Shift Cable Information

[Barry]

This thread is just a place to compile information about shift cables. There are many rumors about them, and many issues with them.

The cables changed in length, bracketry, etc over the years. However, they are still compatible with all berettas, with the exception of the shifter pin size. Either in 91 or 92 GM changed the size of the pin on the shifter.

Here is a picture of a small pin shifter.

The cable just slides over the pin, and a little plastic lip fits in the groove. Very simple.

The cables mount to the transmission in the same fashion. There is a bolt with a square shoulder on it, and a pin just like the shifter pin. There is nowhere to put a wrench, so the square stops the pin from turning.

Here is a picture of the trans levers. You can see the square


Here is the bolt/pin im talking about. Its stuck in the cable. When the bushings get old its easier to unbolt the whole thing then it is to pry the cable off.


Now well talk about how the cable housings attach to the tranny and shifter.
Heres a picture. Just a round ring that a bracket clamps over.

Heres the "T" piece that clamps it. These commonly crack.


The housing mounts to the shifter base very simpally. You just push it in and put the clip on. No pics

**These things never changed from 87-96**

Now we will get into the more confusing part. Gm used 3 different style cable ends. There is no logic to this because I have seen cables in pretty much every combination of ends...


1. Came on early berettas, 87-90, maybe even 91. This is the strongest end available, its all 1 piece steel, minus the plastic bushing/clip.
2. Came on all years of berettas. *Usually* it is only on the shifter side, however, my 88 cables have it on both ends. This design is alright, I have not had one fail on me.
3. Came on later berettas. It uses a bigger pin, so its not compatible with end 1 and 2. These suck. The bushing tears easily, so the shifter becomes very sloppy. They are also fully plastic and can crack once the bushing takes a dump.

1&2 both fit on the same pin. You can see in the pic that the pin is bigger on the 3 end.

I am unsure if the 3 pin is bigger on the trans side or not, but generally the pin stays with the cable.


-Random cable cross referencing I came up with exploring a junkyard.
Izuzu shifter and cables appear to be the same as the getrag stuff. *** Not true (8/8/11)
The 2.4 GAGT 5-speed has a different shifter and cables, However, the cables mount the same under the hood. So you can use a 2.4 GAGT shifter and cables in a beretta as well.
The eco saturn ion has a very different shift cable setup. Lots of plastic and stuff.
Messed with a 3rd gen cavi. Forget what motor it had, but those cables were very different too.
Most imports have very similar cables to other imports. Honda F/H series motors, DSM 420a and 4g63 seem similar too. I beleive celica as well. The cables are just like ours, however the part that clamps into the trans is smaller and uses a clip like ours do up at the shifter. They generally have big round ends with big rubber bushings.

[Luckymc420]

Note: My 91 2.2L did come with the all steel (2)

[Barry]

I have been informed that 2.0/2.2 ISUZU cables will work for the getrags.

[beretta]

my trans and shifter in the 88 is from a 91 cavy i dont remember what the cable ends look like on the trans side, but the shifter itself has some play and needs to get new bushings someday. i cut my shifter down though and makes it a little nicer to shift.

[Robert 89gt]

I purchased a ATP shift cable from advance.
It was for the isuzu and didn't work.
It was short of where it needed to be inside the car where the horse shoe clip gos.About one inch the only ones that work are from napa.Well for my car anyways.16654 is the selecter cable and 16655 is the shift.Madison cable said they can't make them.Rodney dickmen told me the fiero ones would work but are overall 10 inches longer of a cable.

[KFLO 93 GT]

Longer cables would work if you can safely hide the extra length without toasting it on headers...

You still wants pics of the ones hanging in my garage?

[Robert 89gt]

Longer cables would work if you can safely hide the extra length without toasting it on headers...

You still wants pics of the ones hanging in my garage?

I've never burned one yet thank god.And the cables are laying right on the header outside the firewall.But either way it's alot of extra cable.Well i could always try i guess.West coast doesn't pick up when i call.So i need another place beside dorman.Yes please may i have some pictures kurt.

[Alxsmt]

they also have a ball style connection in the 87/88 berettas. maybe 89 too. I can get pictures if a few days

[Robert 89gt]

they also have a ball style connection in the 87/88 berettas. maybe 89 too. I can get pictures if a few days

Yes the ones i purchased from jeff at EP. Are from a 88 grand am and they are ball type ends.My 89 is push pin ends.It's werid the 88 i found my trans from had push pin also like mine.The ass at the junk yard cut them.When i asked if they could take them out for me.Metal end ones too.
Yes chris at west coast fiero said he finished them.But when i ask if they would work he say if they don't he'll keep trying.Guess i should try and see?

[meskidog]

I need to replace the cable on 94 z26 that selects 1/2,3/4,5/r. any ideas or anybody have one??

[deanmarino]

Hey Beretta guyes/gals. I just joined your site and I have a 1994 base 2.2 w/ 5spd manual. Not a special car but I sold it to a girl friend of mine brand new and when I found her 15 years later, I know own the car and Im in the process to bringin it back to life. To the point, my sifter cables had lost thier bushing insert ends. In a somewaht temp fix, I took sway bar link cushions, ground them down and got them to fit into the cable end eyelets. The center hole is a little bigger, but with the prper size e clip, it will work. If you get high perf link cushions, it will give you a more positive feel. It works. call me MGiver.

[GTU89]

Don't know if it has been covered but ~88-90 Cavalier Z24 cables are the exact same as 90 GTZ cables..atleast both should be I only used the selector cable (other I bought was a c NOS cable from Ebay) and its been cherry since.