Re: '56 Patrician wont go into drive!

Posted by Mr.Pushbutton  On 2008/4/8 16:02:22

Somebody call me?

Graham--unfortunately, the car isn't going anywhere until the problem is fixed. Eric made a very good suggestion, check the pushbutton wiring harness coming from the steering column, going to the sector wiring harness that goes through the feed-through hole in the firewall. I think based on what you are saying that one of the two end fingers is either bent or not making contact, or the shorting segment has over-travelled. Since you are in the auto shop class you can jack up the car. Do the following:

get the car on jack stands

take a floor jack, put a piece of scrap plywood on the load plate, jack it up until it is just supporting the trans on the pan.

remove the rear trans crossmember, six bolts per side, there is one on top on each side you may not see the first time around, I think you need a 1/2" socket to pull those bolts. Remove the crossmember, supporting the trans with the jack.

take a small scissor jack from a tiny import car, the smaller the better and place it between the frame and the trans tailstock on the side with the actuator (driver's side) crank the jack open until you have moved the tail end of the trans as far diagonally as it will go. The output flange of the trans will hit the frame and then you are done with this part.

get out every right-angle screwdriver you own and remove the eight cheese head screws that hold the segment cover on the pushbutton actuator. Once you have the cover off you can see what's going on with the fingers. This is where the trouble is 95% of the time. In order for the system to work you need good spring tension on all fingers against the shorting segment, good solder joints on all fingers at the tab that holds them on to the plastic bridge (the wires going to the connector under the IP are connected here) and if overtraveled you need to take the motor off the actuator and spin the shaft going to the worm gear drive to center it again. If you have to do this be very careful and slow-- loosen/remove the two long screws in the end of the motor and grasp the motor and slowly, carefully do a twisting, oscillating motion while gently pulling away form the actuator until the motor come free. The goal here is to leave the armature in the motor, because getting it back in once the brushes snap together while you are under the car is the farthest thing from fun you can experience. Should you be successful with the procedure I've outlined put the motor in a small cardboard box under the car with the open end of the motor facing UP at all times.

Examine the fingers, they should be a dull silver color. If they are copper--orange in color they have touched ground (grounded out), at which time they glowed orange like the element in your electric oven and are now distempered and need replacing.




Have fun, tell us what's going on, we're here to help.