Jcris

Well I inspected the shift cable and although there were no visible signs of damage it did seem to shift a bit easier afterwards. This is not my truck so I don't drive it at all. I'm not used to it and how it runs and shifts. At this point I'm not sure what more I can check. At $60 the cable is affordable enough that I may just order one and see if that's it. I hate throwing parts at this kind of thing. I don't think this is an electrical issue. The brake lights work normally so the pedal switch is good. I've disconnected the lock out solenoid and linkage so that defeats the possibility that circuit is an issue. The neutral safety switch on the trans is good as it never fails to start. Is there some sort of lock out mechanism in the steering column that may be an issue? When I installed the new shift mechanism on the steering column I looked closely for some sort of pin or linkage type lock out all over the column but found nothing. I'm rambling here. When I get it fixed I'll report back

Today I will take another look. If I disconnect the shift cable from the trans I can move the shift arm on the trans by hand , no problem. That has me thinking this may be an issue with just the shift cable. If I recall correctly (IIRC) the cable appears undamaged in any way. But it's certainly worth another look. I'm going to take a closer look at the shift cable. I'll let you know what I find.

Hello Gary, I know exactly what you're talking about. In an effort to defeat the whole set-up I disconnected that rod and the solenoid lockout. It didn't look like that set-up released anything mechanically. I could be wrong. I've searched several forums for an answer on this and along the way someone suggested removing all of it which is where it's at now. I want to get this fixed before it breaks again. Thanks for the help Jcris

Hello, A friend of mine has a 1998 GMC Sierra C 1500 that had a broken shift mechanism on the column. He's a older guy so I offered to help him out. Apparently my friend has had this issue for some time and has been just jerking the shifter hard enough to get it into gear which eventually led to the part breaking. I took the column covers off and found the mechanism was broken. I figured easy fix. Got an identical part off EBAY and installed it. After installing the new mechanism the problem is still there. Although now I can get it to shift, it's still hard to do so. I'm sure this new mechanism won't last long if I leave it this way. There is an interlock system on the column (BTIS, brake transmission interlock switch) and a brake light switch that prevent shifter movement unless the brake pedal is depressed. So, I put a jumper wire on both the brake pedal switch and the shift solenoid. I figured if those switches were bad then jumpers should fool the system. Well there was no difference in how it shifted. So I traced the wiring figuring there must be a short or break and found no issues. I think there's supposed to be some kind of control module (PCB) in this circuit somewhere. Does that sound right? If so where is it and how can I bypass it? I'm not sure what to check beyond what I've done. What am I missing? Jcris