Gear selector adjustment

Hello all, I have a question about the BW66 auto box as fitted to my XJ6 S3. Every since I have had the car to select Drive I have had to move the selector down past D and then back up to D to get the car to engage gear. All the other gear positions are fine just D is misbehaving. Is this likely to be a problem that can be fixed by adjusting the selector or am I upo for a bigger repair?
Con

Con,
It is possible that all that needs to be done is an adjustment at the transmission end of the control cable. The adjustment is made from beneath the car with the car safely supended on ramps, jack stands, or a lift. I have not had the exact same problem as you with Drive, but I have needed to adjust the control cable after an engine and or a transmission replacement in 1984 XJ6 Vanden Plas and my 1987 XJ6 Vanden Plas to get the Reverse light to come on properly while the shifter lever was in reverse. A little adjustment of the control cable at the transmission end was all that I needed to do to get the Reverse light to come on when the shifter lever was in the middle of the reverse position.

BTW, do you know if either your engine or transmission have been removed and replaced at some point?

Paul

Hi Paul, I don’t know if the engine or gearbox has been out before. It wouldn’t surprise me if it had, the OP(s?) has started repairs but hasn’t completed the jobs properly, leaving some things not quite right. So, the adjustment happens at the transmission end? I was hoping that it could be sorted out inside at the selector end. Oh well, I can put it up on ramps and squeeze under, is the adjustment obvious or does it need a bit of trial and error?
Con

Con,
That control cable adjustment has been trial and error for me when I have adjusted it for the reverse lights. The reverse lights worked, but they came on a bit before or after the actual center of the reverse position of the shift lever. So I turned the ignition on, put the shifter in the center of the reverse position and noted that the reverse lights were not on. Then I put the car on my lift and adjusted the control cable until I got the reverse lights to come on. I’d say that my reverse light adjustment is probably easier that what you have to do. Maybe with your car safely elevated on jack stands at the rear you can do essentially the same thing but get in and out of the car and see though trial and error if you can properly adjust it in the Drive position but not mess up the other positions. Take notes of which way you adjust the cable and how many turns you make so that you can verify whether you are improving it or not and so you can always get back to the starting point adjustment if you need to.

Paul

Paul,
Oh, ok I need to actually run the car on the stands. Makes sense I guess, that way, I don’t have to keep putting it up and down on the ramps. Will probably save a lot of time as well.
Thanks
Paul