Shift Cables

alltrac801

New member
I have a 1991 St185. The other day I was driving and when I shifted into 2nd gear I heard a little pop and now my car has a very hard time going into 2nd. It's just very sloppy. I read a few forums from years ago about rotating the sugar cube to reduce slop. I did that and now it kinda goes into 2nd but it's not easy like it should be. I ordered a bushing kit for the shift cables and also a Cosmo Racing short shifter. I'm wondering if I need to order shift cables as well. I have looked and cant find any. Does anyone know where I can find some?? Can I order a universal kit and modify them to work??
 

underscore

Well-known member
If you select the gears manually at the transmission hhow does it feel? You'll nneed to take s couple tthings off to get access but you'll need to do that to install the bushings anyways. The cables move in different ccombinations of the same movements for all the gears so if only one feels off I'd doubt the cables are the problem.
 

alltrac801

New member
I haven't tried them manually at the trans yet. Just yesterday I rotated the "sugar cube" 90° that wears down, and that seamed help a little bit. I have never experienced any grinding or anything going into second so I was thinking it probably wasn't the trans. I have never worked on shift cables or anything like this before. I did notice the rubber boot where the cables go into the trans is torn too.
 

alltrac801

New member
So quick update. The shifter goes into all gears with no issue at all when it's off of when I'm at idle but as soon as I am driving it's difficult to shift into second. Any ideas?
 

RedCelicaTRD

Moderator
Check all the clips that hold the cables. Make sure nothing has come loose. If the cable itself had broken you would lose the ability to select certain gears so I wouldn't think one had snapped. Have you looked at the master and slave cylinders?

Also, is your car white?
 

alltrac801

New member
When I get the bushing kit I will look into all the clips. I didn't know if the cables could stretch and wear out or not. The car only has 237000 miles lol.

Yes my car is white.
 

RedCelicaTRD

Moderator
The cables can wear, but it is usually the liner breaks down and starts “grabbing” the cable.

Is your car the one that was for sale at that small lot on Main St a year or so ago?
 

alltrac801

New member
I will just have to inspect the cables when I change the bushings and see if I can see anything obvious.

Yeah that was me trying to sell the car but decided to keep it.
 

alltrac801

New member
Well I think I found part of my problem. This morning I was driving to work tries to shift into second, wouldn't go so I shifted into 3rd. Now the car is stuck in 3rd. Clutch feels fine so I started to take the shifter out and found the shifter cable under the shift assemble snapped. Where can I get these cables at a decent price?
 
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