Slips From Park to Reverse

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   Gents,I recently inherited my father's '68 Torino.  It was the first new car he ever owned and the car that brought me home from the hospital when I was born.

It's entirely original, has been garaged kept and well maintained its entire life until my dad got where the couldn't work on it much any more.

When you crank it the automatic transmission column shift lever is slipping from P to R so I crank it in N.  Similarly, if you are in P and the vehicle is running, it will jump to R if you rev it at all.  My first thought is the point of the shift lever inside the column is worn but I would welcome advice or good ideas on that.

I've done some initial looking around for a new shift lever and '68 Torino ones aren't easy to find.  If anyone is aware of one from another model I should look for that would be helpful too.  

I'm sure it's appropriate I'm posting this on Father's Day.  Working on that car helps me feel closer to my father.

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bigcalhoun Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 19-June-2022 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote bigcalhoun Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Slips From Park to Reverse Posted: 19-June-2022 at 2:14AM
	Gents, I recently inherited my father's '68 Torino. It was the first new car he ever owned and the car that brought me home from the hospital when I was born. It's entirely original, has been garaged kept and well maintained its entire life until my dad got where the couldn't work on it much any more. When you crank it the automatic transmission column shift lever is slipping from P to R so I crank it in N. Similarly, if you are in P and the vehicle is running, it will jump to R if you rev it at all. My first thought is the point of the shift lever inside the column is worn but I would welcome advice or good ideas on that. I've done some initial looking around for a new shift lever and '68 Torino ones aren't easy to find. If anyone is aware of one from another model I should look for that would be helpful too. I'm sure it's appropriate I'm posting this on Father's Day. Working on that car helps me feel closer to my father.
	Ali '68 Torino, 302 '70 F-100, 302 Mt. Pleasant, SC

Eliteman76 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 4879	Post Options Post Reply Quote Eliteman76 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22-June-2022 at 12:27PM
	Parking pawl is worn out. For decades, Ford had warnings to ALWAYS set the parking brake on any automatics. Not uncommon on older cars for it to just pop into reverse with little to no warning. The issue is it's internal to the transmission. Not to say after 50+ years you do not have slop in the linkage off the column, but odds are, it's the parking pawl in the transmission itself. The guy doing the video is a Ford Master Tech that runs a shop. Very good guy to watch on youtube. https://youtu.be/eh988eSAPc8
	Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod Pondering: #99Problems

Steve M. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08-June-2019 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 1653	Post Options Post Reply Quote Steve M. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22-June-2022 at 1:21PM
	Definitely address that issue. It almost cost me a car.
	Steve M.

bigcalhoun Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 19-June-2022 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote bigcalhoun Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22-June-2022 at 11:47PM
	Much appreciated. I’ll check it out. Definitely need to resolve this issue.
	Ali '68 Torino, 302 '70 F-100, 302 Mt. Pleasant, SC

green 72 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 27-April-2010 Location: Manchester,Iowa Status: Offline Points: 43	Post Options Post Reply Quote green 72 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-June-2022 at 4:41AM
	also check motor mounts and transmission mount. They can shift around when when reving the motor causing the linkage to pull out of park
	Dan 1972 GTS Formal

72 RS 351 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04-September-2014 Location: Knoxville TN Status: Offline Points: 2447	Post Options Post Reply Quote 72 RS 351 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-June-2022 at 6:14AM
	This is all interesting, I didn't know the park issue was common at all. I'll have to pay close attention to the shift linkage and parking pawl, plus the floor shift assembly in my projects.
	*Don* 73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W 73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later. 92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W

californiajohnny Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 05-October-2013 Location: winlock, wa Status: Offline Points: 14512	Post Options Post Reply Quote californiajohnny Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23-June-2022 at 6:18PM
	iirc it seemed to be mostly c-4's that did that, usually wear and the linkage out of adjustment will keep it from fully locking into park but yes if it has wear internally that would add to the situation too!!! if you feel any extra amount of play i'd check each bushing on the whole linkage system and replace any that are worn! also disconnect the linkage and click the arm in each detent position in the tranny too
	JOHN 74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION

Wayner315 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 19-October-2021 Location: Alberta Status: Online Points: 151	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wayner315 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24-June-2022 at 2:48AM
	Mine had a hard time going into park, had to rock the shifter a couple times from R to P. Like Johnny said, if you make sure the shifter on the tranny clicks into park easily and there's no visible wear in the tranny internal linkage or pawl then issue can be in the shifter bushing/seal or linkage up to the column.
	72 Gran Torino formal roof Brougham

handsofstone Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13-April-2018 Location: Northeast Status: Offline Points: 3828	Post Options Post Reply Quote handsofstone Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24-June-2022 at 3:14AM
	Even on the bench, manually shifting to park you will feel the spring loading up as the rod is what actually activates the parking pawl. As soon as you slightly rotate the output shaft it audibly clicks into place. At that point there is still some spring pressure on the rod though very slight. You feel it when you park and remove the key, lef off the brake and the car rolls an inch. That click is the pawl engaging and unloading the spring that allows the tapered "ball" to lock the pawl in place. The location of the pivot point for the pawl rod setup takes away a lot of the "feel" in your shifter due to linkage geometry. Worn bushings were very common and easy to replace. I have yet to find the boxes of bushings from my Aamco days but I found most of the o-rings.

