Drives normally in EVERY gear....except!!! Overdrive

[varadarcop]

1989 BII with 2.9L, 4x4. 220,000 miles.

Has been doing great until the other day.

Dropped her into OD, went to drive it, and it felt like one wheel was spinning in mud. Wanted to move but didn't. Put it in regular drive, and it ran perfectly. Also would drive in 1st and 2nd gear positions. Try to accelerate from 0mph in OD, and nothing.

At highway speeds, can drop it into OD and it goes into gear fine. But if I stop... have to put it back in regular drive to accelerate again.

I know this is a problem others have seen before. One tranny shop told me it's one of two things that's wrong, which requires a rebuild at a cost of $2,000. I lost my job, so that's not even possible.

COULD it be something simpler? I know the answer is probably no. Just wanted to see what others did to solve this problem.

Thanks!

[dgl6y6]

I would check the shifter cable to see if it needs adjustment. I put a new transmission in my wife's cougar a couple years ago only to find out that the problem was the cable. So when you shifted into drive the shifter says drive but the transmission is actually in neutral. that doesn't explain why it works normally when your on the highway but it's worth a shot.

[varadarcop]

Well nobody else has posted a reply, so I'm guessing there's no hope on this one!