Dimovar
Probationary Member
- 8
- 0
- Jun 9, 2013
-
Claymont,
Delaware
Hey guys, since I haven't been able to find a thread about it anywhere, and I'm still a newbie, I'm going to do a small write up here about how to change shifter cables. The whole thing took me about 2 1/2-3 hours from the time I pulled the battery to the time I replaced it. My car is a 420A, and so although it's not exactly the same for 4g63, I'd imagine the process is very similar.
To start, I'm doing this write up for people who can't shift into either 1, 3, 5, or 2, 4, R. I went to the tranny shop and the senior technician told me it was definitely something internal with the tranny, and that it would be $1000 to replace all the shift forks. Yeah. Okay. The shifter cables cost me $150 online, because Mitsubishi no longer makes them.
This is what they looked like when pulled (left), in comparison to the donor cables (right).
What you need:
- Phillips and flat head screw drivers
- 12mm socket/ratchet
- Pliers/Vice grip
- long bent needle nose pliers, like these http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/SXT-3601.jpg
- Hammer/Rubber mallet
- old curtain rod/other bent, hooking object
- gloves (if you don't like getting dirty)
- patience
1. Remove the battery and battery tray (12mm). I discovered that the previous owner felt that safety pins worked better than cotter pins to hold in shift cables.
2. Remove the shift knob, then center console, as well as footwell sides. I gently pried up the plastic caps with the flathead, then used the phillips head for all the screws. There should be 8 screws if I'm not mistaken.
3. Remove the c-clips that hold the shifter cables to the shifter base. Pliers should work, but I found a vice grip to work better.
4. Remove the cotter pins from the shifter and cables. I recommend buying 4 new ones, but you could always reuse the old ones, so save them for later.
5. Unscrew the 2 12mm nuts that hold the firewall plate (metal piece on cables) down. Easy to access.
6. Now the annoying part. Remove the c-clips and cotter pins(or safety pins hehe) from the cable mounts in the engine bay. As pictured above, the first one is simple, right next to the edge of the battery tray support. The other is located in the most obnoxious place, underneath the EGR valve, heater hoses, and control wiring harness/injector wiring harness combo. This is where the bent pliers and patience became my best friends. Not my original pic, but the yellow dot is the approx. location of the clip underneath everything there.
7. Once that's finished, you're ready to extract the cables. I found it was easiest to pull them almost all the way out through the center console, under the radio and everything, except the firewall plate got stuck for me, so when I got the cable ends through the little hole, I finished by pulling them back under the console, through the footwell. Excuse my art, but this is the basic motion.
8. Clean off all the old contact points, and check the bushings on the donor cables. Now would be the time to swap them out if you're able.
9. Insert the donor cables in the reverse motion of the exraction, and link up the interior end with the c-clips and cotter pins so you have a set distance/destination for the other end. You will need a hammer or rubber mallet to gently seat them properly all the way down.
10. When feeding the cables into the engine bay, unless you have access from under the car, or really skinny arms, you'll need something to grab them with to get them in arm's reach. I used an old curtain rod and bent up brake line as hooks to grab and guide the cables to a place where I could reach them with my hands.
11. Once I had them, it was a matter of positioning the cables and replacing the c-clips at the same time, which took about a half hour for the hidden one. Be ready to use A LOT of patience on that one. Replace the cotter pins on the exterior end. Tighten the firewall plate down.
11. Check to make sure the shifter cycles through every gear position. If it doesn't, recheck your c-clips, cotter pins, and 12mm bolts on the firewall plate.
12. Replace your trim in reverse order.
13. Replace battery and tray, and hook it back up.
14. Go for a ride to test all the shift changes, and back into your parking space. If everything's good, do a little dance and pat yourself on the back. If not, refer back to step #11.
Please ask me questions or let me know if I was unclear. Hope this helps, good luck guys!
To start, I'm doing this write up for people who can't shift into either 1, 3, 5, or 2, 4, R. I went to the tranny shop and the senior technician told me it was definitely something internal with the tranny, and that it would be $1000 to replace all the shift forks. Yeah. Okay. The shifter cables cost me $150 online, because Mitsubishi no longer makes them.
This is what they looked like when pulled (left), in comparison to the donor cables (right).
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Still think it was something internal? What you need:
- Phillips and flat head screw drivers
- 12mm socket/ratchet
- Pliers/Vice grip
- long bent needle nose pliers, like these http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/SXT-3601.jpg
- Hammer/Rubber mallet
- old curtain rod/other bent, hooking object
- gloves (if you don't like getting dirty)
- patience
1. Remove the battery and battery tray (12mm). I discovered that the previous owner felt that safety pins worked better than cotter pins to hold in shift cables.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
2. Remove the shift knob, then center console, as well as footwell sides. I gently pried up the plastic caps with the flathead, then used the phillips head for all the screws. There should be 8 screws if I'm not mistaken.
3. Remove the c-clips that hold the shifter cables to the shifter base. Pliers should work, but I found a vice grip to work better.
4. Remove the cotter pins from the shifter and cables. I recommend buying 4 new ones, but you could always reuse the old ones, so save them for later.
5. Unscrew the 2 12mm nuts that hold the firewall plate (metal piece on cables) down. Easy to access.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
6. Now the annoying part. Remove the c-clips and cotter pins(or safety pins hehe) from the cable mounts in the engine bay. As pictured above, the first one is simple, right next to the edge of the battery tray support. The other is located in the most obnoxious place, underneath the EGR valve, heater hoses, and control wiring harness/injector wiring harness combo. This is where the bent pliers and patience became my best friends. Not my original pic, but the yellow dot is the approx. location of the clip underneath everything there.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
7. Once that's finished, you're ready to extract the cables. I found it was easiest to pull them almost all the way out through the center console, under the radio and everything, except the firewall plate got stuck for me, so when I got the cable ends through the little hole, I finished by pulling them back under the console, through the footwell. Excuse my art, but this is the basic motion.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
8. Clean off all the old contact points, and check the bushings on the donor cables. Now would be the time to swap them out if you're able.
9. Insert the donor cables in the reverse motion of the exraction, and link up the interior end with the c-clips and cotter pins so you have a set distance/destination for the other end. You will need a hammer or rubber mallet to gently seat them properly all the way down.
10. When feeding the cables into the engine bay, unless you have access from under the car, or really skinny arms, you'll need something to grab them with to get them in arm's reach. I used an old curtain rod and bent up brake line as hooks to grab and guide the cables to a place where I could reach them with my hands.
11. Once I had them, it was a matter of positioning the cables and replacing the c-clips at the same time, which took about a half hour for the hidden one. Be ready to use A LOT of patience on that one. Replace the cotter pins on the exterior end. Tighten the firewall plate down.
11. Check to make sure the shifter cycles through every gear position. If it doesn't, recheck your c-clips, cotter pins, and 12mm bolts on the firewall plate.
12. Replace your trim in reverse order.
13. Replace battery and tray, and hook it back up.
14. Go for a ride to test all the shift changes, and back into your parking space. If everything's good, do a little dance and pat yourself on the back. If not, refer back to step #11.
Please ask me questions or let me know if I was unclear. Hope this helps, good luck guys!
thought the trans finally had enough.
