Daily driver trans or electrical issue?

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kelseydum

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
860
Location
Little Rock, AR
2004 Tahoe z71 5.3 4x4: will not shift out of park. Shift interlock solenoid seems to be working. Shift lever works and can disconnect shift cable at trans and shift by hand well but it’s like it won’t engage gear. Happened a couple times randomly then just suddenly won’t do anything. Rear end is not locked up. I have had a leaking hydro booster for a while but I make sure to keep fluid in the steering pump. Can an air bubble in the hydro boost lock it up?... or neutral safety switch... speed sensor etc...? I’ve also seen right inside the trans gear selector thecable with a spring can break. I’m about to pull the neutral safety switch and see if anything is broken there. Really hoping it’s not that flange on the sun shield that’s broken. Saw that is common with the 4l60e.

Thanks in advance.
 
A buddy mentioned unhooking one of the trans cooler lines at the radiator and see if it’s pumping fluid. Does vehicle need to be started when I do this?
 
A buddy mentioned unhooking one of the trans cooler lines at the radiator and see if it’s pumping fluid. Does vehicle need to be started when I do this?

Yes, it has to be running. You'll get fluid fast and hard like a fire hose! I wouldn't do that. One of the other issues you mentioned is more likely.

Hydro boost has nothing to do with your trans.

Neutral safety, not likely.

Speed sensor, also not likely.

.
 
Thanks. Is there a better way to make sure the fluid is getting pumped whether it’s a torque converter, pressure manifold or sensor issue? I would like to at least know fluid is flowing and rule that out.
 
You said you can disconnect the shift cable at the trans and shift by hand, but it won't engage. Did you mean you then shifted the trans by hand? So is something still holding up the column side of the shift?
 
If the lever will move and you can't feel the detente of the tranny going through the gear selections then, it sounds like something in the tranny has come loose or has broken.
With the engine running, can you feel the tranny engage or not.

pic-7657512725021816598-1600x1200.gif
 
Snopro,
I unhooked the cable from the trans gear selector on the side of the trans so the shift lever and any electronics (or most electronics) should not have a factor.

Crank,
Yes sir I tried 4x4 as well.

Old iron,
It’s weird. Yes I can feel, hear and see the transmission “engage” the engine idle changes as if I’m in gear, and you can physically see the vehicle move an inch forward and backward but it stops as if it went back into park (not neutral because the vehicle won’t move even when I hit the gas).

I did disconnect the cooler line in front of the radiator and had my buddy start the truck and it’s definitely pumping fluid.
 
Oldiron,
Is that a diagram of what’s inside the trans just past the neutral safety switch?

This is what my interlock solenoid looks like on the column. Guess the pics still aren’t working for me. Well let me try a different view. The solenoid is not showing in that pic
 

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Fluid level is fine. I topped it off with about 2 shot glasses worth of fluid.

Here is the solenoid on the column.

Oldiron,
If that’s the arm inside the trans I saw a guy with the same issues that said the end of that arm snapped off and the spring was jammed. I’m about to pull the neutral switch off and check that area.
 

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A friend of mine had a similar problem, the shift cable at the trans end bracket broke and instead of shifting gears the cable just move for and aft [S
Hope it helps, good luck.
 
my 08 ford f150 did this, had to have the transmission rebuilt. wife drove it to store and barley made it back home. had to give it a lot of throttle cause the trans was locking up. it slid the wheels when loading it on rollback to go to transmission shop. hope that's not your problem.
 
When I thought I was first stuck I was leaving my shop and after about 15 minutes I got it to shift into drive. I made it home but next try and I am where I am right now but at NO TIME EVER has it slipped, Mis-shifted, shifted hard, stalled or anything.
 
Found this in the pan. Had to come to the shop to finish some work but I’m guessing this is the tip of that pawl actuator like I thought.
 

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