recall at Automotive.com

That link is in referrence to two different style retainers to hold the manual valve link from the detent plate to the manual valve in the channel casting plate. There is a rare occasion where they can pop off but if it isnt connected then it should not change any gear at all so Im not sure about the description they posted as I dont see it happening but I guess it could. Does your manual valve have a flat clip holding the link in place or a wire-wound spring that goes around the outside of it that is about an inch long and tapers at one end? Aside where the shifter in the car or gear range in the car says you are, have you tried having someone sit in the car and hold their foot on the brake pedal and then you be under the hood and with the cable disconnected manually move the lever on the trans to verify each gear is in the correct position? If that is off then it has to be something not lining up properly with the manual valve but I have never heard of it being off inside so not sure what to tell you. If the link fell off then it shouldnt behave like what yours is doing.

I have the clip style and I'm thinking that it's attached wrong. It seems to work alright otherwise but I don't think the PCM is letting it go into 4th because the gear switch on the selector arm is actually in 3rd and not drive. Would it be worth changing to the other style spring wound style retainer?? I looked at my 4T60 technician's manual and it had the spring wound style on the manual valve. Can I use one from a spare 4T60 or is it different??

What year make and model is the transmission from? Does it have an internal or external range switch? It just doesnt make sense how you can be off one position, if the linkage fell off of the manual valve it is not going to act like it is one gear range off, it will have no control and be wherever it is at and you moving the shifter will not change anything other than park or out of park. You really should try what I suggested above. If the fluid pressure switch in the trans isnt matching where things should be the pcm is going to prohibit the range you may be in.

The trans is from a '99 Regal GS, and it has an external range switch. The stops on the level arm from the internal trans detent feel correct when looking at the shifter. Reverse is even locked out from neutral if you were to push the shifter forward. The shifter, shifter cable, trans selector arm, external range switch, and internal detent are all correct. I will try what you suggested when I get home today but I'm pretty sure I already know what the outcome will be, but I will try it for the sake of triple checking. Thanks for your help by the way.

Well, I removed the side cover to see if I could find the problem. After getting all the bolts and and pulling the cover off a couple inches I looked down at the manual vavle and see this...



It definitely looks like the clip was coming off. Does anyone have a good picture of how it looks when it's properly seated. I just don't want to have to take it apart again.

It looks like it the linkage isnt even right?? That link should be straight and its kicked out at an angle. I would make 100% sure you have it in the correct hole in the detent plate. I would also take off the clip and make sure the link is sitting correctly in the manual valve, the clip only goes on one way but because the link is sitting at an angle it looks like its about to pop off.

I had the clip completely wrong before. This is what it looks like now...

That looks better, the link should go straight down into the manual valve so you should be fine now.