Broken gear shift knob...

[fossten]

Hey guys,
I'm new to the forum, got a 93 Mark VIII in the shop getting serviced and the gear shift knob deploy button finally wore out. Anybody know how to take this knob apart and/or replace it? I assume I have to go to a salvage yard for the part since I can't find a new one anywhere on the web.

Thanks!

 

[Markviiiedrea]

are you saying your od button dosent work? there is an easy way to fix it.

 

[fossten]

are you saying your od button dosent work? there is an easy way to fix it.

Naw, it works, but the plastic hooked part that keeps it in the knob housing broke, so the spring keeps shooting the button across the car. I finally took the spring out and just put the button in so I could keep track of it. It stays in, but it is pushed way in and you can tell by looking that it's broken.

 

[driller]

The button is a stock item at the dealer.

 

[Markviiiedrea]

i just made mine so that when i hit my T/C off button the O/D turns off also

 

[fossten]

i just made mine so that when i hit my T/C off button the O/D turns off also

Yeah, but how do you take apart the knob so you can replace it? I've looked all around that stupid thing and I can't find anything. Do I have to take apart the whole console?

 

[Markviiiedrea]

Yha it's easy to remove the center console 2 screws in the arm and 2 under the climate control. When you get under their look for 2 white wires going into the shifter one should have 12v and the other should not. Cut the one that dose not. Next find the t/c button (you need a test light or a multi meter for this) test each wire I'm not sure witch one it is it has been a while since I have done it. But find the one when you hit the switch a 12v current appears and goes away. That is a momentary switch that's what you want. Use a t-tap and 2 feet of 16-18 AWG wire and t-tap into the wire that had the momentary 12v, then the other end of the wire go's to the ground side of the o/d switch (the one you cut). Make sure you use a butt splice and connect it to the end that's NOT on the o/d switch. Put every thing back together after you checked it for operation and check the connections to make sure they are good.

I am 99.8% sure that's right, so try it and see.
If not let me know.

Ray doses that sound right to you?

 

[Markviiiedrea]

joey theres a "how to" for you.

 

[scott9050]

I might have to try that trick.

 

[fossten]

Eric,

With all due respect, between the two of us, you are the only one who knows what you are talking about here. I don't know anything about splicing my traction control switch with my overdrive switch, I just want to replace the shifter deploy button on my stick. You know, the button (not the od button) that lets you put the car in gear. I don't think this has anything to do with wiring things together. I just need to replace a plastic part. When I go to look closely at the stick to see how it's mounted in the console, the stupid steering wheel gets in the way of my pumpkin head. I would really just like to know how to take the thing apart so I can go to a salvage yard and replace the shifter deploy button without paying $70/hr in labor.

Thanks,
David

 

[Markviiiedrea]

Sorry I know that is not what you where wondering about but some one asked.

I have never had to remove the shifter but, get the center console apart and I think there is a c-clip or a set screw holding it in. just go to a junk yard a practice on a t-bird and when you get one off with out damaging it just put it in you mark.

You can do what I said above or just reconnect the wires for normal operation, that is if you got one that worked

Hope that helps a little bit better....

 

[scott9050]

There is a U shaped clip that holds the shifter on the stick on the backside. Put in a flathead and pry it out. After this you can wiggle the shifter off. When you have it off you can better see how the button attaches. Mine popped out and I was able to figure out how to get it back on, it catches where the button is under the shifter and hold it in place. It's hard to describe, you will see when you get it off.

 

[fossten]

Thanks, guys, for all your help, I replaced the knob today.

I decided to replace the whole thing, and I got a nice one off a MKVIII at a salvage yard for $25.00.

I had to unscrew two bolts inside the console compartment, lift it slightly off the carpet, and unhook the power cable for the OD, but once I did that and pried out the U-pin, the knob came off like a charm. It took only a minute to put the new one on (I replaced a blue with a black one), but I had trouble slipping it down. It stopped about a half inch short of being completely seated. I took it back out, and upon closer examination, I saw that my metal shaft had two slots where the knob was supposed to seat, and they both had the broken plastic tabs from the original knob stuck in them, which were preventing the knob from seating. Two quick jabs from my screwdriver, and the slots were clear, and everything was downhill from there. The U-pin went in with a few gentle taps from my hammer, and my wife said that the new black leather handle looks so much better than the original blue. Now she thinks I'm the man, since I don't usually know anything about fixing cars. We then spent the next two hours detailing the car and getting it washed. Funny how one small project leads to another bigger one. Anyway, it was a lot of fun, and I'm going to replace a few more parts on this thing before I'm done. Then maybe I'll post some pics.

Anyone else that tries this, one piece of advice: Pull up on the knob carefully unless you don't care about snapping the OD wires. They are flimsy and there is not enough slack to remove the knob. You have to unsnap it from its connection under the console.

Thanks again fellas!