Problem (w/ video) - transmission / drivetrain noise

[DeltaNu1142]

Obvious problem was obvious--lockout cable was making contact with the driveshaft. Some damage to the cable, but overall not too bad.

For now I just adjusted the shifter to pull the cable up a good bit and will have to figure out a better solution for the underside of the car in the future.

Yep--sounds all too familiar. The challenge is getting a zip tie tight enough aft (at the shifter) so it's secure, but loose enough that it doesn't bind the cable. I think spiral wrap is the way to go.

[BarManBean]

Yeah. I recalled you picking up some spiral wrap and agree. That's why I fixed it in the shifter height for now since I dont think that zip ties are the best solution.

[DeltaNu1142]

Yeah. I recalled you picking up some spiral wrap and agree. That's why I fixed it in the shifter height for now since I dont think that zip ties are the best solution.

Which shifter are you running? I realize what you've done isn't permanent... but I know when I was playing with mine (Cobb double), changing height wouldn't have made a bit of difference as far as lockout cable tension/position goes.

[BarManBean]

Using the Cobb. The lockout cable is physically connected to the top portion of the shifter with the "pin" that goes through the shifter. Adjusting the top piece definitely moves the lockout cable below the car. Doesn't change the tension, but it certainly changes the location.

[DeltaNu1142]

Hmmmm... maybe I'm thinking about mine wrong. When I say "tension," what I really mean is "lack of slack in the cable housing." The fitting that goes up into the machined blue part of the Cobb shifter doesn't change, irrespective of shifter height, although it will change (a little) with throw adjustments.

 

Just curious. I'm sure you'll sort it out.

[BarManBean]

Here's my assessment, and having assembled the whole think including installation of the actual lockout cable I think I have a pretty good understanding (not sure if you assembled things on your swap or not)...

 

The cable threads up through the shifter and gets locked in place with the holding pin. There is a "slot" that allows the lockout function to work. When in normal use (i.e. 1-6th gear) the cable is set on the low side of the slot. Actuating the lever by lifting up on the collar brings it to the top of the slot area. That being the case, if you raise the top portion of the shifter to a higher level it will absolutely lift the cable up in terms of how close it is to the drive shaft. This may be creating increased adjustment on my specific setup due to the placement of one zip tie down there, not sure.

 

All I know is that Rester was under the car while I made the adjustment, and we just talked through it until there was plenty of room down there, and then I locked it in place at the new higher setting.

 

Looking at some other things this afternoon, I think I can probably place one more zip tie down there and get some good results. If that doesn't work I'll look into the spiral wrap I think.

[DeltaNu1142]

I did assemble mine... after first breaking the shifter end of the original cable (snapped in half at the pin hole). Somewhere in the 6MT thread I commented on the difference between the STi and the Spec.B cables. The Spec.B is longer.

Anyway... IIRC, I first took the old cable & set the trans-side length to match the old cable, and then just installed on the car with the shifter at its lowest height. No operational problems after that, just the same noise you're experiencing, fixed with some strategically-placed zip ties.

 

I'm also using the Spec.B Cobb shifter, which is compatible with both cables.