Gear change cable mis-routed??

I am in the process of replacing my Hydragas spheres and so, on the passenger side, I have taken out the ECU and air filter box.

This gives me a clear view of the upper gear cable. It seems to me that it is mis-routed as it seems to spiral round the two black cables shown in the photo. I think it should pass the other side of them and sit in the empty clip above the two black cables. This would give a much straighter run, stop it rubbing on the air box bracket and might even improve the gear change which at times I find difficult.

my assessment of how to do this is

disconnect at both ends

draw forward to about the rear bulkhead

then pull back along the correct route and reconnect.


I think I ought to be able to do this without dropping the subframe but would be grateful for advice. in particular

do the rose joints just lever off

how easy will it be to pull off the U shaped clip securing the gearbox end

are there any supporting brackets or similar along the tunnel which will hinder pulling it forwards

Thanks in advance

davidej wrote: my assessment of how to do this is

disconnect at both ends

draw forward to about the rear bulkhead

then pull back along the correct route and reconnect.


I think I ought to be able to do this without dropping the subframe but would be grateful for advice. in particular

do the rose joints just lever off

how easy will it be to pull off the U shaped clip securing the gearbox end

are there any supporting brackets or similar along the tunnel which will hinder pulling it forwards

The rose joints just lever apart and the securing clip will also come off relatively easily. However I think the closure plate that seals the rear end of the transmission tunnel will prevent any attempt to pull the cable back.
And to remove the closure plate you must drop the subframe.:shrug:

David

Thanks for the info.

I have trawled the forum and read about the bastard closure plate.

But I don't need to pull the cable right through - the end fitting does not need to go through it. The hole/slot in the closure plate must be the same size as the parallel part of the cable. but is there a boot or similar which will make it hard (or impossible ?) to put it forward a couple of feet and then back to its original position?

The two black cables which the gear cable spirals round must be, I assume, the handbrake cables. I did look to see if it would be easier to disconnect them and wind them back round the gear cable rather than visa versa. However they seem to disappear into some hard rubber outer tubes which seemed to me to make this idea a non runner. What do you think?

BTW a friend with a TF has looked at his gear cable routing and confirmed my diagnosis. I wonder if they got it wrong on original assemble as I don't think it has been replaced.

Cheers

David

I'm just surmising, but I suspect the closure plate will be snug enough to snag the cable outer to make it difficult to move the gear cable.
I think that the alternative of disconnecting the handbrake cables would be more doable. Apart from the calliper connections there is a bracket holding them to the rear wall of the engine bay. But as I say I don't know for sure.

I have now managed to re-route the cable with much less effort than I had originally imagined.

I freed the gear selector cable at the gearbox end and pulled it up into the engine compartment. It was much more flexible than I had assumed, given its large overall diameter.

I then freed the two handbrake cables from the clips on the bracket which forms part of the airbox mounting. I pulled them inwards and managed to pull the gear cable first over the bracket and then under the handbrake cables and up into its correct position. I could then put the three cables back into the clips and re-attach the gear selector cable to the gearbox.

The gear cable outer is green. Another on my MGF friends had a look and reckoned they had been replaced (badly) at some stage. The car is a very well looked after low mileage model so I thought they must be original. Can anyone identify it from that colour?

The standard cables are black. I thought the green colour was just a camera effect!

I manage to get the suspension pumped up before Christmas and and have today (finally) got the Yellow Peril (Trophy Yellow) back on the road.

I am glad to be able to assure all the Doubting Thomas's that the gearchange is noticeably improved, especially fifth.

The re-gassed suspension is also heaps better - my dentures don't fall out on every pot-hole -ha Ha ha. Thanks to Hydragas Services

Happy New year