Re: Advise on a 288 cu inch

Posted by HH56 On 2011/4/1 14:32:07

Depending on how long the car sat, you may find the old brake fluid in wheel cylinders to have turned to rock but we'll hope not.

Since it goes forward, doesn't sound as if the clutch is the no reverse issue. Being a 50, you should have an R11 OD unit. To rule out any OD electrical issues for the present, remove the fuse on the side of large 4 wire relay on firewall.

The shift adjustments are fairly easy to check so I would do that first just to make sure all is good and to see the general condition of components under the car. Look for any worn bushings at the rod ends or loose pinch clamps on trans levers or anything else loose where motion is lost. Make sure both levers at the trans are detented at neutral when the gearshift end is positioned per the instructions in that service article mentioned early on.

If those are good, then check the travel and motion of the OD lockout lever. Disconnect the cable and move the lever. It should be relatively smooth the entire travel (about 5 inches +/-). Take note of that travel and then connect the cable again and use the under dash knob to move it. Make sure the travel is about the same amount to verify the cable isn't slipping because of a worn or broken cable connection at one end or the other. The pot metal at the dash end of lockout assy has been known to break or loosen and let the entire cable housing move. Same with a loose clamp or mount at trans end.

If all that checks out, leave it in lockout (lever all the way toward front of car) and try reverse. If no movement, then bigger issues, if there is, then time for more detailed work on OD which will require some troubleshooting.