It always feels good to win one for free.

My kickdown cable started binding up two weeks ago. Car would shift to second, but sometimes balk at going to third and even more to OD. Sometimes. At first I was afraid the transm was starting to die--then discovered the cable was not returning.

I could work it back and forth and get it freer but then it would start sticking again.

So I liberated it from the manifold mount so I could tilt up the end of the sleeve (didn't even have to take the cable off the throttle spool). Started adding a little Gear-Moly (gear oil with a moly additive) and working the cable.

Did this several days in a row. Works ok now.

At 207k, I realize it may not be good forever, but for a few drops of lubricant that sure beats a trip to the shop (you have to pull the transm pan to replace the cable, and I don't do automatic transmission).

Hmmmmm. Maybe it would be good to give both the kickdown and throttle cables a lube job before they start grabbing.

Doug Harvey