[jw1000]

I need to know if this is a sign of possible transmission trouble or is it normal to have this. It a 91 Chrysler new yorker 5th ave.

It started when I would haul something like a little paddle boat, I would be on a slant and it would need some strength given to push it from park to drive or vice versa, anyways I recently upgraded to a motor boat, which is of course a larger load. I haven't attempted to take it to the lake yet,because wanna make sure the car can safely do so. I drove it around the block to see how it would do. It did fine pulling it, but once I got it back, took the boat off and tried putting it back in drive from park, it took some force to change the gear. It's doing it on flat land with nothing being hauled now, while before it would have to be on a slanted surface. Is this a possible transmission issue, or is this normal and nothing to worry about fixing?

Thanks for any advice you have.

 

[dana44]

Depends on what you call force. You may have a cable that is having a problem, or, if not mistaken you have to press the brake pedal to go from park to gear change (safety item), and the detent to make it happen may be worn or damaged. If there is a problem with the shift cable, it may be a worn mount or strut that is preventing it from being aligned and binding in that manner.

 

[jw1000]

What I mean by force is just that. It's not as easy to switch as it normally would be, so you have to put some arm into it, and it feel so hard as if it would be almost breaking something inside. The shift cable sounds about right. It used to only do it on a slanted surface, but now even on a flat surface without anything hauled, it's not wanting to switch gears. I'll check those areas and see if one of those are the cause.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[dana44]

Since the engine/transaxle and front suspension is all one basic unit, on a hill it would be tough if there was a strain rotating the engine/transaxle, and with a load on the rear, the front would shift, also, so look at brackets and connecting points between the shifter, body, and transaxle. You may have, as I said, a worn bushing, mount of some sort causing the distorion.

 

[ImperialCrown]

There were some old TSB's about shifters being hard to get out of Park on an incline. With the force of being on an incline on the Park pawl, the hardened steel rollers sometimes got 'dinged' and wouldn't release in Park in many cases.
A binding shift cable or column mechanism would cause high shifting effort under any conditions (inclined parking or not). By setting the parking brake before putting it in Park would keep the stress off of the Park pawl and was a method of diagnosis for this problem.

 

[jw1000]

I know the hill thing is most likely normal, but this was more than just on an incline. I was stating that it went from being on an incline to even doing that on a flat level surface,too. Those ideas you gave are useful. The more things I can look for to eliminate possibilities. I wouldn't wanna get it to a lake somewhere and it not go back in gear to pull it away. It pulls fine, just the shifting gears is the problem,but now that I know the areas it can be, I'll look into them. Thanks again guys for the suggestions.

 

[dana44]

Do a little test before going to the boat dock. Hook up the trailer boat and pull it around the block, set the brake, put it in park, see if it does indeed shift easer after that. If it does, great, if not, linkage issues, figure out why the linkage is having problems.

 

[jw1000]

Alright. Thanks.

 

[55fargo]

Gotta be the shift cable. Disconnect the cable at the transaxle then move the shift lever, if it still takes considerable effort you have found your problem.