Lost A4LD linkage-internal

[thebadj]

No trans tech ever posed the idea of what I found. Driving on errands, all fine, except noticed gear indication slipped to one notch off: reg D was now neutral; engaged in 3rd's notch. Then at next start-up, the column shift went limp..no 'resistance' from trans. Shift cable fine; worked the trans shift lever full range. Because my rig is worn...275K mi....I went networking to see if I could scope out the problem area before putting it up on a rack...and going at 'their' mercy. All along, I believed it was mechanical linkage, not anything hydraulic. Sure enough, dropped A4LD's pan and found the detent "rooster comb" or sprocket was loose on the shift shaft. It had slid sideways off the key/flats on the shaft. So I repositioned it, and because it was too tough to try to use a 15/16 wrench to tighten the shaft nut, I used a slender punch and did it that way: fine. Got in car; worked lever; felt back to normal, just dry. So I buttoned it up, refilled it, and started it up. Immediately went limp again. I'm going back under there for a red hair treatment when the rain stops. Any advice? This has to be the cheap route. Do I have to drop the valve body to change out comb/shaft or [?] ? I'm thinking I can then fix on bench or take the valve body to a shop for them to do it. If the shaft fit is wallowed, I've even thought of sticking a weld up in there. A rebuilder could knock that off with a die grinder. But that's not how I was raised. All advice welcome. John

 

[Glacier991]

your problem may also involve the Z link. There are a number of pictures of all this in the "My A4LD Rebuild Diary" in the useful threads forum.

 

[thebadj]

Progress and Problem

This is to bring others up to date on this. Many thanks to Glacier99 so far.
Before I got the pan off, no trans tech ever posed the idea of what I found. Driving on errands, all fine, except noticed gear indication slipped to one notch off: reg D was now neutral; engaged in 3rd's notch. Then at next start-up, the column shift went limp..no 'resistance' from trans. Shift cable fine; worked the trans shift lever full range. Because my rig is worn...275K mi....I went networking to see if I could scope out the problem area before putting it up on a rack...and going at 'their' mercy. All along, I believed it was mechanical linkage, not anything hydraulic. Sure enough, dropped A4LD's pan and found the detent "rooster comb" or sprocket was loose on the shift shaft. It had slid sideways off the key/flats on the shaft. Got advice from Stuart about the nut I failed to notice. So I repositioned the comb/sprocket in its hole/shaft, and because it was too tough to try to use a 15/16 wrench to tighten the shaft nut, I used a slender punch and spun/tightened it that way: fine. Got in car; worked lever; felt back to normal, just dry. So I buttoned it up, refilled it, and started it up. Immediately went limp again. I'm going back under there for a red hair treatment when the rain stops. What we're thinking is that maybe the sprocket-to-shaft fit has been damaged/wallowed. I now understand that I can fix this and that I'll have to drop the valve body by: diconnecting external shift linkage; diconnecting Z-link; carefully removing the low/rev servo and detent roller spring assy.; maybe disconnecting the electrical conn'ns; then backing out the 20+ bolts. After that the body will resist then pop loose. Right so far? John