Hey guys.

So I took the Blazer out for a drive earlier to fill it with gas and such, but ran into an issue when I tried to start her again.

1997 Blazer LS with automatic Floor shifter.

When I tried to start her up, I found she wouldn't start. Acted almost like a dead starter in that she wouldn't click or make any noise what so ever. But then it got weirder when I found I couldn't shift her out of Park.

Did some digging and found out about a shift interlock override. Looked into mine and turns out mine was missing. I could see where it would have been, but it's gone.

Currently, I have the shift cable removed from the shifter so I can push and pull the cable into and out of gear. She moved between gears fine like that and even managed to get her home (once I removed the cable she was able to start again. My guess is she's stuck somewhere between park and reverse on the ****) But the shift **** is still Stuck in park and will not release. It feels like when I try to push in the button on the ****, something is blocking or Preventing it from releasing.

Any ideas where to look? Google mentions a shift interlock solenoid and BTSI?, but I wanted a second or third opinion before I jump straight to that.

Thanks.

Edit: After taking a look, I found a metal pin sticking out of the bottom of the shifter. Pulling that out with some needlenose pliers and holding it allowed me to pull it out of Park and shift fine. I'm assuming this is part of the override switch I should have. Photo here:



With that in mind, does this confirm it's a BTSI or something? Thanks again.

 

Bump because a new quirk has shown up. Not sure if related.

When I put her in "Park" (where the shifter inevitably gets stuck, requiring use of the override), if the engine is still on, she rolls backwards, as though in reverse but with no gas applied.

All other gears (including reverse) still work. Again, not sure if this might be related to my shifter sticking and not starting (maybe it's getting stuck between Park and Reverse, so it still thinks it's in reverse or something?) Or if it's unrelated.

Additionally, a friend suggested I try poking my Neutral Safety Switch to see if that's part of the issue? Any thoughts?

Any help appreciated.

 

Update: Just got done replacing my NSS and it's connector due to a wire breaking in the removal process. Issue still persists.

Symptoms are:

-Blazer will not start in Park or Neutral, whether or not brake pedal is depressed. Will start in Reverse, Drive, 3,2,& 1 gears.
-Shifter gets stuck in Park (Or somewhere between Park & Reverse. Can't quite tell) Requiring the use of the Override switch to move the shift **** to any other gear.

Next thing I was gonna try was adjusting the cable, though I don't know that that will help the start problem. I do know it is out of adjustment because the orange bit on the floor shifter doesn't like to match up with the gear it's in. However, in trying to remove the plastic clip that keeps the cable in place for adjustment, I merely broke off small chunks or brittle plastic. Not sure if there's another trick to it other than just getting a pair of needle nose on it and tugging down?

And wondering still if it isn't the shift interlock solenoid.

Any assistance still welcome.

EDIT: For my sanity, Where the hell is this Shift Interlock solenoid supposed to be on a Floor shift model blazer? EVERYTHING I find is for the column shifter, not floor.

 

Have you adjusted the shift cable where it attaches to the transmission?

 

I have attempted but been unsuccessful. I can't seem to get the plastic bit to pop downwards. I'm not sure if it's just stuck in there from age or if there's more to releasing it beyond just tugging it down with a pair of needlenose.

 

That'll be my pick for what'll get you out of this... May have to end up forcing the clip. You can always steal one from a salvage yard if you break yours.

I remember my original taking some force when I converted to a console shifter.

 

So I just cant find this Shift Interlock Solenoid. Does it just not exist for the floor shifter models? Or is it like... somewhere other than inside the center console?

On the plus side, while I have not fixed my issue, I have confirmed 100% what it is. Had my better half shift through the gears while I laid on my back and watched the transmission end of the cable move the metal tab of the transmission. It did not shift into park. I was able to physically shift the tab into park, at which point everything worked as it should, including being able to start it again.

So now I need to figure out how the hell to get this cable to adjust.

 

My experience:
'97 Blazer LS 4x4 Floor shift
I go out to the truck, start it and it won't come out of park.
Knowing about the override, I pull the boot back and squeeze the little lever to pull the solenoid out. - No luck. Still won't budge.
I turn the ignition off and try to override it and this time it hesitates and then the button depresses and I can get it out of park. I figure there's crap in the mechanism and I need to clean it.
While I'm in there I have the wife step on the brake & start it... the solenoid actuates but it still won't shift.
Searching for that d*&#$d solenoid on the internet is impossible. As others have stated, you're in luck if it's a column shift but otherwise S.O.L. if you need to replace it.
I run down to the wrecking yard and grab another shifter assembly out of an '01. Plug it in to make sure it works and what do you know? The solenoid is not working at all.
Figure since my old one "works" but this new one doesn't I'll tear it apart and see if there are some secret runes are inscribed in a hidden location that I can use to refine my search.
I grind off the riveted end of the lever pivot and drive out the pin.
I grind off the two smaller riveted ends of the retaining pins and extract the accursed solenoid. (No secret runes found... even tried black light and lemon juice just to make sure...)
I plug it into the car and still doesn't work. Ok... let's take a look inside.

What I find:
From the outside, there's the white disk of the solenoid end, the electrical connector, and on the top there's a black plunger that you can depress. This is actuated by the shaft in the shift stalk.
There's also four clips to hold the case halves together.
I figure if I remove the disk from the end of the solenoid, I should be able to remove the solenoid from the body when I undo the clips.
I pull on the disk and shoot the plunger and spring across the room. Fortunately my wife has quick reflexes, catches the plunger and sees where the spring landed.
I finally wrestle the disk off and open the case.
Obviously, at this point, I know the end of the solenoid holds the plunger in. The circuit board has the drivers for the solenoid but it also has a switch that is actuated by a tiny white plastic pin that protrudes into the bottom of the well that the plunger sits in. If you load the plunger and spring in, there's a ramp on the bottom of the plunger that pushes the pin out and opens the contacts of that switch. This is what locks your key in the ignition.
That little pin is the source of my woes. The solenoid portion is working flawlessly on my old shifter but I can get this new unit to act the same way which is to lock the plunger in the up position when the solenoid is actuated.
The pin slides under the bottom of the plunger and prevents the plunger from moving no matter what. I find that if you wiggle the hell out of the shifter you can get the pin to shift out of the way and you'll be able to press the button but who wants to beat the snot out of the shifter every time you need to move the vehicle? While I wouldn't mind a little percussive-maintenance-as-therapy, the wife is unwilling.

This is where I'm at currently. I'm going to put the old shifter back in after I put a brass shim between the button shaft and the plunger. Hopefully I can find the happy spot between wedging the solenoid closed permanently and keeping the pin from blocking the plunger.

Anybody else pulled one of these apart? Fixed this problem?