i cannot afford to replace the shift cable and my repair manual is locked up in a storage unit since my 'abrupt' move last year.

i would like to try to lubricate the cable so i dont have to fight with the shift **** to get it into park and get my key out from the ignition.

i have read some other storys online that mentioned rust/corrosion towards the end that connects to the transmission.
and i'm thinking if water was able to rust the cable, then the water probably also flushed out any/all of the lube that was in the cable housing.

can somebody tell me where to look for the shifter cable under the hood.
and can somebody also tell me where to look for any common breakage in the cable housing.

one story said that there was some sort of metal weave towards the end of the cable, and then later went on to say that the new cable had plastic molded over the area that was corroded?

anyways.. the story said the cost of the new cable is like $60 and i dont have that much at the moment, so i would like to lube the thing for about $5 to keep the cable from completely binding and preventing me from putting the shifter into park (which gives me my key from the ignition)

appreciation in advance,
thanks

 

this 90 degree weather has dried up the cable and allowed it to move more freely.

i glanced under the hood and didnt see the transmission at all.. so i'll have to put the car up on ramps.

does anybody know if park extends the cable on the transmission or does low gear extend the cable 'out' so it can be lubed?

i dont have or know of any sort of aerosol can of proper lubricant that i can 'inject' the cable housing with to fill and lubricate the entire length of the cable (spilling out of the cable on the other end inside the vehicle at the stick shifter)

penetrating catalyst eats at the metal mildly to seperate rusted nuts and bolts at a molecular level.. so that will do me no good, although the shelves are fully stocked with these penetrating lubricants so it is hard to find something that lubricates on contact and doesnt evaporate easily.

i'd like to use some wheel bearing grease that i already have, but i dont think lubricating the very end of the cable is enough to keep the entire assembly from binding against its housing.

lol.. there are a lot of lubricants that i am having trouble reading up on.

 

Were you able to fix the problem yourself with a lubricant or some other method. I can't find the where the Cable bushing meets the shift selector under the hood or under the car. What did you learn?