Shifter cable casing broken and sparking.

[bender]

I drove up the road and parked at the grocery store, the cable started acting up and I couldnt get into park. Finally did, then when I came back out, It would move but not change gears. I pulled the console cover off and found that the cable casing had come out of the metal sleeve. I held the casing and managed to get into reverse, then drive to get home.

I did some searching and may have found a temp fix for the cable until I can replace it, but discovered something else in the process of removing the C clip. The cable started sparking as it was jiggled around in the bracket. If I understand correctly, the cable does carry ground, but is it supposed to be this much, or is it supposed to be at all. When it would lose good contact, the radio would power off and the interior lights all dimmed.

I am assuming that I need another or better ground from engine to frame. I am going to install one from the block to the frame. Is there anything else I need to do.

 

[V6 Kompressor]

Re: Shifter cable casing broken and sparking.

Don't stop at the one ground, you have a missing/loose ground. Check the black cable from the battery to the block and make sure everything is tight and not corroded. I like to run another cable from the block to the frame and then some smaller braided cables from the frame to the fenders, body and the fuel tank to make sure everything is grounded. Loose grounds can cause a lot of problems....

 

[bender]

Re: Shifter cable casing broken and sparking.

Don't stop at the one ground, you have a missing/loose ground. Check the black cable from the battery to the block and make sure everything is tight and not corroded. I like to run another cable from the block to the frame and then some smaller braided cables from the frame to the fenders, body and the fuel tank to make sure everything is grounded. Loose grounds can cause a lot of problems....

I will double check that one again, I just relocated it to there about a month ago. It was to a different spot on the engine. I know there is one from somewhere around the headlight to the battery, but that is the only other one I remember reinstalling. No braids or anything. There were a few small grounds in the harness that went to the block, but I am referring to large grounds.

 

[V6 Kompressor]

Re: Shifter cable casing broken and sparking.

OK, if there is sparking, then there is an open circuit trying to find the path of least resistance. The shifter cable usually winds up being the back up path when the grounds get loose between the engine/tranny and the body. I like to run extra grounds on both sides of the engine to the frame, and at least one more from the frame to the main body shell. When you add a bunch of electronics, the more ground paths, the better... Run an extra ground from the transfer case, the tranny and the engine to the frame, at least a 12 gauge, it won't hurt and one more from the fuel tank to frame will make all circuits happy... Your shifter cable will love you for it..LOL!!

 

[gkrcr882]

Re: Shifter cable casing broken and sparking.

Mine did pretty much the same thing, minus the sparking. I have a new one from Rock Auto, just not looking forward to putting it in or trying to find a replacement clip. The old rule is "you can never have too many grounds". Might try running a ground from the body to the engine, or body to transmission to take the place of the shifter cable being the ground path.

 

[bender]

Re: Shifter cable casing broken and sparking.

The potential between the body and the engine should be zero. That's the job of the ground strap between the firewall near the wiper motor and the LH rear cyl head. Perhaps a battery relocate has been performed, and the battery neg was attached to the frame, but the frame wasn't grounded to the engine?

The shifter cable died because it was damaged from carrying current. It shouldn't be a current-carrying conductor.

No relocate, but also no ground strap in that location. I bought a truck with the engine out and front clip only mildy put together for transport. All the parts were in boxes. I put everything that was in the boxes back on the truck, but it appears there were a few things missing. Having never owned one of these rigs, I am learning daily what all is needed with them, and it was certainly fun to put something together I didnt take apart.

I ran the battery negative to the rear of the passenger side head, but have no grounds from engine to frame, or engine to sheet metal. I have not seen a picture of what the damage to a shifter cable looks like from carrying current. It seems likely that the casing heated up and became soft and slipped out of the metal. The actual cable is fine, just the casing was damaged.

I found some posts earlier which listed the grounds, so I am going to start there.