My A-833 Is stuck in Overdrive. Need advice/help ASAP, please!

MobileCustoms · Apr 24, 2017

So, this is for the tranny in my '78 Dodge Street van. I came off the freeway this morning and went to downshift from 4th gear/overdrive into 2nd. It would not come out of 4th so i got it to the side of the road and after no luck getting it freed up I called a tow truck and had it brought to my friend's place just down the street from me. My driveway was full at the time.

I have done a little searching around it sounds like it might be something I can access & fix by just removing the side cover but I have no experience with the A-833 at all, or the proper terms to use to help me search for the right answers. I really need to get it driveable again asap so any help would be greatly appreciated! The more details the better.
Thanks!

brian6pac · Apr 24, 2017

is the shifter sloppy, worn out?

MobileCustoms · Apr 24, 2017

brian6pac said:
is the shifter sloppy, worn out?

That may be the culprit... I am going back over there this afternoon to crawl under and have a look-see. I figure I will disconnect the shift linkage and see if i can get it out of gear with the levers underneath, for starters.

brian6pac · Apr 24, 2017

It should have an interlock inside the cover but I have seen people change old cover to new style, basically swap to get the new cover and someone gets and old cover, so it could be jammed.

ValiantOne · Apr 24, 2017

MobileCustoms said:
That may be the culprit... I am going back over there this afternoon to crawl under and have a look-see. I figure I will disconnect the shift linkage and see if i can get it out of gear with the levers underneath, for starters.

Good place to start (linkages) in addition to the shifter. I had a similar situation where i had put a shifter rod on wrong and it would only go in or out of one gear. Maybe one of the rods on yous came off.

MobileCustoms · Apr 24, 2017

This is a 2-owner van, so I kind of doubt there was too much monkeying around and swapping of any parts over the years. I have my fingers crossed that it's just the shifter/linkage!

MobileCustoms · Apr 24, 2017

Got the van up on a lift and found the nut on the 3-4 shift lever had loosened up a bit and caused things to bind up.
-easy fix for once! Gotta love it when that happens.
Thanks for the input

Marcohotrod · Apr 24, 2017

a definite area for some threadlocker

mbaird · Apr 24, 2017

It never occured to me that you could get a van with a 4 speed. Is it a column or floor shift ?
How about some pics of the inside ?

MobileCustoms · Apr 24, 2017

mbaird said:
It never occured to me that you could get a van with a 4 speed. Is it a column or floor shift ?
How about some pics of the inside ?

It's a floor shift. Not pretty inside right now but working on it like a MAD MAN to be ready for Mopars In The park here in Minnesota. It will be looking very different in the next 5 weeks, with a little luck!