need help asap with 4speed

[Ed Dorey]

I'm pulling my motor and trans together. 78 aspen 318/4 speed. I can not for the life of me get the speedo cable out of the trans. I've removed the retainer but it still won't come out. I also can't figure out how to get the shift handle out.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Aspen500]

You're trying to remove the cable and plastic adapter housing together, yes? There's only an o-ring to seal it and it can't really get corroded to the case. You can try GENTLY trying to rotate it a little with a pair of pliers first, then pull it out. Go counter clockwise and the pinion gear will be moving away from the drive gear. The cable is really only removable after the housing is out and the clip is removed.

To get the handle out, slide a .010" feeler gauge between the handle and shifter. Push it in on the left (drivers) side to release the spring clip and pull up on the handle. If you get lucky, it will come out.

 

[Ed Dorey]

awesome. thank you. I'll try first thing in the morng

 

[Aspen500]

If the shifter handle refuses to release, you'll have to unbolt the whole shifter and take it out as an assembly, which is also easier said than done. Been there more than once.

 

[Ed Dorey]

As it turns out the shifter handle wasn't bolted in at all. it's simply pressed into the rubber bushing. I did end up having to remove the rest of the shifter from the trans in order to get the motor/trans assembly to drop low enough to pull together. It was a bear to get the shifter unbolted.

 

[BudW]

I have seen a lot of the speedometer gear housings be a (fill in the blank) to get out.

Rotating helps.
using a pair of channellocks on cable and gently rocking cable up/down and side to side (emphasis on gently) helps as well.
If you are not gentle the speedometer cable, you can ruin it – or pull cable out without the housing with it (which makes it a real pain to remove).

I highly recommend replacing the seals for speedometer housing anytime it is out – for that is a common oil leak location. There is a couple of venders on eBay selling seals – or dealership if you prefer.

BudW

 

[Aspen500]

If only the housings and, more importantly pinion gears, were available

 

[BudW]

I don’t like the plastic housing/gears that most FMJ cars have – because of the availability of gears (or lack thereof).
Also I don’t like then (compared to the older metal screw on housings) because it takes longer (and messier) to remove a transmission.

At least someone is repoping the older screw-on housing speedo gears.

 

[Ed Dorey]

Ended up breaking it trying to remove it. Looks like I'll have to replace the entire cable now but at least I got the motor/trans out lol

 

[BudW]

Now that you are not on your back, give it another try. Just don’t pry on it from the outside.

If still nothing, then it will require the transmission tail housing removal then “lightly” prying it out from inside out.