Tilt Steering : is there a return spring?

[Frank Murch]

On the tilt column, there is a shift lever (tranny), and mine seems too loose. Like I am missing a spring.  Is there a spring and where would it be?  What does it look like? 

[Jason Edge]

Yes, there is a spring that keeps the lever pushed out and keeps the lever from flipping around. It fits in a cavity at the bottom end of the lever. When you go to shift gears you pull on your the lever which presses the end against spring. When you shift gear and let go of lever spring puts lever back in the detente position. If left out when lever is reinstalled it will be loose. I have the springs if you need one.

Below is a picture of the spring as it sits in the cavity in the steering column:

[Frank Murch]

Thanks, I understand.  Is the non-tilt and tilt springs the same?  I have a non-tilt in the car

[Jason Edge]

"On the tilt column, there is a shift lever (tranny), and mine seems too loose. " implies you have a tilt so I responded in terms of the tilt column spring. The non-tilt is a different setup completely.  It is a curved long flat spring.. not like the small coiled spring on the tilts. See it in the illustration below.