jeffmknight Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 (edited) Well, I broke the shift cable last night and it stuck me in 4th gear. Oh, my poor clutch! Have you ever tried to get out of a parking lot in 4th? First of all, how the f**k does such a heavy-duty cable just pull apart like this? A bicycle brake cable would hold better than this shyt! Secondly, the Ford CD is WAY too vague, says "Disconnect the shift cable and selector cable from the floor assembly, and then push them out from the passenger compartment." How do you fit BOTH of these massive cable-end cases out through that tiny square hole in the floor, especially with the big rubber bracket that holds the them together?? The broken shift CABLE came out no problem I just pulled it right out, but the SHEATHS are a totally different story! Please help. How did you do yours and where can I find pictures better than those on Ford's Retard.. err.. Repair CD? Edited January 16, 2009 by jeffmknight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 (edited) I would like to BUY a shifter cable. So far every Ford dealer and parts supplier has offered to ORDER one for me... Does anyone know anyone that HAS A SHIFTER CABLE IN THEIR POSSESSION that is available for IMMEDIATE PURCHASE? I can fix most things in a matter of HOURS, why do Stealerships think it's okay to take DAYS or WEEKS. That's just stupid. Edited January 16, 2009 by jeffmknight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrewChiefPro Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I would like to BUY a shifter cable. So far every Ford dealer and parts supplier has offered to ORDER one for me... Does anyone know anyone that HAS A SHIFTER CABLE IN THEIR POSSESSION that is available for IMMEDIATE PURCHASE? I can fix most things in a matter of HOURS, why do Stealerships think it's okay to take DAYS or WEEKS. That's just stupid. I think there are some on the contour.org site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Haines Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 From your pic I can see that you have the later Contour/Cougar type shift cable assy. The cable lengths are staggered and the ends will go thru the hole in the floor one at a time but not together.Be sure when you fit the new assy that you carry out the adjustment by the book and have them routed correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckeyeSVT Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I think there are some on the contour.org site. I have a set for sale - What are they worth to you? -Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 Thanks Terry. So is the later type better? Can they be fixed? Seems it pulled out of the lug/sleeve end and may have left some inside.. but I'd rather a new/used one than a repaired one. When you say "by the book" I hope you mean CD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Haines Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 ..I can tell from the pic your car has the later type cable.This can be seen by the type of cable ends/adjustment locks.Yours have the oblong red push in locks,early level cables & ends have the orange oval with a spring under and spring 'out' to lock after adjustment.Yes I mean the Ford CD for adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 I have a set for sale - What are they worth to you? -Dom Well I was lucky enough to get my first needed part (rear harness) from Bob M. for just the cost of shipping a few weeks ago.. Will I get lucky again? Ouch! C'mon good buddy, I'm a new Perma-Tourer! Just let me know how much it'll be with Next Day Service. My brother won't let me use his Impala for very much longer (even tho I'm the fixer for THAT one, too, and he's in D.C. for 2 months!). Thanks Dom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 .. While I am working on this I should ask about my CLUTCH. The pedal disengages the clutch without any free play (all the free play is "behind" the pedal). Is this normal? I was thinking it was like this for racing purposes, to allow for quick "taps" of the pedal on shifting, but I am as ham as it gets on the MTX On the Ford CD I only found adjustment info for the pedal range but no info on the play. Advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Haines Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 ...clutch is hydraulic,self adjusting.It 'is what it is'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 ...clutch is hydraulic,self adjusting.It 'is what it is'... Glad to hear it's okay then, Terry. I actually really like the way it drives. I'll double check the fluid, too. My ex-wife's car has like a 2-inch clutch lead-in, which basically makes it so you have to 'stomp'. Very unfriendly, but then again it's a Baja-Beetle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) I think I may have found a new cable set locally, but he wants $110. What year is the red square lock from and is it better? Terry, on the Ford CD it shows the cable routing and stock mechanisms, but the details on adjustments are not given. They show the use of some sort of alignment tool but I thinks that's for the stock shifter.. I've got the B&M Shorty. In another section it says that 15mm is the max shifter free-play, but that's all the details I could find My logic tells me the adjustments are as follows: adjust the two cables versus each other to change the free-play; adjust the cables in relation to the transmission to change the position. Is this correct? It's easy for me to figure out how things work when I get in there, but for this hot little ride I am trying more preparation and less guesswork. Call me thick-headed, but my gear-and-chain brain could use some lube. Oil me up, baby! Edited January 17, 2009 by jeffmknight 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 Now I am more confused. Look at the picture of the new part included above that the dealer emailed me. The locks are rectangular but they are orange. Is this the later one or stock? Does it matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 (edited) Ahhh. Upon pickup I see they ARE RED and exactly the same as the the ones I took out, his camera just sucked. Don't they look ORANGE in the picture? He said they have been updated several times.. Well for 120 big ones they better be good. I think I've got it now as long as there's no more hickups. I am supposed to pull the cables into the cabin not out from the cabin. That Ford CD is kinda silly. Nicer if they'd do one whole CD per model so as to allow for more details. Now I wonder if it had "The Bolt/Turret" fix done to it already... Edited January 18, 2009 by jeffmknight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c8227 