Well, I had my bushing on my shifter linkage break. I didn't know it was broke until this morning. I wanted to go for a drive so I started my car, let it warm up a little, got in and went to put it in reverse and what a B***H! I was mad as hell. No reverse or any other gears. The shifter felt loose. After jacking up the rear and checking the cable and also checking to see if the shifter would move the linkage, I found out my problem was inside the car. What a PITA it was. The bushing was easy. I got a DORMAN bushing kit 14041 and had it fixed in no time after lookin around on line. The PITA was the connector for the gas door. It seemed like it took me forever to get it loose. I didn't want to break anything so I was being extra careful. They could have give this connector a little extra wire. Anyway, It was an eventful day and I did get to go on my drive after everything was fixed and back to normal. I bet the plastic piece on the tranny linkage will be next to go out ... lol.
Tony

 

At least it happened at your home. Congrats on the DIY fix. I stocked up on that part after reading about several failures here.

 

I had went out the day before. Made several stops at different places but it never failed. I guess it decided to quit working when i put it in park in the driveway. If it would have broke while I was out driving, my only question was, how in the world would a tow service ever get it on a flat bed without tearing something else up with it in park and no other gears available? That would be a real pain trying to figure that out.
Tony

 

If it had to happen, better in the safety of your garage rather than out on the road. And that you got the car fixed.

 

My front one failed a while back at work. Luckily the cable caught on the pin and allowed me to get it into drive and get home.
The back one failed in the garage some time later, if I were you I would go ahead and replace the back one if you haven't already. It uses the same bushing as up front and it will fail and leave you stranded somewhere.

 

I will take that advice and go ahead and replace it this weekend. Why didn't GM put metal fasteners with cotter pins on the ends of this cable system is beyond me. My very first car 1970 Plymouth Barracuda manual trans. All these connections were metal and I never had one problem. I guess all car makers are going the cheap route. Thanks for the advice.
Tony

 

I replaced ***** and bushings with bolts, nylovck nuts and washers. Don't think that will come loose again.

 

Just a quick question .... Has anyone had the cable itself break? Not the connectors, or the connection points, but the cable.
Tony

 

I think the only time the cable breaks is when you try to bend it too far when replacing the bushings. I speak from experience.

 

Ok thanks. Good info on the cable.
Thanks,
Tony

 

 

That connector on the gas door release button wiring is, indeed, a pain... its locking system is "different" and not easy to get leverage on to unlock once the connector is snapped in place.

The cigar lighter connector (in the dash by the ashtray) was a challenge because it is deceivingly simple; the exact opposite of the gas door release connector.

In my case, whoever installed the MGW short-throw shifter either didn't torque the two T40 bolts properly, or, because they didn't use any threadlock, the front bolt backed itself out completely, and the rear was finger-turn loose. Net result: no leverage to get into gear, primarily reverse. Happened quickly; shifts got "soft", but then I lost reverse and decided to open up the console and see what was going on.

Prior to this discovery and fix, first would "pop" as is commonly the case; after properly mounting the shifter to the torque tube, the 1st-gear pop is completely gone, and the MGW now impresses me with its bolt-action-rifle feel.

Bushing and all seems fine; I will probably pick up a spare based on your recommendation above. T15, T40 and 10MM tools are now a part of the "tool and detail kit" in the rear cargo bins.

Cool that you found and fixed your issue; nothing more fun than learning your car by doing it yourself!

 

Next will be adjusting the windows, install all new weather stripping, and adjusting the top. I am doing all of this because I want to get tight seals around the windows and the top. I don't want any water leaks. I have purchased the GM halo weather strip. From all the talk on all the websites, most people say to buy the factory seals. I did this work once before on my 92 vette and it solved the problem. Takes a lot of time but it is worth it.
Tony

 

Thanks for posting this. I have the same issue right now and am seriously struggling with reattaching the shifter connection into the bushing(Already placed into the cable connector). How did you manage it? Did you have to get in from underneath? The space from above just seems way too tight for it to be done. How did you manage it?

 

First I tried to place it in the cable end and press it on the button with my hand. When that didn't work I placed the bushing on the button part that the cable attaches to and then I pressed the cable end onto the bushing itself. If you need to you could use a pair of needle nose pliers and gently press it onto the bushing. It worked for me and made it much easier. I also did all the work from the top not the bottom. Be patient and don't get in a hurry.

 

I did everything from above. I first placed the bushing in the cable and then snapped it into place on the shifter assembly. I used a little dielectric grease to make things a bit easier and also used C-Channel pliers, opening it's jaws first so they were parallel to each other when pressing the cable end into the shifter. I covered the pliers' teeth with tape to avoid any damage. Proceed carefully and gently and above all, try to avoid flexing the cable too much... you don't want to break it at this point.

 

I don't understand why it being such a pain to go on. Mine had give me a little trouble at first but after a little while and patience it snapped into place. Thru process of elimination …… it fit the linkage and it fit the cable end so it should be the right size, Try this .... take it out again, place the bushing halfway into the hole on the cable, place the whole piece onto the linkage and try to push it on. I'm thinking that the bushing can't expand enough with it fully snapped into the cable. If this does not work, then I would go get the DORMAN bushing kit from an auto parts store. The bushing you have in the pic is "clear" and the bushing I put in mine was "yellowish" in color. If you get the Dorman bushing kit you will want to get 2 of them. Only one bushing per kit will fit. I would replace the one on the Trans linkage too. I did both of mine.

Dorman kit #14041

 

This might be it. Perhaps the bushing is not the right one.

I replaced both in mine too. If one failed, it's just a matter of time until the other one follows.

Dorman 14057 is a better replacement. It is an exact fit and it includes the 2 bushings necessary to repair both ends of the cable (the white ones, the orange ones are for Ford).

The Dorman 14055 seems to have only one that could be used. The other one is different. I don't know if it fits, but even if it does, you would need to buy 2 packages.

Dorman 14057:



Dorman 14055: