Shift Lever off in My Hand !!??? - Diesel Forum

Ndorsey48 · 10-26-2012, 02:20 PM

OK so I Might have gotten a litttle stern when trying to put my truck (95 F350, 7.3 w/ 200m miles, a real power house; feeding truck ,round bales, no tag or tail lights, and fenders flop get the picture) in gear. But the shifter felt s little soft, then fell off. It's metal so I can buy one, weld this one?, or forge another one w/o the o/d switch. Real serious on trying the welding or forging, at least until I get the whole thing working smoothly,

But why doesn't it want to shift? What is stopping/locking it? The first time it happened I had to really get doen on the brake petal, the second time nothing worked. I am working on it where it happened.

**Mark Kovalsky** · 10-26-2012, 05:45 PM

It is probably a problem with the brake light switch. That switch has to turn off a solenoid that locks the shift handle in park.

mojoman · 10-27-2012, 10:57 AM

if I remember correctly the fuse in position 13 in-cab controls the solenoid that Mark mentions...same thing happened to me a month ago...hth

Ndorsey48 · 11-07-2012, 10:36 PM

Thanks guys, I have been really busy and not able to reply.

First, the fuse was blown. My son reminded me that it happened to him several years ago. Swapped out the fuse, but that didn't help.

I was able to shift into Neutral without starting the truck. So now I can go. I just don't shift into park (find a lot of level parking spots), and I have to hold the instrument panel on the dash with one hand. Kind of got carried away taking things out.

The new shifter is impressive, I do need to cut the end off or curl it around. The ultimate in used horse shoes.

Mark - Now where is the brake light switch that I am looking for?? That might be the problem all along. Might be the reason for the blown fuse. Then again, I lost the tail light on the driver side. Could a short in this wire cause the problem.

Thanks,

You guys are the best, a life saver.

Nolan

**Mark Kovalsky** · 11-08-2012, 05:18 AM

The brake light switch is on the brake pedal. A short in the brake light wiring could cause this, too.

Ndorsey48 · 11-09-2012, 01:59 AM

Mark,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I kept thinking that is where the switch was; but, then 'No, it can't be that simple' kept coming back to me.

I'll bet a dollar to a donut that it is a short in the wire. I lost the both tail lights, and it looked like the left one might have a shorted wire.

You guys make me look like a top notch diesel mechanic!
Again, It's not what you know, but who you get the information from.

Thanks Again,

Nolan