Transmission shifter help needed

I have a 92 4x4 explorer. The automatic shifter seems to be out of adjustment. When I put it in drive, the transmission is in neutral. If I fiddle with the shifter, it will go into drive and I can drive it around the block and it shifts fine into all the gears. How do I adjust this thing??? I know the transmissions are notorious for going bad, but I think since it shifts fine once I get it into gear it must be an adjustment somewhere. Please help me out someone.

it is adjustable at the transmission and/or at the column shifter.
Cable stretch will cause what you are describing.

Pull the steering column plastic pieces apart and look at it, it will make more sense.

I think I am having a similar issue. Can you explain how to tighten this cable? Is there a how to on this?

Welcome to this forum! There is a part on the driver's side of the transmission which snaps onto a small ball. It has a set screw on it. If you loosen this set screw, you could either push or pull the cable. Check to see if the pointer is in park inside of the vehicle, then lock the set screw into place.

I cna really help you I have the Ford manual shop on CD .. here is the good way to do it.

Shift System Adjustment, Ranger, Explorer and Aerostar

1. Place transmission shift select lever in the OD position.

2. Hang a three-pound weight on the end of the shift select lever.

3. Raise the vehicle on a hoist.

4. Release lock tab on the top side of the cable by pushing down on the two tangs.

5. Disconnect the shift cable from the transmission lever.

6. Shift the transmission into overdrive. On Ranger and Explorer vehicles, move the transmission lever all the way rearward (counterclockwise) and then forward three detent positions. On Aerostar vehicles, move the transmission lever all the way forward (counterclockwise) and then rearward three detent positions.

7. Reattach shift cable to transmission lever.

8. Completely push down the lock tab on the shift cable, making sure it fully engages, locking cable in place.

9. Make sure shift cable is clipped to floorpan.

10. Lower vehicle down from hoist.

11. Adjust shift indicator pointer while transmission is still in the OD position.

12. Remove the weight and check for proper engagement of all gears, including park

Have fun!!!

This sounds a little complicated. I dont have an OD on the shift lever its a button on the shifter instead. I did find this article which I think should do the trick.

Thoughts?

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198087&highlight=shift+cable

410Fortune said:

it is adjustable at the transmission and/or at the column shifter.
Cable stretch will cause what you are describing.

Pull the steering column plastic pieces apart and look at it, it will make more sense.

Click to expand...

X2. It was nice of SexyFantome to post the exact how to, but I'd just adjust it by feel...done it on other vehicles and always worked great. You gotta make sure that when it's in Drive, you can wiggle the shift lever a little bit both ways without making it want to shift the trans, that way it is centered in the gear and under tension either trying to up or down shift.

djpaul81 said:

This sounds a little complicated. I dont have an OD on the shift lever its a button on the shifter instead. I did find this article which I think should do the trick.

Thoughts?

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198087&highlight=shift+cable

Click to expand...

Good tip!

thanks everyone for your help. I will try to follow the article I found about adjusting the wheel. I will let you know if this works as I will be trying to fix it over the weekend. This forum is great!

goood For my part i unpluged the cable and moved the shifters by hand so i had to also count the notch change on the tranny itself and look for the spring movement when i shift....it was a real mess hehehe

Just to add my 2cents, my trucks bracket that holds the thumb screw broke so I just pulled the cable back and used wireties as spacers to tighten it up.

X-North said:

I cna really help you I have the Ford manual shop on CD .. here is the good way to do it.

Shift System Adjustment, Ranger, Explorer and Aerostar

1. Place transmission shift select lever in the OD position.

2. Hang a three-pound weight on the end of the shift select lever.

3. Raise the vehicle on a hoist.

4. Release lock tab on the top side of the cable by pushing down on the two tangs.

5. Disconnect the shift cable from the transmission lever.

6. Shift the transmission into overdrive. On Ranger and Explorer vehicles, move the transmission lever all the way rearward (counterclockwise) and then forward three detent positions. On Aerostar vehicles, move the transmission lever all the way forward (counterclockwise) and then rearward three detent positions.

7. Reattach shift cable to transmission lever.

8. Completely push down the lock tab on the shift cable, making sure it fully engages, locking cable in place.

9. Make sure shift cable is clipped to floorpan.

10. Lower vehicle down from hoist.

11. Adjust shift indicator pointer while transmission is still in the OD position.

12. Remove the weight and check for proper engagement of all gears, including park

Have fun!!!

Click to expand...

Does this lock tab exist on a '93? My cable came loose from the shifter, and it appears to me that some type of clip is needed to keep the cable attached. The parts chick at the Ford dealer says it's simply the bushing at the end of the cable that holds it on and that I need a new cable.

So, is there a clip or is it simply a bushing at the end of the cable?