Another ? Won’t crank, stalls and gears won’t go in gear

[plummrey]

1984 C10, it wouldn’t let me upload short videos of the sounds. Here’s a couple of problems which I have not messed with anything to screw anything up

1. Sometimes won’t crank or jump off, 3 different sounds, 1. Click 2. Vroom sound 3. Sounds like it wants to turn over but running out of juice, sounds and feels in the trans hump, electric choke was never hooked up, new carb, new distributor from po

2. Was going to drive around the block in the neighborhood (that’s once in a blue moon, January I had no problems) but yesterday it didn’t go in reverse so just rolled out in the street and drive only went in second I guess but not third (automatic). And stalled at stop after 5 minutes driving. Had to be pulled back to the house. Today reverse still not switching in gear, neutral it will go forward along with the other drives. Got it jumped off left in on few minutes stalled again and really started rolling back. Also noticed that the end of the gear box was leaking steering fluid.

Looking on here maybe check starter, alternator (I did disconnect a batter cable while running and it didn’t stall not sure if that’s a for sure method to check that)

 

[Camar068]

If you've got shifting issues, you don't need to MOVE IT at all until you check the fluid AFTER the engine is up to temp. Check the fluid and make sure it's good.

I say that because the other stuff should be cheaper to fix. The transmission on the other hand could be a $1500 rebuild that you didn't need to do if it was low on fluid due to a leak or whatever.

 

[plummrey]

It was low and added some, just trying to figure out why it’s not even jump start, probably something stupid like the gas gauge looking more since I’m on a slight slant driveway

Yeah had to pay for transmission work on one of my daughters truck in December

 

[Bextreme04]

It sounds like the battery might just be low. What is the voltage?

 

[plummrey]

It’s new but I’d have to check

 

[Hugomartin]

It sounds like the battery might just be low. What is the voltage?

12.4 to 12.6v

 

[Rusty Nail]

Did you try to crank it in neutral or only in park?

 

[plummrey]

Yes and the others too, even pushed up on park to make sure, will mess with it a little today

 

[plummrey]

But it’s of course locked in the others, park and neutral still a no go , battery amps are around 12 on the gauge and goes down a little when trying to crank pics below, haven’t check battery with a multi meter yet

 

[plummrey]

She cranked up and gauge is this

 

[plummrey]

Left her on and tried shifting gears to see if I could feel them but same as my previous post, I put it in reverse just to see and gave some gas then it cut off. Since there’s an ac or heating on here I have the windows down so when I try crank and it makes the vroom sound it sounds like I can hear the starter whirling

 

[plummrey]

Update: as far as cranking up she’s good to go (new oil, trans. fluid, new starter and spark plugs <po only did wires and new distributor>, new speedo gear housing, check the governor moves fine

left her on and still not going in gears just want to go forward, in reverse nothing, linkage turns underneath that’s going into transmission, is there anything else to check or test

 

[Rusty Nail]

Vroom sound is possibly a failing starter solenoid OR bad battery cables. I bet it doesn't vroom with the new starter. Are the battery cables 40 years old?
Did you install the starter and are able to verify proper installation?
Now we are at the shifter linkage.
It connects in the steering column and I am not a steering column guy , not much help there but the possibility of the ignition switch / gear selector interfering with power supply is in the column.
Right? I think so.
I'm not much more help with your issue.

But that danged ol purple wire... Maybe neutral safety switch? I'm reaching bud, don't know.


Got any pix of the truck?

 

[Rusty Nail]

Hold on. It won't crank BECAUSE it IS in gear?
I'm not gonna suggest you do anything stupid, but wheel chocks save lives.

It's a 9/16 or maybe 5/8 nut that connects the shift linkage to the transmission.
Turn the truck off, chock the wheels and remove that nut from the shift linkage connection at the transmission.
Can you move the gear selector at the transmission with two fingers? I think if you turn it all the way counter clockwise that should be park. If it isn't there - it's your trouble.
Right?
You can move the gear selector by hand. At the transmission.

Don't do anything stupid, I'm not liable neither is this website.
I think we said wheel chocks a bunch.

 

[plummrey]

Po put nice new battery cables, wires are correct on the starter. It starts up like it should now, just wondering about it not shifting, this really was all the sudden, a couple months ago. I drove it around the block in January no problem, no stalling, no up or down shift problems. Then in April got it cranked (took a bit cause that’s before the stuff I just did just now in may), would go in reverse, no neutral unless the engines off and it will roll other than that it will go forward. Same today when I cranked up. That safety switch should be fine, if I’m not mistaken to test, I can only start her up in park and neutral, key won’t move if it’s in other gears. The linkage moves when going thru gears, I wish I could upload video, what other pics would you need