TF999 Tranny adapter housing - trouble with parking lever

[DHugg]

I'm reattaching the just-overhauled Dana 300 to my '80 CJ7 AMC 304 with auto TF999 . I pulled the adapter housing off the tranny and replaced the badly leaking seal.

In reattaching the adapter housing (see 2 atched photos) to the tranny, I can see how the parking lever should slide into the detent lifting the spring-loaded latch. But it is all invisible once you slip on the adapter housing, and the area of wobble of the parking lever seems to include enough real estate to block the housing from mating up snug.

Been through the AMC '80 TF999 rebuild manual, Ludel's, some '82 and '84 txmission manuals and find no mention of either a potential problem or a technique to assure the parking lever finds the correct position.

When the adapter housing is bolted down, the parking selector on the steering column is locked in park. Reading manuals suggests it will stay locked until the fluid in the tranny is refilled to spec (18 liters plus some) AND the engine is started.

Can someone tell me if there is a special voodoo spell that assures the parking lever finds the correct slot? Is the steering column shifter supposed to stay locked until engine start with full fluid in the tranny?

Greatly appreciate any advice, or as the folks up country here is Mississippi say, "Much obliged!".

 

[csuengr]

Put the key in, turn to first notch, and the shifter will move to any position you want. One thing to try in put the shifter in neutral and see if the housing will go on. It is possible the output shaft turned a bit while while you were messin' with the adapter housing. If it goes on, see if the shifter will go back into park and lock the output shaft. By the way, it is possible to change the seal without removing the adapter housing.

Also, there is no need for a gasket between the tranny and Transfer Case . There should be a weep hole in the bottom of the adapter housing to let you know when something is leaking.