Clipper Shifting Problem...Help needed

[Steamcar]

Guys, I need a little brainstorming help on a 1947 Clipper. I was going to take it out for a little drive, and the car didn't want to go into 2nd or 3rd gears. After I put it back in the garage, it now is very difficult to find neutral and doesn't seem to want to go into any gear. Shift lever? Linkage (it appears to be OK)? or transmission? I changed the transmission gear oil last summer and doubt if there is over 100 miles on the gear oil. Any Ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Steamcar

1915 Madison

1916 Crow-Elkhart

1921 Stanley

1941 Packard 120

1947 Packard Clipper

1953 Packard Cavalier

[Owen_Dyneto]

Packard like many other makers had their share of issues when converting from cane shift and they issued over the next 8 years or so at least a half-dozen or more service letters on servicing the column shift problems. That's where I'd start thinking about the problem. If you don't have your own set of Packard's service letters for this era, you'll find them at PackardInfo.com - General Site News - New Part Cross Reference Database Added - Packard Articles.

[Steamcar]

Thanks for the input, I'll check the column and order the service letters.

Jim

[Owen_Dyneto]

You can purchase the service letters from the various Packard national vendors if you wish, but you can browse and download from PackardInfo for no charge. Also if your a member of PAC and have back issues of "The Cormorant" or can borrow them, the Winter 1971 issue gave a condensation of all the column-shift service letters along with commentary and actual experience.

[Guest Albert]

I would be also checking the bushings in the linkage, almost sounds like it not comming out of gear far enought due to linkage, or also check your transmission mount, to see if it has shifted as well..

[Guest cben09]

Somehow ???? there is, are, ,2 levers to the tranny,,,,and just 1 lever to the shift handle As I recall shifting too fast OR sloppily,,,,the top lever would come out of one of the bottom things,,and wouldnt shift,,,Pop the hood yank the arm pop it in slam hood and try to beat the light,,,Thats why I had several 633,626 etc,,,Nothing is broken I think,,,just a bit sloppy,,,,Get a friend to sit in car an' shift while you watch,,,I think this poor description of what i recall in the 1960s may help,,,hope so,,,Cheers,,Ben ///p/s dont pinch your finger,,,another memory just came thru,,,haha CB

[Guest 49packard]

Before you spend any $$-There is a small hole about 3/4 distance from the firewall in the shift column. Squirt some light oil (not WD40) in the hole. Wait a day or so and work the gearshift lever up and down. It should get better and better. I had the same problem it may take several applications of the oil and exercise before it frees up. I used some stuff from a company called Kano that frees up bolts. There are several threads regarding this problem on all 3 of the Packard sites.

[Steamcar]

Thanks again, I appreciate it. That oil problem may be the answer. I'll start on it today .

Jim

[Guest Albert]

may also want to disconnect the rods at the botton of the coloum, and with the wheels blocked and the clutch depress try moving the levers on the side of the transmission, both should be in the center position for netrual, one leaver is reverse, netural, frist, the other is second, netural and third, so the first lever has to be in netural before the second lever can be moved..