A-904 Cable adjustment (pushbutton)

[64Dart270]

I am going to be installing a Transgo shift kit. I have been having issues starting the car already. Click-click, move the park lever, press in neutral etc... then starts. sometimes easy, other times a whole routine. After changing a faulty ignition switch (plastic terminal body separating from case), problem still persists. So, that leaves adjusting the cable. obviously, the neutral start switch is not getting fully depressed. So, I'm looking for non-textbook wisdom here. chilton has a whole routine about clockwise twist, line up hole, back off five holes, etc. Also, I've heard about using a test light on the Neutral switch. in this case, I will have the valve body out of the car, and back in again. I'm wondering if having the pan off gives me a better, less trial and error approach.

 

[fishy68]

Sorry I don't know much at all about the cable shift trans. as I've only done lever shift units but my method of diagnosing would be to 1st make sure it is a neutral switch problem by testing it with an ohm meter, rather than just assuming it's a neutral switch problem. Remember your car also has a starter relay and wiring which passes through a problematic bulkhead connector so any of several things may be your problem. If you check the NSS with an ohm meter and it does prove the problem I would think you'd have a better chance getting it adjusted when the valve body is exposed but that's just a guess since I haven't worked on any.

 

[cudamark]

Even though they call those early neutral safetys, a switch, in reality it's, at most, a half switch. It's really a spring loaded ground post. The "rooster comb" inside rubs on it and only makes a metal to metal contact in neutral. The neutral safety doesn't actually make and break a contact. The usual problems in their failure is the contact surface that rubs the rooster comb wears badly or an internal opens developes between the wire terminal and the spring. (usually it's the spring that breaks). To diagnose it, the easiest way is to bypass the neutral safety and see if your problem disappears. All it takes is a jumper wire from the terminal on the starter relay (that the neutral safety wire attaches to) to a good ground. If everything works good now, it's the neutral safety or the wire going down to it. Just keep in mind that when you bypass the "switch", the car will start in ANY gear so make sure it's in neutral and your foot is on the brake when you start the car.