Transmission ZF-5 Done

[Powerstrokin350]

I'm guessing I'm screwed, but wondering any of y'all had this happen. Was leaving Americas Tire when I noticed they left something in my truck. So I went to turn around and it was too tight to complete my U-turn. So I threw it into reverse to back up a bit, and when I pushed forward to shift to 1st, it wouldn't go. My trans is stuck in reverse. I had to back up real fast on a major road here and pulled through a gas station across a side road and into another parking lot in reverse. Felt like 'mater for a second.
Any ideas, guessing a shift fork broke or something. Going to take the top off in a bit.

 

[F350camper]

does the shifter not even move? Like is it stuck, or does it move and not do anything?

 

[Powerstrokin350]

It moves a bit. But not the full range, and it feels like it's stuck in the shifter.

 

[jaluhn83]

Sounds like something in the shift mechanism. Decent chance it's not in the actual trans case, if something was messed up there I'd expected the trans to be locked up completely.

I would pull the floor pan and take the shift mechanism cover off to see if you could fix it there without pulling the whole trans. That being said, all I know is that the mechanism is quite complicated, so do not do this until you find a manual and are sure you know what's going to come flying out. I remember someone saying they took that off for a rebuild or something and had about 50 balls and springs come flying out and they never did get it working right again.

I can just imagine the looks you must have gotten trying to drive home backwards....

 

[towcat]

making sure the shift tower is not at fault is not a complicated task. pull the shift boot and there's four metric allen bolts to remove. the older versions are made of soft bronze the later versions are of harder metal. check for slop in the pivots and/or missing plastic locator blocks. it's self explanitory once the cover is removed. DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER WITH THE BOLTS. there is a stamped steel lockout tab with a spring that's waiting to be set free. do that and they go straight down into the trans.
good luck.

 

[Powerstrokin350]

making sure the shift tower is not at fault is not a complicated task. pull the shift boot and there's four metric allen bolts to remove. the older versions are made of soft bronze the later versions are of harder metal. check for slop in the pivots and/or missing plastic locator blocks. it's self explanitory once the cover is removed. DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER WITH THE BOLTS. there is a stamped steel lockout tab with a spring that's waiting to be set free. do that and they go straight down into the trans.
good luck.

I just got finished doing this, and I couldn't get the shift linkage to move. When I pulled the shifter, it seemed like the ball was in the socket. Both plastic blocks where there, but it is sloppy. So I tried to pry the shift linkage to no avail. So I though maybe the ball had just popped out of socket, and when I put it all back it looks like its lining up correct, but when I put it back together it feels like the ball isn't in the socket.

 

[towcat]

I just got finished doing this, and I couldn't get the shift linkage to move. When I pulled the shifter, it seemed like the ball was in the socket. Both plastic blocks where there, but it is sloppy. So I tried to pry the shift linkage to no avail. So I though maybe the ball had just popped out of socket, and when I put it all back it looks like its lining up correct, but when I put it back together it feels like the ball isn't in the socket.

either you got it in or you didn't. it doesn't give you much choice. time to pull the driveshaft and have it towed home. DO NOT TOW WITH THE DRIVESHAFT CONNECTED.

 

[Powerstrokin350]

I got it home. Had it towed by a flatbed loaded and unloaded with me pushing in the clutch.

 

[towcat]

where the hell is orangevale?

 

[Powerstrokin350]

where the hell is orangevale?

It sits between Folsom and Citrus Height east of Sacramento.

 

[towcat]

i have a 2wd ZF5 core that is not as trashed out as yours. betcha you lost your oil.

 

[dancrowley]

Powerstrokin, if you need a ZF 5 Speed manual I can email you one. Dan at [email protected]