Mike:
So you're saying I can take off the differential cover while the engine is in the car? I imagine I'll be draining the transmission fluid first, right? I'm planning on changing the filter anyway. I'm trying to avoid pulling the engine.

If you could walk me through this procedure, I would very much appreciate it. I've taken apart and put together a Jaguar V12 and replaced its transmission, but I had a 750 page book to walk me through it all.

As I mentioned, gears engage properly and sound exactly as they should. Are we on the same page in thinking that the Park pawl is not disengaging, rather than other gears not engaging?

I'll get a video up tomorrow of the car attempting to shift into gears from Park.


Out of curiosity, how long does it take a transmission to reach higher operating temperature? My engine was at 180 degrees, and although I have a beefy trans cooler, it usually heats up much quicker. I was out there for a good 15 minutes and the transmission never read higher than 108 degrees. I thought that was a bit unusual. Also in regard to the TCC engaging earlier in this thread, I have to admit that the amount of time it took for it to engage was very unusual. I would drive 15 miles before the TCC would engage. This never happened before, even last year when I was in Chicago in the cold, the TCC would engage every time. Just things to think about, if they're at all relevant.

I don't have a write up on removing the diff cover. But what you need to do is jack up the car, remove the right wheel and splash guard. Remove the right axle and then undo the bolts, 4 of them I believe. Drop the pan first and drain fluid. There'* a trans mount I think needs to be removed on the diff cover. The cover then comes right off. Oh ya, unplug the speed sensor. I'll try to run out in the shop and snap a few pictures of the inside linkage and the parking pin area.

OK, I have a few pictures, hopefully Mike can help shed some light on this. Transmissions are something I'm still learning about.

The linkage on the inside of the case, if this linkage is loose then the parking pinion wont disengage.


This is the other end of the transmission with the diff cover removed.


This is the shaft that the shifting linkage is attached, and this goes to the linkages inside the case.


This is the diff cover.

Dan pretty much nailed it on the head as far as popping that diff cover off. If your going to change fluid and filter go ahead and drop that pan, if you want to wait, see if you can just jack up the passenger side of the car only. Doing that will minimize fluid loss to about 1/4 cup or so.

Just went out and looked at mine real quick.

Take tire off
Seperate steering knuckle from lower A-arm
You should be able to pop CV shaft out of trans at this point. Without having to remove the 34mm nut from axle.
2 bolts on side of engine for eng/trans bracket
2 bolts for lower left bracket
and then 2 more for the diff cover itself.
Bolts should be 13mm.
Keep us posted

NICE PICS DAN!

I don't think your TCC is relevant to your park issue. Read on....

Your trans cooler may be keeping your trans a little too cold.

Would any of you by any chance have pictures of the parking pinion or where it locks in the differential? I'm not at all familiar with the mechanism.

Guys, sorry that I missed this thread. The park issue is a common problem and what has happened is the stop at the end of the parking rod has worn away, causing the spring loaded end to travel too far and stay engaged into the parking pawl. When you move the selector into neutral, it moves the end away from the pawl and you can drive the car. You must drop the cradle and remove the side cover to change the parking rod. You DO NOT have to remove the diff cover. Once you get the side cover off, all you need to do is remover the detent plate from the linkage shaft (15 MM nut) and take the plate and shaft out. Some people simply braze the end of the shaft to stop the actuator or you can replace the shaft with a new one. If the stop totally wears away, the car may get stuck in park in ALL gears.

That'* one of the things we were thinking of, but we figured the easiest way to test that theory was to drop the diff cover off and test it.

Based on your experience SGP358, do you think constantly parking on inclines without the use of the parking brake would/could cause this?

No, I don''t think that not using the E brake has anything to do with it. It is just something that happens. I think that it is just poor material that GM used for a stop on the end of the rod

Steve.

Thanks sgp358; that was the answer I was looking for.

Are you saying that I need to drop the cradle in order to access the side cover on the transmission?

Could you be a little more specific in what needs to be done? I'm assuming I have to support the engine and lower the cradle (cradle=subframe, right?), and then take off that side cover? Is this simply in order to gain access to the side cover from underneath?

I'm assuming this is the plate, 15mm nut, and rod you're talking about?



Here'* my engine bay (very old picture, ignore the ghetto CAI.) If I could clear the brake assembly to the left of my strut tower, couldn't I remove the side cover out the top of the engine bay? Or would it still be easier to drop the cradle? Please advise. The reason why I'm asking this is because its cold outside, the wheels are frozen 1" into the ground, the parking pawl is stuck in ALL gears, and I can't for the life of me figure out how I'm going to move the car into the garage spot with the front two wheels locked up.




Also, what exact parts would I need to order for this? At minimum, I'll be changing the transmission fluid and filter, which includes the pan gasket. I'll probably install a drain plug into the transmission pan while I'm at it. Any gaskets for the side cover?