The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 350 tranny slips in park

My turbo 350 tranny is not holding the truck in "Park" in any kind of grade. It clicks until I apply the emergency brake. The linkage fully extends, so it seems as some thing is worn internally, althought the tranny was supposed to be rebuilt. What do I look for?

Best I remember there is a small plate with two bolts that keeps the parking pawl in place. Don't think it can be installed wrong, but maybe not there at all.

My first thought is that the linkage is not being moved enough to push the parking rod into place.

Disconnect the linkage on the outside of the transmission and see if you can move the transmission into park, and compare the position of the outside link with when the rest of the linkage is installed.

The linkage is definitely is rotating the transmition yoke fully (at least externaly). I havent open the pan yet, but is what I'm looking for accessible throught the pan? I really dont want to have to remove the tranny.

Looking at a diagram it looks like the park pawl and the part it engages should be visible through the bottom.

One thing to look at is the linkage from the shifter to the parking pawl. There is a spring loaded piece on the end of the rod so that if the trans is turning it will ratchet (at least a little) Not good to do that though. If that spring is broken or weak it may not force that pawl to move enough to lock the output shaft into place.

If the pawl is not in place it won't engage either.

You should be able to see what is happening insideat the back of the transmission.

http://www.bobfist.com/Th350exploded.gif

thanks Roy, I'll try to have a look at it this weekend.