Help - a523 stock shifter cables won't work for my '86 daytona turbo z

[TurboZJockey]

I just installed an A523 in my '86 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z to replace the stock A523. No I'm having a shifter cable nightmare...!

I have the (2) stock OEM shifter cables that fit the A523. I replaced my shifter to match the A523. Now the longer cable when installed in the Transmission shifter cable bracket won't "collapse" enough or is too long by about an inch to fit the shift selector.

The shorter of the 2 cables when installed in the transmission shifter cable bracket appears to be too short by about an inch to reach the other selector.

Who has been down this road before and has successfully resolved this cable issue that I am having?

HELP...!

[tryingbe]

Stock 86 anything came with A525.
A523 isn't used for anything until after 1990.

What exactly do you have?

[Lotashelbys]

How about some pics of this problem....

[TurboZJockey]

Stock 86 anything came with A525.
A523 isn't used for anything until after 1990.

What exactly do you have?

I replaced the (original) A525 that all '86 anything with a 5-speed had with an A523 3:50 Large Spline with an OBX LSD built by Cliff Ramsdell from a 1991 Plymouth Sundance complete with correct shifter & the longer Sundance shifter cables. Now the stock OEM cables that I have for it won't work.

Both transmission shifter cables are correct length to reach and attach to shifter cable bracket.The problem is from the transmission cable bracket on the back of the transmission to the selector pin and crossover pin.

The gear selector cable (longer of the 2) is too long from cable bracket to eyelet to attach to pin by about an inch.

The crossover cable (shorter of the 2) is too short from the cable bracket to the eyelet to attach to pin by about an inch.

[83scamp]

Last fall, I swapped my Daytona from an auto to a 523 5-speed. The first set of cables I purchased were from a P-body(shadow/sundance), and I was told by several folks they would work. Nope... They were too short., and one of the cables I was sent, wasn't correct for a 523, the crossover cable was way to long from the mounting point to the shifter.

I ended up buying a brand new NOS crossover cable from RPN.com( http://www.rearcounter.com/4504338-parts910198.html ), and found a good, used G-body selector cable from another member. Everything lined up fine after that. I love the 523 in my Daytona!!! And with the 3.50 gearing, I'm averaging about 29mpg's!

So my suggestion would be to find a set of factory correct G-body cables for you setup. The part numbers you are looking for are:

4504340 selector cable
4504338 crossover cable

[Turbo224]

Any chance the problem is with the bracket that the shifter cables mount to? Does anyone know if there are different versions of the bracket depending on the application?

[83scamp]

Any chance the problem is with the bracket that the shifter cables mount to? Does anyone know if there are different versions of the bracket depending on the application?

By the 90 parts manual, no, there is no difference. They list the same mounting bracket 4431375 for all body styles that use the 523.

I know the 523 in my Daytona came out of a Shadow, and the bracket on it worked fine, once I had the correct cables...

[Dr. Johny Dodge]

the long bracket under the shifter that mounts both the cables and the console body changes between the 525 cars and the 555 cars

the bracket changes again to a short one , not much longer than the shifter mounting area, again with the shifters for the 523/568

I have a 523/568 shifter with the small bracket - this is how I learned the bracket is so short

in the earlier two brackets it's the mount point on the bracket where the cables attach to the bracket that changes so the mounting distance from the shifter changes slightly
I can only presume this distance from cable mount to shifter changes again with the short 523/568 bracket

need of this bracket seems left out of most discussions of trans and shifter swaps

[Turbo224]

Pictures of the problem.

[83scamp]

You've got your cables going to the wrong levers.

The small lever coming out the top of the case is the crossover. The lever on the end of the shaft at the back of the trans with the accordion cover is the selector. The cable with the larger head & bushing is the selector cable. Switch your cables, and you should be fine.

[TurboZJockey]

You've got your cables going to the wrong levers.

The small lever coming out the top of the case is the crossover. The lever on the end of the shaft at the back of the trans with the accordion cover is the selector. The cable with the larger head & bushing is the selector cable. Switch your cables, and you should be fine.

So, if I understand this correctly, The shorter cable goes the longest distance from the shifter and the longer cable goes to pin that is the shortest distance from the shifter? I tried this once but will try again. The shorter cable wouldn't reach the pin on the top of the transmission and not long enough to reach the position in the bracket to seat correctly.

