I have an 89 k5 5.7L with an auto trans. When I hit a big bump the gear selector pops out of overdrive into neutral. Probably related to this...Gear selector doesn't seem to "lock in" to 2nd, 3rd or D, it just kind of slips through them all. It will sit in 1st or OD just fine. And idea what would be causing this?

 

My k5 did that it was from the leaf spring shackle hitting the shifter linkage. My body was so tore up too if the body flexed it would do that to.

Get a floor shifter with a cable and no problems

 

how expensive would it be to switch to a floor shifter? Also how much work would it take? I'm pretty mechanically inclined but I only get one day off a week and this is my main mode of transportation.

 

Guess it depends on how proper you want to do it. I went to the junkyard and got a camaro floor shifter for $20 and put it in my s10. But to go out and buy a new shifter with new hardware it could be $100+ its pretty easy to install just bolt it to the floor and run the cable through the floor. And again to do it right you're either gonna want to change your column to a manual or just leave your old shifter or remove it

 

Have you checked your motor/tranny mounts?

 

Motor mounts are not broken but they are a but soft, and I have not yet checked my tranny mounts.

 

i seen a truck do the same thing, and come to find out the bolts that hold the transmission to the mount was missing 1 and the other was very loose... check those areas... it could be as simple as putting some new bolts into it..

hope this helps

Ck1500

 

do you have headers?? i have a 92 k5 with headers and every time i would nail the gas it would pop out of drive, turns out the linkage sits right above the header on the driver side framerail, and wene they installed the headers they never put the cotter pin back into the linkage, hitting gas, motor flexes, header comes up hits linkage rod and pops it out of gear.

 

One other idea to consider check out summitracing.com they sell a bolt in kit to eliminate the rod shift linkage crap and convert it to a cable takes about 20 minutes to install and keep the factory shifter etc. the downside is it's not as cheap as a junkyard floor shifter here's a link if you want to check it out yourself http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LOK-ACA-1805/

 

I do not have headers I still have the stock exhaust manifolds. I have checked the linkage from the trans to the firewall and everything seems to have an inch or more clearance. However one of the joints seem awful loose but I would think that would make it harder to shift into gear not pop out of gear.