Kball9217

The center console shifter shows that it is in neutral /park/reverse/drive/ so is there another way to verify that the transmission it self is actually in the gear range the center console shifter shows it's in because I have tried three different ways to adjust the shift cable and guessing it's still not adjusted correctly is what I'm getting from what your telling me

Kball9217

The center console shifter does say that it's in neutral it has the whole time same thing with park and drive and any other gears ranger

wingless

Here is the process that worked for me,

The issue on mine was a no start condition (that purple throttle body arc was not making the switch "happy").

My process removed the cable "slop" that existed on my vehicle, so the vehicle would always start and continued to select the correct shift position.

wingless

Note that if the cable is correctly adjusted, then there are two defects that could cause the symptom of Drive when the lever is in Neutral.

One is the bent tang that moves the manual valve on the valve body assembly might be damaged, causing excessive slop between those parts. That tang and the manual valve are in the image, at the tip of the curved purple arc part. There should be minimal slop between these two parts. Note this is a remote possibility.

The other defect is that the valve body manual valve cylindrical spool valve might be physically damaged, permitting a high pressure fluid leak into the Drive circuit when it is set in Neutral. Note this is a VERY, Very, very remote possibility.

The "easy" way to confirm the cable is incorrectly adjusted is to remove the cable. Properly and safely manually rotate the gear selector lever to each of the positions with the engine running to confirm proper or problematic operation. Note there is a spring loaded ball bearing detent at each position, Park / Reverse / Neutral / Drive / M2 / M1. That ball bearing spring loaded detent is shown in the valve body image. If the transmission provides Drive in Neutral when manually selected w/ the cable disconnected then the transmission has one of the valve body problems listed above. If the transmission works properly, then that confirms the cable is incorrectly adjusted.

Kball9217

if it is the parts that that are attached to the valve body that are bad is it possible to just swap those parts out for new ones or would I have to replace the whole valve body


I'll run some more diagnosis when I get off work today

wingless

It would be a BIG surprise to me if those parts are bad.

As an example, when I rebuilt my 46RH transmission I used the Sonnax Sure Cure Kit (Not the OS kit) and it included the manual valve. That was a one-for-one swap out.

If there is somehow too much slop between the tang and the manual valve, then I am not sure of the solution, as the part w/ the tang is not a replacement part.

Kball9217

If you look back at my original post I stated in there that I had already disconnected shift cable from gear selector lever and shifted between gear ranges manually . After switching through gear ranges MANUALLY , I was able to get reverse to catch and it worked for about a month then same thing happened and I went through the same procedure again and now here I am ! That is why I never suspected the shift cable to be incorrectly adjusted in the first place.

But I also never tried to manually switch through gear ranges with the vehicle raised off the ground I don't know if that would make a difference or not but I'll give it a shot when I get off work today

Kball9217

So I'm theory I would be able to just swap the valve body from the known good transmission I have for the original trans

wingless

Again, these are VERY theoretical and incredibly remote possibilities.

Start w/ safe confirmation of transmission action during manual gear selection w/ the shift cable disconnected.

Kball9217

I have done it multiple times already but I will check it again as soon as possible got my daughters birthday today so will check it as soon as I can and get back to you

wingless

In the past, manual selection with the shift cable disconnected works properly at each gear selection or is still problematic. Not clear from the OP.

Kball9217

When problem first occured I shifted it manually and had to run around through the gears ranges a couple times but eventually was able to get it to go in reverse and have neutral with engine running reattached shift cable and work great besides had a delay and a little sluggish in reverse but worked

About a month later same issues occured and I went through same procedure multiple times but could never get it to actually move in reverse.

And please note I have done this whole procedure with shift cable disconnected from gear selector and shifting it manuallyy from underneath the vehicle with engine running parking break set and vehicle on the ground and could feel reverse engage but would not actually move I have yet to try this procedure with vehicle raised off the ground but I don't know how that would make a difference but I can give it a shot

And now here I am talking to you lol

wingless

It is possible for an unattended vehicle in gear w/ the parking brake set to move unexpectedly, so working underneath the running vehicle on the ground and in gear has potential safety issues related to personal injury.

Kball9217

Yes I do know that wich is why wheels were chalked and had a secondary person in vehicle holding brakes plus I was parked against a curb so vehicle could not roll unless throttle was pushed safety first

Kball9217

Anyways are you understanding why I keep thinking that it's not the shift cable itself and why the I believe the problem is something else