np203 tcase stick keeps going back to 4hi from 4loc

[lochenjons]

I've been lurking for a long time, I would pay the 25 bucks and become a member but I never have money and if i did find 25 bucks I'd go buy gas and go 4wheelin. But anyways i went wheelin today and had it in 4hi loc but the shifter would keep going back to 4hi. It never did that before. I was going to put one of those mile marker parttime 4x4 kits in soon but not if theres something wrong with the tcase. Any ideas?

 

[1979chevystepside]

yeah, its that crappy shifter box probably, or its out of adjustment. Either way the stock shifter SUCKS

 

[lochenjons]

So it's not like the tcase is about to die on me or anything right just the shifter itself? How would i adjust it?

 

[BizeeB65]

Save your pennies and swap in an NP205. You'll thank me later

 

[lochenjons]

Save your pennies and swap in an NP205. You'll thank me later

Your probably right, ive always wanted to put a 700r4 trans in there too tho, if I were to put in the np205 should I go all out and get another trans too? Or wait till I blow up my TH350? I would go for it but the trans was rebuilt pretty recently before I got the truck. How much you think this would run me?

 

[ankarback]

I've had that problem on both my blazer and my suburban. I think the problem really is worn out engine and/or transfercase mounts. I've discover that the tranfercase moves so much the shifter actually touches the floor in front of it and gets put out of gear in to 4HI/4LO. It gets even worse if you have a bodylift.
Old trucks usually have quite bad engine and TC-case mounts and when you take them offroad you kill them really fast.

On the blazer (that had a bodylift) I just cut up the floor a bit and that fixed the problem. On my suburban I use a thick rubberband that's suppose to hold the jack on a VW around the shifter and hooks it to the dashboard. It's just a temporary fix until I get the time to replace the TC-mounts but it works.

/Johan

 

[lochenjons]

What do you mean you just cut up the floor a bit? And if the mounts are bad would going to a 205 even fix it if i didnt change the mounts? I can put up with it doing it I just dont want to be totally killing the tcase and not knowing it

 

[Cricket]

There is nothing wrong with the 203 if you know what your doing and how they work.

Try the adjustment procedure before you do anything else.

http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/images/203shiftdiagram.jpg

 

[ankarback]

What do you mean you just cut up the floor a bit? And if the mounts are bad would going to a 205 even fix it if i didnt change the mounts? I can put up with it doing it I just dont want to be totally killing the tcase and not knowing it

Yes, exactly. The bodylift puts the shifter a bit lower and therefore a bit cloder to the floor. I just cut the opening a bit in front of the shifter. That part isn't really the floor. It's a cover for the transmissions that's removable so if you later on want to change the TC you can relace the cover to a uncut one.

And no going to a 205 probably won't fix the problem without replacing the tc-mounts.

I suggest you replace the tc and engine mounts. If you don't have a bodylift you shouldn't have to cut up the floor. If the mounts are reaaly bad a lot of other bad thing can happen to driveshafts and so on.

The NP203 isn't a bad TC overall but the shifter can be a bit tricky to adjust.

/Johan

 

[lochenjons]

It doesnt have a body lift, Ill try the adjustment soon, hopefully thatll fix things

 

[AZ79K5Project]

I've had that problem on both my blazer and my suburban. I think the problem really is worn out engine and/or transfercase mounts. I've discover that the tranfercase moves so much the shifter actually touches the floor in front of it and gets put out of gear in to 4HI/4LO. It gets even worse if you have a bodylift.
Old trucks usually have quite bad engine and TC-case mounts and when you take them offroad you kill them really fast.... /Johan

Great advice. The 203 is a very good case. When converted to a PT kit it's fine. Here is another idea for you as well.

Take the boot off see if you can see if there is any indication of the shifter hitting the body and then put it lock, drive and have someone watch what's going on. Watch for excessive movement.

Twin Stick 203