240DL Auto Transmission shifter slips easily

On my 1990 240DL the other day the shifter for the auto transmission
started slipping easily from gear to gear.

Rather than the old solid click between gears it now easily slips from
R to N to D to 2 to 1.

On the way up it will easily go 1 to 2 to D but will not go
to N without a button press.

Also it will not go in or out of park without pressing the button as
noral.

It still seem to change gears smoothly as normal but just something
wrong with the shifter to keep it there.

I removed the cover and sprayed some WD40 down to the shifter track to
make sure nothing was sticking, but that did not help.


Any ideas?

Stu

 

When you depress the button on the top of the shifter you are moving a
rod downward. There is a foot on the bottom or the rod that engages the
sector mounted to the shifter frame inside the shifter box. The spring
on the push button holds the button up and holds the foot in contact
with the steps of the sector. If the foot breaks or comes adrift of the
sector there will be no other indication of gear position other than the
steps on the similar sector inside the transmission that requires no
action but the movement of the shift rod to command a gear shift,
neutral or park.

Additionally there are nylon bushings at either end of the shift rod
that wear and fall out. when this happens the shifter becomes very
sloppy.

Bob

 

The foot is there and looks solid.
It moves up and down with teh button press.
I did not see any nylon bushings, where are they supposed to be fitted?
Are they on the foot?

Thanks for you help
Stu

 

They are under the car. The shifter lever continues through the shift
lever box via the axle at the bottom of the box. The bushings are on
either end of the rod that connects the shifter lever to the shift lever
on the transmission.

Bob