I'll post this on TheDieselStop.com too, but I also value the board's input.

I have a 2000 7.3L PSD Ford with the 4spd Auto/OD transmission. The truck has 101,500 miles.

As of the past few months, the gear shift mechanism just hasn't felt "right". About 50% of the time when in park, I have to jiggle the shifter to get the 'park safety switch' to catch so I can engage the starter when I turn the key. And just about every gear doesn't 'catch' where the selector seams to have an indent in it's rotation.

The other day, I put the truck in Park in my driveway, and jumped out to go move something in the barn. Imagine my surprise when I get 10 feet behind the truck and notice the Reverse lights are on, and they are getting BIGGER. The truck was backing itself into the barn without me. No damage done, but I don't think I have run that fast in... well forever. Not only had it not caught the Parking gear, but it was actually in Reverse gear. Twice when I put it in Park, I can shut off the truck, and remove the key, and it's not fully into the Parking gear, and the truck rolls and clicks jumping teeth until I jam it fully into the Parking gear.

I had my generalist mechanic look at it yesterday, and he can't see anything wrong nor can he see any adjustments that can be made. But he's not a Ford truck tech; just a generalist for when the truck was in for some preventative maintenance and state inspection.

Is this in my steering column? I'm now religiously setting the Emergency brake, but I want my confidence in my transmission/shifter.

Any help or things I can look for would be super appreciated.

sounds like the shift tube,,,is broke in half,,,happens to our ford vans all the time,,,and you described it perfert

Most times the two torx headed screws that hold the lower linkage lever to the tube get loose. Sometimes one will fall out and you'll find it on the floor mat. If you pull the fuse panel cover and lay on your back on the floor you can get to them fairly easily to tighten them up. The shift tube does also break and the plastic bushings it rotates in wear and come out but you have to disassemble the column to repair this.

Thanks Sector. I found much the same info on TDS. I will be checking those bolts today!

if its loose and sloppy,,and coming out of gear,,the outer is broke tube is broke in half

Yes the tube and the bolts on the end fail. The reason is the the neutral safety selector switch on the transmission is binding. The most expensive part is the switch. Trust me I have done many of these. I have used both NAPA Echlin line as well as Ford OEM. The Echlin part numbers are ,20 bolt pan NS5567 (list 96.97 /cost 66.31), 14 bolt pan NS5576 (list 97.48 /cost 66.66).

It was just the two torx bolts on the end of the shift mechanism underneath the dash/column. They didn't look loose, but they were both loose when I put a wrench to them.

Thanks for all the help!

take em out and blue loctite em.