[Turbo224]

Shifter Pics

[83scamp]

Shifter Pics

You have it hooked up right on the shifter end, you have the trans end reversed. The cable with the adjustable end at the shifter is the crossover. It goes to the lever on top of the trans. It has the smaller bushing on the trans end.

The other cable, which is the selector cable, has a large fixed bushing on the trans end, and a small fixed bushing on the shifter end. The large bushing goes on the selector shaft on the back of the trans.

[TurboZJockey]

You've got your cables going to the wrong levers.

The small lever coming out the top of the case is the crossover. The lever on the end of the shaft at the back of the trans with the accordion cover is the selector. The cable with the larger head & bushing is the selector cable. Switch your cables, and you should be fine.

OK... I have swapped the cables at the transmission only not at the shifter. The longer cable going the shorter distance connected to the (now) gear selector on the REAR of the transmission does make sense as this now allows me to shift the gears, before it wouldn't. Now, I need to see if i can get another inch to from the somewhere to seat the shorter cable in the bracket correctly going to the (now) crossover on the top of the transmission. I will remove the clamp and grommet that allows the cables to go through the front of the hump to the underside and see if that gives me what I need to reach.

[83scamp]

OK... I have swapped the cables at the transmission only not at the shifter. The longer cable going the shorter distance connected to the (now) gear selector on the REAR of the transmission does make sense as this now allows me to shift the gears, before it wouldn't. Now, I need to see if i can get another inch to from the somewhere to seat the shorter cable in the bracket correctly going to the (now) crossover on the top of the transmission. I will remove the clamp and grommet that allows the cables to go through the front of the hump to the underside and see if that gives me what I need to reach.

If you're using P-body cables, that will be your issue. I couldn't make it work in my Daytona. That's why I broke down and bought the NOS G/J-body crossover cable. Not sure how anybody ever got the P-body cable to work in a G/J body. I couldn't figure it out...

[TurboZJockey]

If you're using P-body cables, that will be your issue. I couldn't make it work in my Daytona. That's why I broke down and bought the NOS G/J-body crossover cable. Not sure how anybody ever got the P-body cable to work in a G/J body. I couldn't figure it out...

No, Both cables that I am using are from a Plymouth Sundance which are the longer version cables, not the shorter version cables like for the Dodge Shadow.

[83scamp]

No, Both cables that I am using are from a Plymouth Sundance which are the longer version cables, not the shorter version cables like for the Dodge Shadow.

Both are P-bodies, there isn't any difference... There are three different lengths of cables: P/A body are the shortest, S body is in the middle, and G/J body are the longest.

By the parts manual here are the lengths:

P/A
4504339 45.37" long crossover
4504342 52.00" long selector

G/J

4504338 48.52" long crossover
4504340 55.00" long selector

S

4504344 46.92" long crossover
4504341 51.25" long selector.

Those are all the cables listed for 90 except the TC, which is unique.

[TurboZJockey]

Both are P-bodies, there isn't any difference... There are three different lengths of cables: P/A body are the shortest, S body is in the middle, and G/J body are the longest.

By the parts manual here are the lengths:

P/A
4504339 45.37" long crossover
4504342 52.00" long selector

G/J

4504338 48.52" long crossover
4504340 55.00" long selector

S

4504344 46.92" long crossover
4504341 51.25" long selector.

Those are all the cables listed for 90 except the TC, which is unique.

My my long cable measures 55 5/8" center of eyelet to center of eyelet (Bought brand new from Dealership part # 04504342).
In your reference it shows it should only be 52" but it measures 55 5/8".

My short cable measures 48 1/2" center of eyelet to center of eyelet. (Used in mint condition part # 4446854).
This part # doesn't match any of the above you had referenced. It does have same length as the 4504338 (above).

[83scamp]

My my long cable measures 55 5/8" center of eyelet to center of eyelet (Bought brand new from Dealership part # 04504342).
In your reference it shows it should only be 52" but it measures 55 5/8".

My short cable measures 48 1/2" center of eyelet to center of eyelet. (Used in mint condition part # 4446854).
This part # doesn't match any of the above you had referenced. It does have same length as the 4504338 (above).

Not sure what to tell you about the 4446854, it's not listed in 87, 89, 90, or 92 parts manuals. All the measurements were pulled directly from the description in the parts manuals. You can download any you want here: http://www.turbododge.com/forums/f4/...ml#post2344815

[tryingbe]

There is always pull push in California to get a custom length cable made.