Need Help adjusting 380SE gear selector linkage rod & Neutral Safety switch
 

Hi All, I'm new to the forum. I have a 1985 380 SE (second owner, I've owned it since 1999) and generally do all my own work.

After replacing the gear selector rod bushings and the neutral safety switch, it started a few times in park, then would only start when in the neutral position and lightly pushing the shifter towards Reverse. (When I originally removed the gear selector rod to replace the bushings, I foolishly removed the threaded end,....and did NOT mark where it had been,.....also did not realize when removing the neutral safety switch, that its position was also adjustable,...and did not in any way mark its position).

In an effort to correct this I got under the car and with the shift lever in Park, I adjusted the length of the gear selector rod to pull the transmission mounted lever to its maximum position in Park. I tried it,...and thought I was on track when the car would now start in Park and neutral,........about 5 or 6 times. Back under the car and snugged everything up where they were,....car off the jackstands and back on the ground,....and now the car won't start in any gear position.

I'm guessing that when I tightened up the NSS and put the bolt in to secure the transmission gear selector arm that the rod connects to,...that things moved just enough to create the new "no start" situation. I was running out of daylight, so called it quits,....thinking it was time to seek some advice on proper set up on the selector rod length and NSS postion.

Can anyone direct me to a thread or help me with adjusting these two bits?

I do have a Factory service Manual CD, but I get an error message when I load the disk,....so here I am looking for help.

BC

Disconnect the rod. Have someone keep an eye on the back-up lights as you move the NSS through its adjustment range. Note when the lights come on and go off. Set the NSS to the middle of that range and tighten. Have someone hold the shift lever firmly in P without forcing it forward. Adjust the rod so it just slips into the NSS bushing.

Sixto
87 300D

Sixto: I Forgot to mention that I had tried rotating the NSS with the car in reverse and a friend watching the back up lights,.....they never went out
Had us wondering if perhaps the new NSS was bad.

try using neutral
 

Try the adjustment with the trans and shifter in Neutral. I did this and it only took me a couple of trys.

Which adjustment? The NSS or gear selector rod length?

Transmission has to be in R to adjust the NSS using the back-up lights. I think connerm means to set the rod length with the shift lever in N rather than P.

Sixto
87 300D

sixto is right
 

I set rod length with shifter and trans in N.