1960 tranny linkage
 

My buddy with the White 60 Cat says his tranny won't go into reverse. it stops at the low position. He jacked the car up and it went into reverse. took it off the jack stands and it won't go again. ?? Any ideas?
Thanks OGR

When he disconnects the linkage at the trans and put it in Reverse, will the car back up if the wheels are on the ground?

If so, he MAY have a column issue.

He did not start the car while it was on the front jack stands.
IF it is a column problem ? what is the fix ?

The old 60 X frame could flex when jacked up and allow it to go in gear?
Check for something loose or bad driver side motor mount. IIR the column shift linkage is adjustable...
I dont have the column anymore so can't look at it on mine.. :)
just a thought..

I looked at the car today. Motor running, 4 tires on the ground, shift lever will not go down to reverse.
Turn motor off, lever goes into reverse.
??

Talked to an old tranny guy who knew an older tranny guy who knew the old Pontiac hydros.
He said put the lever in reverse, jump the starter so engine will start in reverse and it will free the stuck "pressure regulator valve".
WALLA ! It now goes into reverse. :D :thumbup:

If governor hangs up and wont allow trans to shift out of 4th when stopping. At stop put in neutral start and immediately pull to R. Should clear stuck governor........

There is a safety device built into the trans to keep it from going into reverse when the cars moving. Look it up in the manual..

Those old hydros might not be the fastest but they give an old Pontiac such a cool personality...

I had a Super Hydramatic rebuilt years ago in a 62 Bonneville, There was a problem with it, and when the guy test drove it he kept dropping it into reverse at just about walking speed and shocking it. He told me the governor was stuck and shocking it like that would sometimes free it up. It however didn't, and he had to replace the governor. It worked perfectly after the governor was replaced, until I spun a bearing in it...……….:mad:

It cost me $150 to have it rebuilt, like 2 weeks pay at that time (1971). Even back then those transmissions were expensive to repair.

On a few that we were junking I tried putting them into reverse while going 20-30 mph and nothing happened. The car just stayed in neutral until it slowed down to about 2 or 3 mph then it shifted into reverse and the car stopped..

Those hydros also have a thrust sensor that tells the transmission that the car is moving. I forget where it was located. I was studying the hydraulic circuits of that transmission at one point in my life. I was going to open up a little hydro rebuilding shop for retirement. I still might because the couple people we have around here that still do them are in there 70s and 80s... One guy named Sweeny builds his own version of the Hydrostick.. He uses the 55-56 Hydro..