no park?

[hotrod ford]

whats the deal? i get home fom work and i can't put the truck in park. i have to hold the shifter all the way ove between park and reverse to start it!!!

[mljjones67]

The safety switch needs to be adjusted on the steering column under the dash. I had the same problem. Do a search on the safety switch and it should bring up a thread on how to do it. It is pretty simple though!

[fordman]

is the problem that it wont start unless you move the shifter or that you cant put it in park.

[hotrod ford]

iv'e never had this issue before but i don't think it it the safety switch. i went under the truck and disconnected the column linkage from the tranny. the comlumn rod moved to every position, but the tranny would still not move to park. now, where the linkage bolts into the tranny i can pull that ros out about a half inch or so. is there some kind of nut inside to keep the from moving? if so, would it be possible that there is somthing loose and making it catch? i'm asking because when i went driving while ago i had to go down a bumpy road and when i got back home i could put it in park.

[fordman]

yes it could be loose inside the transmission. i dont think its suppose to move at all. check this http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... hp?t=27753

[Banjo]

I tried to take factory transmission side linkage off several trucks recently without dropping trans pan and was not able to do it, leading me to believe you'd have to drop the transpan and valve body (guessing) and yes, remove some type of oring or large nut on the inside of the C-6 automatic body. But, I'm guessing!
Ok, if you have your truck on very flat spot (engage emergency brake before hand to ensure won't roll) you can move the factory trans side linkage through the gears manually, with it completely unhooked from the column shift arm coming down. And, you will feel when the truck is in out of gear, and like when it hits neutral, you will feel it roll if on any kinda unlevel spot at all (which is why use emergency brake). I "think" top or park is all the way up toward floorpan, with 1st being all the way down as far as it goes toward ground (side linkage).
If you cannot move by hand and rotate through gears and all the way up (park) it won't go in, yes, you have some very real mechanical problem, I'd think, good luck, Banjo.

[Nausea]

Well, I finally got a hold of a '74 Ford truck shop manual (yes, the real thing, all 5 volumes) which does cover the C6. If you'd like, I can try to make some images of those pages - 25 pg to be exact. Mind you, it only has teardown/assembly instructions, no general troubleshooting info.

From the pics, it appears that you wouldn't *have* to remove the valve body to inspect the inner shift lever area - not saying it'll be super easy to see, but appears partially visible in photo.
Attached to the inner shift lever with a C-ring, there is a 'parking pawl actuating rod' which runs to the rear of the case - where the parking plate, pawl and gear are located - on the outside of the main case, just inside the tail section.
If the problem is actually in the parking gear area, there is a good bit of teardown to get at it - removal of tail section, governor, etc.

Unlikely, but perhaps the C ring to the parking rod has popped off the lever? If so, should be laying in the pan - something easy to check for.

[BobbyFord]

I'm guessing if you rolled the vehicle back and forth a little with the column linkage disconnected, while shifting the trans from below, you will find that it will go into park. I think you're just between teeth on the parking gear.
A lot of the time cab mounts sag and a rough road could affect the cab to trans geometry, causing the problem that you are having.
It's not very often at all that C6 case linkage gets damaged.

[hotrod ford]

well me and my buddy got up under there this morning and dropped the pan. came to find out the the internal kick down lever was broken. took us longer to find a new one than it did to replace it. everthing is ok dokie now. thanks for the info fellas.

[fordman]