I took my car out and ran it out of gas. I turned the key and nothing, no starter or anything. when I got back with a gas can and started it up, it would only shift into reverse. and it chunks hard into reverse as well. nothing in any of the drive gears. the car has a fairly sloppy linkage but it hasn’t been a problem. I replaced the vacuum modulator but that wasn’t it. only thing I can think of is the linkage or maybe neutral start switch because the starter didn’t kick on the first time I turned the key. Tranny fluid is full. I’m hoping I can fix it in my driveway and avoid the shop. Any help is greatly appreciated.
What year Cougar? While true for 69-70, I believe all years of FMX had to neutral safety switch in the shifter assy. After getting back with the gas can, what did you do differently to start it? Not sure why you would lose forward by running to car out of gas. You drove forward to get to that point…right? Did you feel any slipping before running out of gas? With the sloppy shifter, the first thing to do would be to have someone in the car to move the shifter through it’s range while you look underneath at what the linkage does. Are you checking fluid level with the engine running in the PARK position? Does the fluid have an odor of burnt clutch?
Listen to this: IF YOUR LINKAGE IS SLOPPY, DO NOT LEAVE THE DRIVER’S SEAT WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING UNLESS YOU FULLY APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE. FMX isn’t great at holding in Park to begin with. Don’t let this get away from you because you think Park is good enough. Park is only sufficient by itself when parking on level ground.
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