You may be right because when I took the solenoid off it would work. Something had to do with it shifting into reverse too. Anyway, I have no idea what I did but it all fell into place and things work fine now. And Ted thanks for the info on the speedometer cable. Wonder where one would find one? Maybe T-bird has them.

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

hi, there's a chance that you might not have had the shift solinoid in the case whitch means that the shift dog would be down in the case and not letting it shift. when the solinoid is energized it shifts a dog that locks the shift rail. when you install the solinoid it holds the dog up out of the way. hope i'm not cornfuzzing you, wayne.

 lincoln/merc. y-blocks &mel's                                                               bucyrus, ohio.

That's right.  Can't speak for a T-89 specifically but starting in 1957, the speedo gear design on the end of the cable changed so the 55-56 gear will not work on a '57 and up tranny.  The speedo head end of the cables are interchangable between 55 and 57 which is why I simply obtained a speedo cable for a '57 car to adapt the T-85 tranny to my Customline.  Hooked right up to the '55 speedometer.  Hope this helps.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

John.  Thanks for the tip on the angle of the teeth on the gears.  Just been lucky up to now and hadn’t got caught by that but will definitely watch out for it in the future.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

So the bottom line is that a speedometer cable/gear housing and gear from my '56 won't work on the T-89? Would be the same as your '55 Ted ...

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

Ted:

I respectfully would like to make an addition to your statement about the commonality of speedo gears.  I have run into transmissions with the speedo cable hole on the right (passenger) side of the trans, therefore the helix on the driven gear is reversed.  So there are "right" and "left" helix gears out there.  Mixing them up tears up the teeth on the nylon gears.  Don't ask me how I learned this.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

The T-85 in my ’55 Customline was originally from a ’63 Galaxy with a 352.  For the speedometer in my ‘55, I used a speedometer cable specified for a ’57 Ford with HD overdrive and hooked it up using the ’57 and up nylon speedo gear on the tranny end of the cable.  As an FYI, starting in 1957 the speedometer gears for the cable ends were essentially unchanged for a forty plus year run except for the varying tooth counts.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Well that damned thing kicked my butt for the better part of 3 weeks. It was just a simple tail shaft/housing change but it turned into a bucket of worms. While putting the tail shaft back on apparently the spring on that slider shaft got down in the hole and when I tightened it up it pulled part of the spring into the hole preventing the shaft from going in. After several times of on and off I finally took the shaft out and found the spring problem. Then I put it all back together and forgot to put the spring in. Well, today I finally got it together again and then it wouldn't shift into reverse. I guess that has something to do with the slider shaft because it wouldn't move either. I finally did something (have no idea what) but it all went together and it all works. Now one final question. Does anybody know if the speedometer housing from an older Ford will work with the T-89? I would assume the T-89 and a T-10 would have the same speedometer housing and gear. I put a T-10 in a '57 back in the day but it already had a T-85 in it, which a T-10 was made from. Anybody put a T-85 or T-10 in an earlier Ford and if so how did the speedometer hook up?

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

Here's a pic of what I'm talkin' about ...This isn't a T-89 but it's laid out the same way.

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

Thanks John, I have the lever out. I have hassled with this damned thing for 3 days. I took today off, thinking it may be one of those things were you fight it and fight and then take some time off and it just falls into place. Ya know, for the life of me as I look at that set up, I'll be damned if I can understand how that shaft that the over drive lever is hooked to works in that slot on the slider shaft. So, if I fight with it for another day or so and don't get it, I'll take that plug out and then the shaft and see what the problem is with that hole the slider shaft goes into in the tail shaft housing. Thanks again .. This thing, for being so simple, is kickin' my butt!.

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL