Need some advice.

I have seen every video on the Internet on how to do this from the top. I currently have the console, etc. torn out of the car trying to address a suspected faulty Shifter Interlock Solenoid (I have another thread on here regarding that). My thinking is, since my car has 83,000 miles on it and is 25 years old next week, this might be a good time to TRY to replace the bushing in my stock cable before it leaves me stranded! (i.e. preventive maintenance). Tonight I attempted this project, but ran into a problem, so I abandoned it until I get some expert feedback here on the forum (since so many people have apparently successfully done this). First let me say, I take my hat off to all the stranded C5 owners I have seen that performed this in parking lots, on the side of the road, etc. - you are WAY more skilled than me apparently! I am in a clean garage with every tool known to man and am stuck! I removed the (4) Shifter mechanism 10mm nuts from the base plate - no problem - mechanism is loose all around perimeter. To get to the fourth nut up front I had to pull up on the black cable clip that runs toward the dash and move it to the side (as I have seen so many times in other videos). The shifter was in Neutral (as a C5 technician recommended to me who has apparently swapped out lots of these bushings from the top - they actually sell a bushing kit for this - which I have ready to install).

My problem is when I gently lift the shifter mechanism, I can only get it to lift about one inch - not even enough to see the cable connection. I know it is a tight gap to work in normally, but I cannot even get that far. The only thing I can think of that might be giving me resistance is that dash-to-shifer cable (shown in the photo below before I pulled it out of the clip vertically to gain access to the forth nut). Does that cable in the photo have to be "completely" removed from the shifter - none of the videos I watched said so - they all made it sound like you could leave it connected (just had to disengage that black clip and pull it to the side). I chickened out when I met with that resistance as I don't want cause more harm than good.

Any advice? Should I just leave well enough alone and hope for the best? I just assume my bushing is on borrowed time, but if I screw up and break the cable trying to extend its life, then I have a major project on my hands and no time to tackle that in the near future.

 

Your on the right track, do not lift to high and break the shifter cable. Instead of neutral, try putting the shifter in position 2, it moves the cable slightly more forward. When you replace the bushing, same. Leave it in position 2, and put it back together the same way you took it apart but in reverse order. I had to get my hands/fingers in there and grind the old bushing out with a small screw driver, and metal pick, takes some time, be patient. I’m no mechanic, it took time, but I did it. This winter I think I’ll do the bushing on the trans end. Another tight fit, shift lever at the trans end is above the exhaust pipes.

 

Did you have to completely disconnect that cable running to the dash to lift the shifter up?

 

no, it should have a little play in it.

 

It lifts straight up....did mine yesterday.

 

What gear did you have it in?

Did you replace your bushing?