5 speed manual Lumina Z-34 shift cable problem

[NCChevyMan]

I am having a problem with my 5-speed 1992 Lumina Z-34. We were driving and all of a sudden the shifter handle became totally loose. I disassembled it and found that the bushing connecting the shifter cable to the handle was disintegrated.

 

It is a small black bushing with small "breather" holes on one side. The base of the shifter has a pin with a small groove in it that holds the shifter cable on. I am assuming some type of clip was supposed to be in the groove. Apparently this cheap quality piece of rubber is really what holds the shift handle and cable together...kinda scary.

 

I talked to Chevy customer service and the dealers. The shifter cable is no longer made by GM. Getrag who manufactured the transmission filed bankruptcy in November 2008. I have not been able to find a junkyard who has it.

 

I think the bushing may be made by a company called Timken, but I am not sure. Does anyone have one of these 5-speeds or has worked on them that can tell me about the bushing, the clip that holds the assembly together and/or the shift cable.

 

Thanks,

 

Tom

[White93z34]

I was thinking about this recently. you have several options, if you are willing to get creative.

 

I'm told these will fit out shift cables

http://www.howellautomotive.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=802

made for neons but apparently compatible

 

Find a proper size ball bearing that fits snugly in place of the bushing and has a proper size center hole. I got that idea from a Mazda guy that found skate board bearings worked fine in his application, they are far too big for ours though.

 

or get some brass tube stock of the same diameter as the original bushing that fits snugly in the cable use a drill press to put a hole of the proper size in the center and use a C clip to retain it.

 

as for getrag, good luck to anyone that wants help from them I tried getting a hold of them a few months back and they in so many words told me to get bent.

 

EDIT: Just did a little searching...

 

http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=76260.0

 

this thread has some good information as well.

 

[digitaloutsider]

IIRC, those bushings are what I have in my Cutlass, but I'd need Sean to chime in to verify that.

[shuck]

Saturns S-series cars have a similar setup and the same problem. With my Saturn, I just replaced the cable set, but I remember there were a lot of creative options to fix the problem. It might be worth looking at http://www.saturnfans.com or searching for Saturn shifter bushing on google.

[ss427]

Tom,

There was no clip used in the groove. The top of the rubber bushing is smaller diameter than the rest of the bore that slides over the pin on the handle. The smaller diameter of the one end simply pops onto the edge of the shift handle pin. My Z34 had one that was broken in half and totally worn out. It was still hanging on, but was making the shifts incredibly sloppy. I had an extra cable with good ones which I popped into the cable ends in my car. There is one of these bushings on each end of the shift cable, and if the one on the shifter end is bad, I bet the one on the tranny end is pretty worn out as well. The bushings were part of the cable assembly, and don't have an individual GM part number. I think I may have some additional spare bushings which I will sell you if interested. If I do, they will be used, but will be in excellent shape, and should solve your issue.

Steve

[ChevyOceanGuy]

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