KyleF

There seems to be a lot of confusin information from various sources and incomplete instructions out there on this, and some very simple and very complex procedures. Long story short, bought the car, was told it has a shift kit, has 3.70 gears. Car shift hard, especially the 1-2 to the point where my wife doesn't really like riding in it and I can almost chirp the tires any time I want by goign to 1/2 throtlle... even easier if turning.

Kick down works well, shifts just shy of 5K RPMs, and seems to hang in gear longer than expected at part throttle, cruising operation.

So, went to adjust the TV Cable... easy right, depress tab, slide collar back, release tab, rotate throttle to WOT, click click click, and now it is set.

What happens when the "Click Click Click" ratcheting doesn't work or happen? The sliding collar will stay back against the bracket and doesn't pull forward.

Does this mean I need a new cable?
Do I need to drop the pan to perform a replacement?
Do I need to set up a pressure gage and check settings? I saw on one site it needs to be checked while warm in all forward driving gears. I don't have a lift so can I even do this at home?
Should I be concerned I didn't hear the clicks?

This site has always been great for having one guru or another for each specific part of our cars. Hoping for the same here.

Jorlain

iTrader: (4)

The cable sheath bolts to the case on the passenger side, if memory serves. Should be one bolt holding it on there. After removing the bolt, you can pull up on the cable a bit and you'll find that the cable attaches to a spring. Disconnect from the spring and the cable is now free. Hook new cable to the spring and bolt the sheath back to the transmission. Snake the cable up the same way the old one goes. Disconnect old cable from bracket(s) and attach new cable.

Easy peasy.

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

After the cable is re-set to 'zero', ( after you pushed the button and pushed the neck back into the cable housing ) normally a person would just use their hand ( or gas pedal ) to move the throttle linkage to reach the WOT position. This is when the neck of the cable gets pulled from the cable housing and "clicks". Well - if that's not working them get a helper to sit inside the car while you work the throttle linkage...... once you've re-set back to 'zero' - push the cable button and have your helper press the gas pedal SLOWLY) to the floor. Did the cable neck extend out of the housing this time ??

* side note: if/when the TV cable is not connected AT ALL,.. When you take off from a full-stop the tranny will stay in 1st gear "forever" before the upshift. so in theory; If your tranny ( and all other things) are OK and your car is holding gear too long before it shifts - try pulling the neck out from the housing a bit more to try and get slightly "quicker" shifts.

** When replacing the TV Cable,.... BE SURE you don't let that little hook/spring at the tranny end snap back into the tranny !! It's not the easiest thing to access and it can be a bitch to pull it back up/out of the TV cable hole in the tranny to hook a replacement cable on it. ( easy to do if the tranny is out of the car - not so easy if the tranny is still installed ! )

good luck !

RBob

iTrader: (1)

Never use the go-pedal to ratchet out the TV cable. Always open the throttle by hand at the TB.

RBob.

John in RI

iTrader: (167)

Agreed !

Many guys do, but I agree that you're 100 % correct Rob,...... "by hand" is the most accurate way. When just using the pedal is seems as if the 'neck' always needs to be pulled out of the housing another 1 or 2 more 'clicks'. Kinda' as if the pedal doesn't actually reach the proper WOT position where the cable expects WOT to be.

KyleF

I did it by hand at the throttle body.
So, reading between the lines, I need a new cable?

Saw on the C4 forum I think (I have a 96 Vette as well) someone said to hit it with some lube. Thoughts?

TylerSteez

iTrader: (3)

I just ran into this issue with my brother's 92 rs. he had a shop put a 355sbc in and after I looked it over and saw the "work" they did I was disgusted. the TV cable was all ziptied in knots so after addressing all the loose bolts and hack stuff they did we went to set the detent cable, no clicks and it wouldnt ratchet. even with it disconnected from the throttle body and pulling it by hand it wouldn't ratchet. We knew the transmission was beat up and in need of a rebuild so we started pulling it last weekend, planning to see if it ratchets after the rebuild.

jmd

iTrader: (4)

KyleF

That is exactly why we come to thirdgen.org. When something doesn't go by the book, chances are with a 30 year old car you're not the first to deal with it.

Anyways, this is another case of trust your instincts. I didn't know what shift kit he had put in it, but the PO stated it was a "Race Level" shift kit. I knew it was shifting too hard, but didn't know for sure and had other items before getting here to address. So, yes I surfed the web for pictures and studied where the TV cable was set on others and started there. adjusted in, adjusted out... and now it shifts nice and light under light throttle and will bark the tires under WOT.