Column shift question - aarrrrrgh.

[dwall]

I have a column shift in the project Regal. It came from a 4 speed automatic "base" Turbo Regal rust heap. The column was installed in the project during assembly. Someone (nameless for now) forgot the shift lever return spring was not in the column at the time. Needless to say the shifter does not work as it should. I need a replacement spring. Will one from a 3 speed column work?

Anybody run into this before? Any ideas? I have a parts car with a NA V6 that can furnish the spring. Maybe the best answer is find a replacement column? Or maybe not? I checked the Junkyard Donor list but didn't see any info on swapping columns from other G-Bodies. Maybe some 4 speed columns out there?

Any help?

 

[turbodave231]

Not sure which spring you are talking about...... but the columns are the same between 3 and 4 speed.

 

[QwikStop]

Not sure which spring you are talking about...... but the columns are the same between 3 and 4 speed.

Aren't the Detents in the column different?

 

[regan j]

Unless I am badly mistaken, the detents are in the trans. The column shifter moves freely-99 percent on this

 

[QwikStop]

Unless I am badly mistaken, the detents are in the trans. The column shifter moves freely-99 percent on this

Nope, the shifter detent is located on the inside of the column and is what stops the shifter in its various locations...there is also a type of detent in the trans as well that the selector shaft moves when the shifter is operated. The one in the column is what I'm talking about and is what actually stops the shifter in its various locations and is responsible for holding the shifter in park.

 

[dwall]

The spring keeps pressure on the shift lever. Once you get to those parts in the column the lever is held in place by a retainer/pin & when lever is removed it looks like the spring will come out. The pics:



Detent in the column sounds right to me - if that is correct I either need just the spring to rebuild this column or a replacement 4-speed column.

Are G-body 4-speed columns all the same?

 

[QwikStop]

78-87 Gbodys should be the same and interchange, that spring out of any of these colums should fix your problem

 

[turbodave231]

"Nope, the shifter detent is located on the inside of the column and is what stops the shifter in its various locations...there is also a type of detent in the trans as well that the selector shaft moves when the shifter is operated. The one in the column is what I'm talking about and is what actually stops the shifter in its various locations and is responsible for holding the shifter in park. "

I have owned and parted out many Regals. Several have been column shifted including my current 1987 Regal T.

To the best on my knowledge there are NO detents in a Regal column shifter. I will check my column out to verify.

The floor shifter definitely has a detent plate built in.....But none in the column shifted version.

 

[dwall]

78-87 Gbodys should be the same and interchange, that spring out of any of these colums should fix your problem

Thanks QuikStop - it sounds like the spring iis the same whether its in a 3-speed or 4-speed column.
Then all I need is that spring and lots of luck putting it in. This is one option.

"Nope, the shifter detent is located on the inside of the column and is what stops the shifter in its various locations...there is also a type of detent in the trans as well that the selector shaft moves when the shifter is operated. The one in the column is what I'm talking about and is what actually stops the shifter in its various locations and is responsible for holding the shifter in park. "

I have owned and parted out many Regals. Several have been column shifted including my current 1987 Regal T.

To the best on my knowledge there are NO detents in a Regal column shifter. I will check my column out to verify.

The floor shifter definitely has a detent plate built in.....But none in the column shifted version.

Thanks turbodave231 - I have no idea what governs the shift pattern I guess. If there are NO detents in the column then is there NO difference between the NA 3-speed column and the 4-speed? If that is the case then a simpler solution here might be to replace the 4-speed column (without the spring) using the whole 3-speed column from the NA V6? Another possible option?

I'm trying to keep this simple for my addled brain and hopefully for the unfortunate person who agrees to help me.

 

[QwikStop]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/attachments/columnbrake-jpg-jpg.38911/ This is the column detent im talking about, not sure if this link will work, but this was a discussion on modifying the shifter detent in the colum to work with a Stage right trans brake...sorry for jacking the thread with this.

 

[regan j]

easy way to find out, disconnect the linkage from the column to the trans and see if the column shifter moves freely or has detents. I have never seen a column shift with detents but I may be wrong.

 

[jdpolzin]

I'm pretty sure all columns are the same. The only regulation would be the actual shift pattern in the trans. The little wire on the column will indicate your gear on the instrument cluster.

 

[SS/GN]

Those springs are all the same and even trucks used the same spring. Still available from the general the last time I checked.