Hey Guys, In my 71 GS 350, the shift indicator in my dashboard has never moved from Park. Is there a linkage or something that controls the needle when the lever goes through the gears? How many things do I have to remove to get to the problem ? Any help is appreciated. JPB
Could be a couple things.... If a floor shift car....first check to see if there is linkage from the trans, up the firewall connecting to the column. (under the hood) If thats not there or not hooked up, you wont get the PRND12 needle to move if the linkage is there and moving, you should notice the collar on the column inside move when you shift the floor shifter If its a column shift car, obviously the column moves when you shift If the collar is moving, next check that there's a small cable/wire that connects from the collar up to the speedo. When you move the shifter, the collar rotates, pulls on cable/wire and the needle in the speedo moves
There is a linkage that hooks directly to the speedo housing from the column. If someone had the dash apart perhaps they forgot to hook it back. There is a little metal hook from the speedo that goes to a metal clip that has a screw that goes directly into the column.
X2. There is a part of the column that rotates as you shift from PRND21. That part has a slot in it. There is a small pinch clamp that mounts to that slot with a screw that hooks to the thin link, so the entire thing is adjustable. All you need to do is remove the small cover under the column that screws to the main dash. You should be able to see the small lever that comes off the Speedometer. It is spring loaded. You can move it with your finger and move the indicator. Here is a picture of it, http://www.buickperformanceclub.com/cluster8.jpg And the article on George N's site. http://www.buickperformanceclub.com/cluster.htm
Right..you loosen the screw a bit and manually move the clamp. Start with the car in neutral, maybe. You have to know it's in neutral. Then move the clamp so it points to N. Then tighten a bit and go thru the gears and see how it looks. That needle never moves and points perfectly to each letter. But...D R N are the most important, so look for a good point towards those letters, and the P L1 + L2 will be close enough.
Great post! Now that I know what the linkage between the collar on the column and the gear indicator looks like, I can make one.
