C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

All the stuff under the car, Transmission, Brakes, Suspension & Steering
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Groover
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C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by Groover »

1964 Comet, C4 trans.

So a while back we were getting a ratcheting noise from the trans. We pulled over on the side of the road, slowly moved back and forth. The noise sounded like it was coming from right under the trans. Having no choice, we drove slowly on, the noise increased and then suddenly went away and all seemed fine. Later we notice that the car still rolls in park. I'm now thinking the noise was the parking pawl and that it probably bent or broke off (which is why the noise went away).

Question: Can I get to it to replace it without taking the trans OUT of the car? Shop manual and internet are kind of vague on this. Looks like if I remove the pan and the valve body I can get to it from below?

Anybody ever mess with this (I know, Roy, one more reason to ditch the automatic ;)
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1964 Comet Caliente Convertible
30,000 miles on our rebuild

All Comets start out as dreams...

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poboyjo65
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by poboyjo65 »

I'm interested in the answers to come too .I have a c4 in a truck that you just cant trust.
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Johno

popscomet
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by popscomet »

YOU do not have to pull the tranny,drop the pan,,the pawl broke and the little ball lost cotact...back in the middle to late 70's ,ford C4's were known to jump out of park and actualy ran over people,my 77 bronco does it and 1 time my issurance had to pay for the side of a brand new truck at a gas station,it came out and rolled back into it,thank the good lord there was no one walking behind it....leaving for the races,,,,wish us luck pop
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comethead
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by comethead »

Groover, take a look at this pic. Its the parking pawl (laying flat, below the long straight spring to the left of the gear). It engages that "gear" when in park.
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Parts diagram:
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Actual parts:
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http://www.mustangmonthly.com/techartic ... ewall.html

Dont trust your shift linkage just yet. Remove the linkage rod at the trans and verify that it is really in park by moving it with your hand. Click it into park manually and then see if the car rolls. If not, its in the linkage...perhaps adjustment or maybe worn somewhere.
It it does roll the parking pawl set up needs to be checked...everything Ive read says the trans needs to be disassembled to replace it. But Ive never done it. Im fixin to tear a C4 down to rebuild. But thatll be awhile.

Good luck!

Joe
1965 Caliente HT- 289/4 speed
1964 Falcon HT- track car- 302/4 speed
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Groover
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by Groover »

Good luck at the races, Pops, Thanks Joe.

Pops, are you saying you've DONE this from below the pan, or are you saying you think it can be done through the pan.

Looking at Joe's exploded view pictures, and from what I've seen online, it looks like you could adjust the mechanism from below, but if the spring is actually broken, it looks like it is outside the pan area??
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1964 Comet Caliente Convertible
30,000 miles on our rebuild

All Comets start out as dreams...

comethead
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by comethead »

Looks like its on the tail housing side of the trans. I wonder if you could remove the tail housing to get to the spring??

Joe
1965 Caliente HT- 289/4 speed
1964 Falcon HT- track car- 302/4 speed
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poboyjo65
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by poboyjo65 »

Groover Take lots of pics ! I'll wait untill you get finished & can tell me how to do it. :mrgreen:
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Johno

popscomet
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by popscomet »

that little dog leg is what I had in mind instead of calling it a ball,,been yrs ago and I may have had a brain POOT,not a fart,just a little lady POOT :shock: best I recall,all you do is drop the pan,I don't member,if i can find a old tranny I'll check...pop
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pop/glenda

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Groover
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by Groover »

Thanks Pops, I won't be doing this for a couple of weeks at least. Not in the mood right now. Developed a starting problem yesterday (as in it flat won't start) so that's taking irritatingly higher priority.

How'd you do yesterday at the track?
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1964 Comet Caliente Convertible
30,000 miles on our rebuild

All Comets start out as dreams...

popscomet
Posts: 9688
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by popscomet »

Groover wrote:Thanks Pops, I won't be doing this for a couple of weeks at least. Not in the mood right now. Developed a starting problem yesterday (as in it flat won't start) so that's taking irritatingly higher priority.

How'd you do yesterday at the track?
WE did OK,son won his heat race and grdson came in 2nd in the feature,son got black flagged in the feature,for going to the pits thinking he had a flat before I could get there to tell him ,no flat ,he gor out of car to check R.frt,then got back in and when he pulled onto track they waved him off,,after the race track owner/manger told the flagman and the track crew they had made the wrong call...they werent familer with thier own rules,,at some tracks that was a rightous call but not where we were last night....we took it in stride...it should never happen again and we try not to ever bad mouth a race track,cause they cost so much to operate and so many are closeing down across the country,,,,,thanks pop....need help ? post it .we'll come up with something
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pop/glenda

comethead
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by comethead »

Groover wrote:Developed a starting problem yesterday (as in it flat won't start) so that's taking irritatingly higher priority.
Ahh the pleasures of old car ownership!! :lol:
Do you mean turn the key and nada nothing zip?? Or the motor turns but won't light?
Good luck man...you've come this far and the hard stuff is done! :wink:

Joe
1965 Caliente HT- 289/4 speed
1964 Falcon HT- track car- 302/4 speed
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kevinshi
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Re: C4 won't park - parking pawl issue

Post by kevinshi »

Can the parking pawl, shaft, spring and gear be replaced via the rear tail housing (or must the main case be exploded as well)?
Thanks,
kevin
1965 Caliente Convertible
5H25A525287 (76DM6204L5416)

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