With the tranny kickdown cable connected to the engine at the throttle spool, there is a very severe binding. In other words, when I've disconnected the kickdown cable, I can't move the cable in and out. I even grabbed a pair of pliers and tried pulling (just a bit) on the cable to see if it would free up or unstick...but it didn't move any, so I quit before I stripped off the little thing on the end of the cable. I've been running with this cable disconnected because otherwise you can't get the gas pedal to move.

Will running this way damage the transmission? More importantly, will running this way prevent the transmission from shifting from 1st to 2nd gear when the weather is cold outside? I'm preparing to buy another kickdown cable and replace. I've read the FAQ on cable replacement, etc. This replacement is my last ditch effort to determine whether or not the tranny should be replaced.

Any insight would be appreciated.
Cabbie2169

There's nothing wrong with driving the car with a disconnected kickdown cable. Mine was disconnected for at least six months last year before we finally getting around to replacing the old and stuck kickdown cable with a new one. Just use your shifter if you ever need to drop it down into a lower gear.
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'89 244 GL -- 108,995 miles (see profile for info on car)

My number one rule is, try the easy/cheap therapy first--if it works, you're that much ahead. Descriptions on the board sound like replacing a kickdown cable is a significant job.

You've got the cable off the spool, right? Hang the cable end pointing up and try to get some gear oil to flow down into the sheath. If even a little will go in, add some more. Add some more. See if you can start working the cable a bit. If you can get it to move at all, add some light grease and work that down.

You may be able to bring the cable back from the dead. I was able to do that on my 1992. Works fine now a year later. Total cost: a few spots of gear oil and silicone grease.

Hmmmm. That reminds me--time to give it a little more grease, just in case.

Good luck.

Doug Harvey

Removing the cable won't hurt your tranny at all - it will just naturally shift where it wants to. What you'll notice is that the shift points are probably at lower speeds than you'd like, so be prepared to use the shifter to hold it in the lower gears for hill climbing, passing, etc.

The tranny will shift back down to lower gears exactly as it would even with the cable, with your foot off the gas pedal. You are not hurting your tranny at all.