1G Shift cable confusion

[Nuzzi]

I am kind of stumped on this one. I have a '91 tsi 5spd with what appears to have '90 style shift cables. I have verified that the trans bracket, shift base and tranny are 91-94. Everything I have seen says 90 models have both cables adjustable and 91-94 only one cable is adjustable. I am just curious as to what the story is here, I need new cables which is what got me checking into all this.

 

[jakk220]

Those cables are definitely from a 1990. Get cables for a 91-94. It may actually be the reason you need new cables. Were you having any shifting issues before?

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

I am kind of stumped on this one. I have a '91 tsi 5spd with what appears to have '90 style shift cables. I have verified that the trans bracket, shift base and tranny are 91-94. Everything I have seen says 90 models have both cables adjustable and 91-94 only one cable is adjustable. I am just curious as to what the story is here, I need new cables which is what got me checking into all this.

I've been through too much with 1G DSM shift cables..... ugh..... nightmares. Anyways, 1G original cables came with adjustments on both sides but replacements for 91-94 only had it on one side. On the side that goes in the car, there will be a plastic sleeve with a cap on each shift cable. If they are the SAME length they are 90 cables. If one is longer than the other they are 91-94 cables its as simple as that.

Note that 90 cables are just 2 of the short cables meaning if you have 2 91-94 cables you can make 90 cables out of them (Like I had to). This is really the only difference.

 

[Nuzzi]

No problems shifting before one boot ripped on the tranny side.

 

[jakk220]

I'm pretty sure that 1990 was the only year that there were 2 adjustments for the cables, and the 91-94 had one adjustment from the factory, not just the replacement cables. Either way, I know that the cables were different lengths. So just get the 1991-1994 cables and you will be fine. My girlfriends 1g is a 1993 with a 1990 transmission in it and it never worked right until I swapped everything to 1990. I had to swap the cables, transmission bracket, selector arm, and the shifter.

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

I'm pretty sure that 1990 was the only year that there were 2 adjustments for the cables, and the 91-94 had one adjustment from the factory, not just the replacement cables. Either way, I know that the cables were different lengths. So just get the 1991-1994 cables and you will be fine. My girlfriends 1g is a 1993 with a 1990 transmission in it and it never worked right until I swapped everything to 1990. I had to swap the cables, transmission bracket, selector arm, and the shifter.

No there's lots of 91-94 cables with the adjustment I've seen and modified them several times. Its a common misconception around here. I got sent a new set of "90" cables with both adjustments there only to find out they don't fit because they were out of a 91. The one cable is longer on 91-94 cables that's it. 91-94 replacement cables were sold without the adjustment on the one side. If the cables are the same length it's out of a 90 if one is longer then its not.

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

@acrazyjohnny should have some photographic proof

 

[Dsmkauai]

My 91 gvr4 had both cables adjustable stock.