julrad07

Hello
Can anybody out there give me some idea of whats going on here? The first mechanic I went to said I'm going to need to spend $1500 on a recond or rebuilt gearbox plus labour.

I'm a woman and a blonde - they see me coming and I don't want to get conned into something I don't need here. Can somebody give me some genuine advice?

Its a 1994 Falcon ED automatic station wagon (4 speed?) and as of last night its STUCK in REVERSE! The gear shifter runs through all gears (way to freely - no normal clunking into gear noises) and it remains permanently in reverse no matter what.

When I start the car its in reverse! (So have to have foot on brake when start).
When engine is off, the car just rolls (So have to make sure handbrake is on hard).
It drives perfectly well in reverse, BUT that's the only gear it allows (I could have said "BUT I'm getting a real sore neck driving around in reverse" but that would be too blonde even for me!)

The auto transmission has been a bit funny for a few months. I'd put it in park and turn off the engine, then when I went to restart it, it wouldn't start - because it wasn't properly in park. I found if I pulled back slightly on the shifter or ran through the gears, that it would move properly into park and the electrics would start up (radio etc) and then allow me to start the car. That was then. Now I have a real big problem.

I keep thinking some attachment must have fallen off - like a linkage or something - because it moves through all gears way too freely - like nothing is engaging. Could it be something simple?

If not, and I'm up for a new gearbox, could it be worthwhile to look around for a half decent secondhand gearbox from a wrecker and have that fitted? Cheaper option maybe? Or waste of time?

Any genuine knowledgeable advice would be VERY WELCOME.

Regards
Julie

thefonz

It's obviously hard to tell much over the internet, but yes it could be something as simple as disconnected linkage. Is the shifter on the column or the floor?

jas24zzk

IF the linkage was disconnected, it would not start, as the neutral start switch would not permit it.

See my reply to you other post on this topic.

JAs

julrad07

Thanks guys

Its an automatic floor shift.

Have followed up Jas' reply at my other post on this subject. Sorry for confusion. I somehow managed to do the same post twice thinking the first didn't work.

Regards
Julie

goofyman

hi Julie
Just how lucky of me as tonight after look at your stuck in reverse as l had same problem as you had and after look other ideas from suddeny l relaise that l have very deep hill road so l decide to take my belove ford eb wagon up the hill and stop and turn the car around and drive down the hill and stop the car again on the hill and start the car while rolling down the hill slowly approx 15kpm and start the engine in neutral and put in reverse suddenly everything came back to normal as just remmber l did rebuilt this auto box my self fews months ago