Auto trans doesn't feel like its going into gear

[bojangles]

Hey all, if you read my intro post I'm not exactly a mechanic... The project car that i'm picking up (96 318ti) has an auto transmission. when i move it from park to any gear it moves very easily and doesn't feel like it's going into a gear. The lever on the shifter its self doesn't pop back out when you push it in to change the gear so it doesn't lock into place. I'm not sure if it's just that or something with the transmission. I'll try to get some pictures to illustrate this tomorrow but any input is appreciated.

Edit: The car doesn't run right now.. sorry forgot that. EWS and ECU need to be aligned.