Hello everyone.The shift cable on my 2003 CVPI broke where it connects to the shift linkage on the transmission.After reading prior posts I was able to remove and replace the shift cable from the shift lever on the steering wheel down to the transmission shift linkage.However now I cannot remove the nut on the shift linkage to make the final connection. Most previous posters talk about this "salt belt" issue.To quote {AKA Rizzo}" Be ready for the fight of your life" Well put Mr Rizzo. I am on the ropes but not down for the count yet.I have tried everything including pb blaster,crc freeze off,acetylene torch,brute strength etc.It will not budge.I was wondering if I could remove the shift linkage arm to work on it out of the car and or replace it.Does anyone know how to disconnect it from the lever coming from the mlps?It looks like it is held on by some kind of one use blue plastic grommet but I dont want to break anything and need a new transmission. Any chance the shift linkage and fastener are available at the dealer?Part numbers? Pictures of this part{s} are on P71s 4R70W transmission page. ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks Bobb

P.S. I do not have access to a lift

When you tried acetylene, how hot did you get the nut in terms of its color? Was the nut glowing orange by the time you were done heating it? I realize there's not much room to work with but where you can, heat the nut with the flame paralleling the outside edges of the nut. This should help you roast that nut without getting the stud too hot. If you have to point the flame directly at the stud via while heating the nut, watch the color of the stud to make sure it doesn't glow with the nut. The stud has two flats where the nut can't make contact. Start heating at one of those flats and you can farm out the heat a little easier. Once that nut is glowing orange, it should wrench loose. If you get the stud glowing with the nut, it might be too hot.

The other side of this is that the link is not very expensive if you do break it. ford parts giant dot com shows it for around $25. Their incomplete part number is **7Z-7H296-AA. I'm guessing they leave the first two digits blank because Ford tends to have their date numbers updated even though it's the same part for that transmission since at least 10 years ago if not longer. The link is something of a bear to remove at the other end. I've had good luck with just using a door panel/trim remover to pry them out. It will take some massaging with prejudice and I think you'll need to remove the range sensor, lever position sensor, neutral safety switch, or whatever you want to call it so you can pry with the aforementioned prejudice.

i recently replaced my shifter cable and fought the battle with that rusty nut. My final solution was ro remove the linkage arm and take it to a gas station and asked them to remove it. There is some sort of rubber gromet connecting the to linkage arms. I used a couple of big screw drives to pry it off. I have included a couple of pics that you might find useful

Thank you both for the advice.I did heat the nut pretty well but not glowing red.I will try again using your method.If that does not work I will go the arm replacement route.I assume I will need a new "grommet" to reinstall.

I forgot to mention that I was able to install the new shift cable under the dash and connect it to the gear shift lever without dropping the steering column by moving the seat back and reaching up to remove the plastic clip and pry off the cable end.Reattaching the cable was easy it just pops back on with your fingers.Putting the clip back on took some patience.It has to go back on exactly how it came off.

Hope this helps the next guy

i didn't have to replace the rubber grommet but ididn't heat it up. at the gas station they heated it up untill it was yellow hot and then they dipped it in a bucket of oil to cool it off and then placed it in a vise and the nut spun off fairly easy

So are you saying the fastener {grommet}was not damaged when you pried the shift linkage off? And you just pushed it back together?

The linkage on my 2003 looks different than the picture above.

TIA

the grommet was not damaged i had a hard time getting it off and a hard time getting it back on cause it was so tight i didn't heat mine up

ok thanks alot

Update all fixed

got a new shift linkage arm part #2W7Z-7H296-AA $35 and shift cable part#3W1Z-7E395-AB $77.

As posted above you need to remove the MLPS to gain access to pry off the linkage arm.I used a hacksaw blade to remove the lip on the plastic grommet holding the arm to make it easier to remove.

The new arm already has the grommet installed in it.I put some lube on it and pushed it on with a [don't laugh] piece of 1x1
pressure treated wood.There isn't much room and this gave me the leverage and flat surface to get the grommet pushed back on.I am sure there are other ways but this worked for me.Put the MLPS back on and adjusted the shift cable/shift linkage assembly.Back on the road and saved a lot of money thanks to this site and its members

FWIW the new shift cable is redesigned to be stronger at the linkage connection according to the parts guy.My car has 120K miles and is a former Mass State Police vehicle.

Also when I got the old arm off it was so twisted from trying to get the nut off it needed to be replaced regardless.

Have a great day! I did

Cut the nut off with a dremel tool. Cut on the flat side of the "bolt" on the linkage to save the threads.

No heat, no torquing, and no need for a new linkage for $30+.

Chase the "bolt" threads with a 12-mm x 1.75 die. (Under $10).

The nut is no longer available from Ford. I bought a nylok nut at the hardware store for under $1.

I put on the new cable and everything is working fine.

Hello I have a 2008 Crown Vic P71, does anyone have a picture of the Shifter Cable connected to the transmission? I hit a Lead Brick in the road and it damaged the bracket holding the cable. Any pictures would be great also the best place to purchase these parts. Thanks in advance Clark

First post.

Digs up old relevant tread.

Excellent.


Anyways I have a 4r70w that has been pulled and still has the bracket and linkage(cut off instead of removed properly) still installed. I can take some pics for you if it helps.

Here is one I found with the bracket: