Transmission Shifter Cable

[dyermullet]

Any good options?
Mine broke yesterday.  I went to advance auto parts and bought one (doorman) it doesn't fit.  The length of the inner cable is too short so when connected to the shifter it is too short to reach the trans.  I then compaired it to my old one and confirmed it was incorrect.  Next I tried oreily they had pioneer brand and it was incorrect also.  Then I did a search on tb.com lots of people had my issue, and even if they get a cable that is correct it just fails within a few days of service.
 
Is there any alternatives?  I guess I could try a universal cable.  I was also thinking I could try to find a shop that makes custom cables.  We have a company car show this saturday and I have busted my ass for last 2 weeks getting the car reassembled. 
 
 

[Steve Wood]

I have not heard of one....you can shift it by grabbing the collar and twisting it if you are desperate

[dyermullet]

I had already considered that.  Think that willl pass texas inspection.   

[SuperSix]

I bought and installed done f these - so far so goo. I still haven't installed my trans yet though - looks exactly like the factory one I replaced.

http://www.amazon.com/ATP-Y-651-Transhift-Cable/dp/B000C8TB3W

[dyermullet]

Thanks for the effort.  That is the same kind of cable I have seen locally.   It was not built correctly.   

[Just a Six?]

Did you check with Glen at www.nos4gn.com

[dyermullet]

No I have not.  I will give him a shot. 

[Scoobum]

GM still stocking them?

[earlbrown]

That's odd. My car has a shift cable from AAV on it right now. It bolted right up.

[dyermullet]

I worked at an auto parts store while in college.  The only people dumber than the customers were the employees.   

It easily could be packaged wrong.  People buy the wrong parts and then return them.  Who knows.  I tired two different orielys while driving around today, but had morons waiting on me and neither even had the cable.  I have the cable in my car and going to keep trying to match it up.  Probably just give up and order one from rockauto, or buy a universal cable like a lokar or something.  If I do the custom route I will post up the part numbers used for everyone's reference.  I havn't been living here long enough for the parts store guys to know me by name and let me go get the parts off the shelf myself.

[earlbrown]

I ordered mine from AAVs website, padded the order to $75 for free shipping (after the 30% discount) and eliminated the 'parts men' from the equation.

This one fits...  http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/atp-automatic-transmission-shifter-cable-y-651/15610034-P

use TRT30 for 30% off.

It's a bitch to pad the order with that discount to get free shipping. But, then again, I guess there are worse things to bitch about. Just stock up on oil filters, fuel filters, and gear dope.

[dyermullet]

A local advance can get the Y651 same day if I order before 10.   That was after I had to hangup on the person at the first one I called because she kept insisting she had to give the vehicle application before she could check availability, even though I gave her the part number.    Second store was much more helpful.   

Side note, advance auto will no longer order parts for you over the phone with a credit card.  They said they changed their policy after the Target credit card thing.  I don't know WTF that has to do with me ordering a shifter cable. 

I would still rather build a cable that has no plastic on it for long term.  I was looking at the universal cables with 10-32 threaded ends, but so far I havn't found an eyelet that is narrow enough to fit the trans.  Mostly finding rod ends that are wider.

[dyermullet]

I picked up the cable from advance.  The box is all broken open and covered in greasy finger prints.  I opened it and inside was one new cable and pieces of a broken cable. So I left the broken pieces on the counter at the store and brought the cable home.  So far not off to a good start.  It is longer than the original from mounting point to mounting point(will not effect function or operation), but it appears that the inner cable is over an inch shorter than what was on the car ( again taking into consideration the longer OAL, holding the innter cable and full travel).  With all that said I am now going to go waste about 5 minutes of my time and go instal it on the car. 

Update it didn't fit.

[dyermullet]

I knew it wasn't going to fit but I tried it anyways.  With the cable fully extended to the transmission end it is about 1 1/8" short compared to the new cable.  That does not include the approx 3/4" that is being lost because that end of the cable it pulled off of the outer jacket.  So the innter cable is close to 2" short compared to the outer.

Side note since moving to Houston from Indiana, customer service across the board: parts stores, restraunts, grocery store, vendors/distributors at work is all lacking compared to the midwest.  I have gotten to the point now where I don't hesitate to just hangup and call right back.  I started asking for paper bags at the grocery stores because the grocery baggers will put two items per bag and I end up with 100 bags.  So even with paper bags they do the same thing, about 4 items per bag.  The look on their face is priceless when I take the items put them all into one or two bags and hand them back the 3 or 4 empties I don't need.  I am not a jerk about it or anything.  If there is a line I don't hold everyone up I just consolidate in the parking lot and leave the empty bags in the cart.

I am going to call around tomorrow and find a place that manufactures cables for industrial, or boat repair or something and have them make me a cable.

I would make my own out of a TCI cable but I can't find a cable end that is 10-32 thread and narrow enough to fit over the transmission and shifter.  Can only come up with rod ends, I need a flat eyelet style end.

[dyermullet]