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Gear selector lever on column is "all the sudden" very hard to move.. ??

Started by Bill Kaufman CLC# 15225, May 04, 2019, 11:14:17 AM

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Bill Kaufman CLC# 15225

I got in the car today to go to a local car show and the gear selector lever on my 54 coupe is very hard to move into any position.  I checked for binding in all the usual places and could not find anything out of the ordinary. It is strange that it just happened between the time I drove it yesterday with no problems and this morning. It feels as though it may be in the column ?   any one have any words of wisdom for me. 

Thanks,

Bill        CLC# 15225
If you ain't Wrenching ...  You ain't Livin.  So get out there and Live a little..  !!

Current Labors of LOVE;
1948 series 62 Club Coupe / 346 L head / Rendon Blue
1954 series 62 Sport Coupe / 331 V8 / Aztec Red
1970 Deville Rag Top / 472 V8 / Nottingham Green

Previous Caddies ;

1969 Fleetwood Eldorado / 472 V8 / Wisteria
1974 Sedan DeVille
1993 SLS / White Diamond
2006 CTS / White Diamond

Bill Kaufman CLC# 15225

I removed the steering wheel and suspect there may be a spring or something out of adjustment at the base of the lever. The lever has no resistance when pulled back to change gears. I can not find any diagram in the manual showing me how to access it. Any suggestions would be very helpful. 
Thanks,   Bill  CLC# 15225
If you ain't Wrenching ...  You ain't Livin.  So get out there and Live a little..  !!

Current Labors of LOVE;
1948 series 62 Club Coupe / 346 L head / Rendon Blue
1954 series 62 Sport Coupe / 331 V8 / Aztec Red
1970 Deville Rag Top / 472 V8 / Nottingham Green

Previous Caddies ;

1969 Fleetwood Eldorado / 472 V8 / Wisteria
1974 Sedan DeVille
1993 SLS / White Diamond
2006 CTS / White Diamond

Preacher141

Now not a 100% sure on a caddy since I am more into old Cheevy's, but if any of the bushings in your linkage are worn or something in the linkage is jambs up that will cause column shift issues.  Check, grommets, bushings and anything that ain't metal for sure.  Then check other parts.

Jay Friedman

Quote from: Bill Kaufman CLC# 15225 on May 04, 2019, 11:57:04 AM...The lever has no resistance when pulled back to change gears....

Bill, I may have the solution to your problem, based on your statement that the lever no longer has resistance when pulled back to change gears.  Inside the steering column, at the base of the lever is a V-shaped spring, one of whose arms presses against the base of the lever to provide the "resistance".  When there is no resistance it can mean the spring has broken or split, which is not an uncommon occurrence, and the lever then just "flops".  If so, it could also have broken in such a way that the 2 pieces remaining are in some way interfering with the movement of the lever from one gear to another.

Several years ago Art Gardner and I wrote an article explaining how to replace the broken spring with a new one.  Problem is I don't know how to post such things to this web site as I'm a complete computer dunce, but I can attach the article to an email.  If you would like it, email me at jaysfriedman@yahoo.com and I'll reply with the article attached. 

Jay
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

Bill Kaufman CLC# 15225

Thanks Guys !   I pulled the steering wheel and found the little well where the spring was supposed to be. No spring is present. I could not find where it has gone. Your right, if it is down in the shaft somewhere that would definitely be the problem. Just as a troubleshooting action I disconnected the shift lever from the tranny just to rule out a problem there. The shifter is still very stiff and hard to move while disconnected from the the tranny. I suspect it has to be the old spring lodged somewhere.    I could not find anywhere to lubricate the shifter. I am going to try and locate the spring while the column is still in the car. I will let you know what I find.  Thank you very much for your help !!
If you ain't Wrenching ...  You ain't Livin.  So get out there and Live a little..  !!

Current Labors of LOVE;
1948 series 62 Club Coupe / 346 L head / Rendon Blue
1954 series 62 Sport Coupe / 331 V8 / Aztec Red
1970 Deville Rag Top / 472 V8 / Nottingham Green

Previous Caddies ;

1969 Fleetwood Eldorado / 472 V8 / Wisteria
1974 Sedan DeVille
1993 SLS / White Diamond
2006 CTS / White Diamond

Jay Friedman

Art,

The article you found applies to '49s only.  The subsequent article that Art Gardner and I wrote was after some additional reasearch on later years and applied to all Cadillacs from '42 to '56.  It appeared in the Self Starter a few years ago (I forget which issue).

Bill, let me know if you want a copy, as it includes a source of new springs.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

J. Gomez

Jay,

The MPL shows the shift lever spring under 20.0974 to be from '48-'55 for '56 it changed, just a small correction.  ;)
J. Gomez
CLC #23082

Jay Friedman

Jose,

Thanks for the correction.  My MPL only goes to '55 and I just assumed (wrongly, it turns out) that '56 was the same.

Jay
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

Bill Kaufman CLC# 15225

[quote author=Jay Friedman link=topic=155408.msg428929#msg428929 date=155700793 It appeared in the Self Starter a few years ago (I forget which issue).

Bill, let me know if you want a copy, as it includes a source of new springs.
[/quote]

Thanks Jay,     Yes I would like a copy.  It would be nice to find a source for the right part.  I may have the article.. do you know the year and month of the Self Starter?
If you ain't Wrenching ...  You ain't Livin.  So get out there and Live a little..  !!

Current Labors of LOVE;
1948 series 62 Club Coupe / 346 L head / Rendon Blue
1954 series 62 Sport Coupe / 331 V8 / Aztec Red
1970 Deville Rag Top / 472 V8 / Nottingham Green

Previous Caddies ;

1969 Fleetwood Eldorado / 472 V8 / Wisteria
1974 Sedan DeVille
1993 SLS / White Diamond
2006 CTS / White Diamond

Jay Friedman

Bill,

The article appeared in the November-December 2011 Self Starter.
1949 Cadillac 6107 Club Coupe
1932 Ford V8 Phaeton (restored, not a rod).  Sold
Decatur, Georgia
CLC # 3210, since 1984
"If it won't work, get a bigger hammer."

Bill Kaufman CLC# 15225

If you ain't Wrenching ...  You ain't Livin.  So get out there and Live a little..  !!

Current Labors of LOVE;
1948 series 62 Club Coupe / 346 L head / Rendon Blue
1954 series 62 Sport Coupe / 331 V8 / Aztec Red
1970 Deville Rag Top / 472 V8 / Nottingham Green

Previous Caddies ;

1969 Fleetwood Eldorado / 472 V8 / Wisteria
1974 Sedan DeVille
1993 SLS / White Diamond
2006 CTS / White Diamond