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Hello everyone! While I was driving my car to test something, a very strange issue cropped up:

I pulled up to a stop sign and moved the shift lever out of first, and into neutral. When I went to put the car back in first, the shifting lever remained in neutral but the car was in first! I tried to wiggle the shifting handle to get it out of gear, but it wouldn't leave first.

I'm wondering what might be wrong. did a cursory inspection of the shifting linkages, I couldn't get any of them to move in an appreciable manner, and I went under the car to shift the transmission by hand, but I couldn't shift it.

The shifter handle is currently in the neutral position, and the transmission is currently stuck in first.

Thanks in advance!

Locking in gear and other shift linkage issues are a well known problems with the Packard linkage.

I would suggest having a look at the Factory Service Index and select the transmission and overdrive category, then go thru the service articles on any gearshift and linkage issues starting with the 41-47 Clipper continuing up thru the 48-50 models. The linkage geometry on those models is identical and adjustment and issues will be the same.

Check for linkage wear at the various connections as that is a large issue. If that appears good then follow the procedure in doing the adjustment. A couple of things not mentioned would be a small oil hole on the side of the shift tube that should get a few drops of oil periodically. The larger issue is the complete lack of lubrication on the upper 2-3 lever at the base of the steering column. If that is sticking and not completely free to independently rotate on the shift tube it can cause numerous difficulties. To lube that lever you will need to apply oil directly to the top of the lever and have it run down the shift tube and get in the space around the lever. For good access the upper retaining clip and washer may need to be temporarily removed so oil can be directly applied on the tube and lever.

Since you can move the operator lever but apparently nothing happens I would also disconnect the linkage at the bottom levers and verify the small selector tongue that selects the bottom R-1 or upper 2-3 lever is still working. In normal operation, the upper lever is always connected to the shift tube via the selector tong which is held up by a spring. When you pull back on the operator lever, the tongue moves downward to select and move the R-1 lever. It is held to the select rod by a roll pin and that or the tongue itself could have broken.

If you disconnect the linkage at the transmission and still cannot move the levers at the trans then there is a good possibility the interlock block or associated parts inside the transmission case has an issue. Wear in other units has resulted in one or more of the ball detents or a lockout plug or even a spring jumping out of position and binding the mechanism.

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Thanks for the info! You're a lifesaver, I was worried I munched a gear or something. I should mention I can't move the shifter handle at all, it's completely stuck.

I'll take a look at it tomorrow. Thanks again!

Not being able to move the operator lever at all sounds very much like the upper lever at the bottom of the steering column has seized from lack of lube.

I would suggest as a first step to disconnect the two rods going over to the idler assy and verify you can easily rotate each lever on the shift tube by itself. With the operator lever untouched and in the normal position, you should be able to grab the bottom R-1 lever and rotate it freely on the shift tube. Because the selector is always parked in the upper lever, trying to move it will also move the operator lever. To check the upper lever, keep the operator lever at the neutral position but have someone pull it straight back as if it were going to shift into R or 1 and hold it back. The upper 2-3 lever should then be free to easily hand rotate on the tube. There should be absolutely no roughness or stickiness felt on either lever.

If the upper lever has seized and both levers try to turn at the same time, with one gear already in use the interlock in the trans does its job and prevents any farther gearshift selection. Because of the lever and rod geometry if you are in R or 1, even if you try to go back and get out of one of those, 2-3 will move more quickly and want to override so it will try to shift into 2 or 3 and interlock will come into play.

If things are OK with the levers being free then do the checks of the linkage for wear and adjustment as per the other posting. As a preventive, even if the levers are free it has probably been years since they have seen any lube so it would be a good idea to apply a few drops of ordinary motor oil.

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