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Well, I broke the shift cable last night and it stuck me in 4th gear. Oh, my poor clutch! Have you ever tried to get out of a parking lot in 4th? First of all, how the f**k does such a heavy-duty cable just pull apart like this? A bicycle brake cable would hold better than this shyt! Secondly, the Ford CD is WAY too vague, says "Disconnect the shift cable and selector cable from the floor assembly, and then push them out from the passenger compartment." How do you fit BOTH of these massive cable-end cases out through that tiny square hole in the floor, especially with the big rubber bracket that holds the them together?? The broken shift CABLE came out no problem I just pulled it right out, but the SHEATHS are a totally different story! Please help. How did you do yours and where can I find pictures better than those on Ford's Retard.. err.. Repair CD? Actually I have the same problem except mine didn't break. My shift cable the one underneath the shifter keeps popping off! So I'll be driving and all of a sudden I'll be stuck in 3rd gear goin down the street till I pop it back on. But the bright side is that it's only 200 bucks to fix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Haines Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 ...when fitting new cables the lavers on the trans must be in neutral(vertical)The tool used at the stick end holds the stick in neutral between 3rd & 4th gear.The bas of the stick must be concentric with the ally housing the stick sits in and must not touch the ally housing when either 3rd or 4th gear is engaged.That is how you know the adjustment is correct.The type of stick/shifter does not matter.That is the rough rule of thumb to adjust the cables without the Ford tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) Actually I have the same problem except mine didn't break. My shift cable the one underneath the shifter keeps popping off! So I'll be driving and all of a sudden I'll be stuck in 3rd gear goin down the street till I pop it back on. But the bright side is that it's only 200 bucks to fix Yeah, these plastic parts are convenient but weak. The little plastic keeper in the center of the clevis cracked when I installed the selector cable on the tranny, so I will probably develop the same issue as you have. Guess that's what I get for working on it in the cold. Edited January 19, 2009 by jeffmknight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 ...when fitting new cables the lavers on the trans must be in neutral(vertical)The tool used at the stick end holds the stick in neutral between 3rd & 4th gear.The bas of the stick must be concentric with the ally housing the stick sits in and must not touch the ally housing when either 3rd or 4th gear is engaged.That is how you know the adjustment is correct.The type of stick/shifter does not matter.That is the rough rule of thumb to adjust the cables without the Ford tool. AWESOME! You make my life soooo much easier Terry! Now how much do I owe you?? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Ford Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Well I was lucky enough to get my first needed part (rear harness) from Bob M. for just the cost of shipping a few weeks ago.. Will I get lucky again? Ouch! C'mon good buddy, I'm a new Perma-Tourer! Just let me know how much it'll be with Next Day Service. My brother won't let me use his Impala for very much longer (even tho I'm the fixer for THAT one, too, and he's in D.C. for 2 months!). Thanks Dom. LOL no one knows who Bob M is but they do know Aussie Ford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRicker Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 the shift cables that you took off are the early style, and they are weaker. the ones in the second picture are the updated ones. if you buy any shift cable assembly from ford now, you will get the updated style. it adjusts different, but you still use the same procedure. correct me if i'm wrong terry but ford does make a centering tool for the shifter up top to aid in the adjustment, but a friend can usualy hold the shifter for you, for free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 the shift cables that you took off are the early style, and they are weaker. the ones in the second picture are the updated ones. if you buy any shift cable assembly from ford now, you will get the updated style. it adjusts different, but you still use the same procedure. correct me if i'm wrong terry but ford does make a centering tool for the shifter up top to aid in the adjustment, but a friend can usualy hold the shifter for you, for free Thanks TRicker. I had mentioned the centering tool in my previous post, and that the cable sets actually turned out to be identical. It was the color misinterpretation that threw me off! Instead of using the 'tool' to line-up the knob, I just let the leather boot do the centering. That's as good as it gets when you're alone. Seriously, the car could fall on me and not a single person would come to my aid. I'd have to manage to get my cellphone out and fly Terry in from Oregon to jack it back up! On the bright side, she shifts great now other than the usual stickiness in 1st & 2nd when it's cold. I plan on checking everything tomorrow with the installation of a bunch of new goodies (provided the car doesn't fall on me first). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 Thanks TRicker. I ... ...fly Terry in from Oregon... ..from Oregon? No I don't think so, AF is in Oregon. Where is Terry anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Ford Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 ..from Oregon? No I don't think so, AF is in Oregon. Where is Terry anyway? Haines Motor Sports Inc is in Michigan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffmknight Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 (edited) Haines Motor Sports Inc is in Michigan Thanks! I guess it's your guys' 2-part 3-syllable screen names that kinda ring the same, always throwin' me off Edited February 2, 2009 by jeffmknight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98_3_liter_svt Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 So the same exact thing happened to me earlier today cable snapped while in 4th managed to get the car home but was not easy and the clutch took a beating. Does anyone know where i can find a new set of cables, and also if someone has a video on replacing them ie how the are fed through the cabin to the transmission that would be of big help. thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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