When the shift linkage is removed the shifter will be super loose. As far as it centering it self, I'm assuming the linkage is still disconnected so it doesn't lock it self.

Yes it takes ATF+ or higher.

 

Sounds like he has the same problem with the shifter as I do.The pivot bushing on the shifter is siezed and the shifter is pivoting on the rubber,making it hard to move and bounce back to 2H.

As a temporary fix(till I figure out how to remove the bushing),I drilled a sieries of holes around the outside of the rubber to loosen the fit a bit,then sprayed red grease into the holes and worked the shifter.Leaves some tension on the stick,but allows it to stay in the wanted setting.

Yes this is only a stop-gap move,but it works for now.

 

This may be what's going on with mine, I'll have to check later. I can pull it all the way back to 4L, but there is enough tension on the lever to pull it back into N when I let go. Moving it feels like it's attached to a set of springs that want to push it back to the 4H/N region.

 

Yep.Thats how it went for me too.I'm thinking of replacing the rubber bushing with a ball bearing set,if I can find one that will fit.

 

I took the whole shift assembly out and the bushing is definitely frozen. I'm going to try soaking it in some oil to see if it helps.

 

This thing is stuck pretty good. Just to be certain, which circle (green or blue) should be free and which should be fixed?

 

I believe the green circle is supposed to slide on the stud.The rubber is press-fit into the handle.

 

So I used a gear puller to yank the rubber off the pivot, which messed up that white plastic (I later tore it off) and chewed up a little rubber. Then I took a torch to the metal until the plastic at the other end of the bearing just started to melt a little. I clamped some vice grips on the bearing and was finally able to turn it a little, then a little more, then I could rotate it 360. It never really got loose, but it was now mobile. I used a vise to press the lever back onto the pivot, then put it all back in the truck and it shifts great now.