No problem Chill101, let use know if you have anymore questions, the shift paw adjustment is crucial in having the tranny shift, make sure the adjuster is a concentric one that actually moves the shift paw forward and back, I've seen aftermarket trannys that the adjuster wasn't not concentric and adjusted nothing if so replace it, and when adjusting it since you have it apart adjust it before you put it all back together, with top cover off and primary off, turn the main shaft with your hand and shift threw the gears, because they say to adjust it in the center of the shift paw grove, but I've found some trannys like it adjusted more forward or back to not stick in gears

 

Hey everyone. I finally got around to finishing the transmission and I wanted to provide some closure to this thread. Maybe there is a small chance this will help someone else down the road.

Recap

My transmission wouldn’t shift gears.

I believed the problem might be bent shift forks, shift drum/cam, or something with the shifter pawl/inner shift linkage.

The good people here helped me narrow it down to shifter pawl.



Unfortunately messing with the adjuster just didn’t seem to solve the problem but the guys were 100% right that the shifter pawl was the problem.

For some reason there was a tremendous amount of wobble in all directions on my shifter pawl. I ordered a new part and a new seal. That seems to have fixed it.



Probably an important note: (Pictures at the end for clarification)

My old shifter pawl didn’t have a groove cut into it for a retaining clip. The new shifter pawl had a groove for a spacer and a retaining clip. I assume it is a newer better design to make sure everything stays lined up.



Thanks, Mike131 and Yankee Dog


new one that I ordered

Old Shifter pawl without a groove for a retaining clip

New pawl installed with spacer and retaining clip.

 

Not sure if this helps but herz a couple of pics from a stock 1996 FLHT tranny. Yours looks similar to this. (tranny is in neutral)