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Hey guys...i have a 1989 Bonneville with 3.8 V6....its been a great car....just today i had problems with the Gear Shift Lever Cable..the cable that runs from the shift lever on the column to the a lever on the transmission to shift into gear...it has 2 plastic snap nuts on each ends and the one on the transmission lever..has hollowed out..... ...it doesnt want to snap on like i think it intended to......i attached few pics below.....is there any easy trick to fixing this or do i need buy a new cable......does GM still make this cable?...any help is appreciated...

Matt

You would need to replace that cable if available or find another way to attach it. Check rockauto and see if they have them. I never had problems with mine and do not know what it takes to change it. Being an LE, you have the column shifter right?

Rock auto has it

DORMAN Part # 16667 {#25527523} Length (in): 54.000; Length (mm); 1,371.600

$42.79

If you order it, don't forget to use the discount code in the general section of the forum.

Same thing happened on my old rusty '87 SE...

all I did was put a heavy duty tie strap over the cable and under the metal bracket close to end where the cable goes thru the bracket (not the end on the tranny lever) and snugged it down enough to keep pressure on the cable end over the stud.

stayed that way for over 5 years...actually fixed it that way when my sister-in-law had the car before me... she called me one day as she got to work....said she put it in park but the car kept wanting to go forward... told her to get one of the guys there to manually move the lever to park then put the cable back on the stud...when i got to their house, put a tie stap on it...was still on there the day it was scrapped.

a lot less work than replacing the whole cable...but thats just me...

dangrus4060 wrote:Same thing happened on my old rusty '87 SE...

all I did was put a heavy duty tie strap over the cable and under the metal bracket close to end where the cable goes thru the bracket (not the end on the tranny lever) and snugged it down enough to keep pressure on the cable end over the stud.

stayed that way for over 5 years...actually fixed it that way when my sister-in-law had the car before me... she called me one day as she got to work....said she put it in park but the car kept wanting to go forward... told her to get one of the guys there to manually move the lever to park then put the cable back on the stud...when i got to their house, put a tie stap on it...was still on there the day it was scrapped.

a lot less work than replacing the whole cable...but thats just me...

thanks!....thinking i can do same thing with the tie strap attaching to the arm...doesnt take much to operate the lever from the cable......dont see why wouldnt work.....instead taking out that old cable.....heck GM didnt do much better by attaching it with a plastic peice....

Matt,I have a 91 for parts if you need anything!

oddie121 wrote:Matt,I have a 91 for parts if you need anything!

does still got the cable in good condition?.....mite be interested havent go chance to mess with it alot yet......mite end up replacing the cable which just for the crappy plastic peice on the end...thought about fab up a peice to make it work...not sure yet...

I'll check / look for you tonight. However mine is a center console, not sure if that makes a difference.

Mine on the '86 had broke off at one point. I removed the ball joint from the trans arm and put a bolt and two nuts on it instead.

yea i dont understand a plastic clip peice...generally i would figure a metal clip or bolt instead....thought about taking the lever off the trans and modifying it but by time do all that mite just order new cable really....

oddie121 wrote:I'll check / look for you tonight. However mine is a center console, not sure if that makes a difference.

thanks probably going end up needing one for column shift....

I have the same problem but if I buy a new cable will it stay on better??? Not sure if something on the end of the cable is worn out or missing,broke?? Does anyone know how it should look?