Big Bird Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 25-August-2013 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 4194	Post Options Post Reply Quote Big Bird Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03-July-2022 at 5:48AM
	Part of the retardation that is Ford is the way Park engages. It doesn't "stay" in Park, it's "held" in park by the linkages. It wants to be free to roll away and smash into things, constant linkage pressure holds the (spring-loaded) pawl engaged. Disconnect the linkage and it springs out of Park.
	"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind." Randy 1979 T-Bird 2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds?

Steve M. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08-June-2019 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 1653	Post Options Post Reply Quote Steve M. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03-July-2022 at 6:51AM
	I still use the e-brake on mine. After it rolled into the tow truck, I'm not taking any chances. I did spend most of the day Saturday adjusting and tightening the linkages.
	Steve M.

Rockatansky Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 30-July-2010 Location: On The Road Status: Online Points: 5848	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rockatansky Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03-July-2022 at 7:37AM
	my bet is $2 on the linkage &/or detents in the steering column. the parking pawl mechanism in the trans is pretty robust but it can be told to disengage fairly easily. Ford had a big recall because unattended cars left in park were 'getting away'. my aunt was hit by my cousins GT https://forum.grantorinosport.org/torino-recall-letters_topic14237.html
	72 GT Ute

Steve M. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08-June-2019 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 1653	Post Options Post Reply Quote Steve M. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03-July-2022 at 7:46AM
	Good bet. The steering column is a Frankenstein from three different ones. I was confident that the column was not the culprit. The linkage was sloppy. Still, I'm going to always set the parking/e-brake. When I think about it, my dad said to always set the brake. He was a professional driver.
	Steve M.

72 RS 351 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04-September-2014 Location: Knoxville TN Status: Offline Points: 2447	Post Options Post Reply Quote 72 RS 351 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03-July-2022 at 9:24AM
	The park inside the transmission is very strong, but it takes greater force to pull it out of park as the incline of the vehicle increases. So parking on flat surfaces is not hard on the linkages etc, there's no big deal in not using the parking brake for that. But on inclines, the parking brake is very important, first to reduce rolling away, but also to greatly reduce the force required to pull the pawl out of park. I'm familiar with that a lot with my 1998 mail vehicles. The 2nd gen Explorers have average parking brake linkages, but parking without the parking brake on hills is very bad. You'll get away with that many times, the amount you have to pull on the shift lever is a lot. But if you keep doing that, it will wear or break the linkage in the column, the aluminum shift shaft, cheap steel center shaft, two bushings, thin hold down straps, two medium sized bolts etc. Something will let go eventually, first it will become more loose, the gear indicator will be off a lot, and then the shifter will be hard to "find a gear" with. The fix is usually just about $60 in parts to replace those in the column, taking it apart to do that. It's easier to simply use the parking brake on all inclines, and keep the parking brake adjusted well.
	*Don* 73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W 73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later. 92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W

Steve M. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08-June-2019 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 1653	Post Options Post Reply Quote Steve M. Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03-July-2022 at 1:56PM
	Spot on!
	Steve M.

bigcalhoun Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 19-June-2022 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote bigcalhoun Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29-August-2022 at 10:58AM
	I appreciate all of the thoughts on my original post. The collar on the steering column is so sloppy that I think that’s where I’ll start. There are a few decent vids out there on that project. Parts have been tough to find however. Anyone know if a 302 automatic Torino has a steering column that is interchangeable with any other Fords from that era? I don’t think there were too many variations out back then. Just need the collar and its innards, not an entire column. Thanks y’all.
	Ali '68 Torino, 302 '70 F-100, 302 Mt. Pleasant, SC

Eliteman76 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 20-March-2006 Location: Nebraska, USA Status: Offline Points: 4879	Post Options Post Reply Quote Eliteman76 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30-August-2022 at 9:06AM
	Generally, most all the columns will interchange for the most part within a model series run. IE 72-79 Torino/Ranchero and all the other intermediates. Some differences in tilt vs fixed, but bearings and some stuff did not change out of simplicity factors. {feel free to correct me if I am wrong but going off my experiences on 72-76 stuff.}
	Andrew:GTS.ORG admin, '72 Q code 5 speed Restomod Pondering: #99Problems

bigcalhoun Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List New Member Joined: 19-June-2022 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 4	Post Options Post Reply Quote bigcalhoun Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19-January-2023 at 2:27PM
	Solved it! The bottom hole where the roller pin holding in the shift lever to the collar goes in had gotten wallowed out and became oval shaped. That made the lever sloppy and prone to slipping. 55 years of driving will do that. I got a guy in a metal shop to bore a larger hold and put in a bigger pin. Holds steady in P now. That said, I don’t trust it enough to skip the E brake. Hope this post helps someone else. Edited by bigcalhoun - 19-January-2023 at 3:54PM
	Ali '68 Torino, 302 '70 F-100, 302 Mt. Pleasant, SC