HELP: 1st Gen. Auto Shifter Problems

FAAACCCKKKK!!! I messed up something in my shifter. Truck is out of order right now

**Tried to figure out how to get it off, to paint/vinyl dye**

There were two screws that held the brown part onto the actual shifter column, but the overdrive button/wiring prevented it from actually being pulled off and separated from the column. So I quit trying to get it off that way and went to put it all back together.

Started up the truck to make sure the shifter was working good... NOPE. It wouldn't let me out of park unless I pushed the pin down into the other gears. And when I did get it free after pushing the pin. It would only move between Reverse and 2nd.

I'm sure something in the button area isn't catching well. Not sure how to fix that.

ANY ADVICE WOULD BE APPRECIATED

 

Bump! Anybody got any advice??

 

After hours of trying to figure it out, I finally solved the problem.

And to not let this thread go TOTALLY to waste. I will state what I did to fix it just in case someone else happens to come across the same issue.


So I removed the shifter console and unscrewed the 2 screws holding the brown part onto the actual shifter. The overdrive button on the side needs to be popped off, but not disconnected. Then a carefully pulled the brown part off and checked inside to see how the button worked.

Between the brown part and the actual shifter is a white plastic piece that the button presses down on and then there's a spring. Make sure that the plastic piece is is pointed downhill toward the rear. Then reinstall the brown part making sure the plastic piece doesn't get flipped around or else it won't work well with the button.

Hope this helps anyone who stumbles across this problem