Cheetah troubles

[67Dart273]

I bought a used Cheetah from a member on here --no problems there.

But the thing acts as if there is not enough throw. At this time, it won't go into park far enough to engage the NSS, and also barely makes it all the way back to 3rd (reverse pattern.)

The lever is tight on the trans shaft. I doubt the trans shaft has play, because the BM Pro-stick worked just fine

There is plus/ minus ? 1/8"? play "fore-aft" with the handle, which also moves the cable, that is, maybe, 3/16--1/4" ? of total play fore/ aft

Do these cables stretch/ wear out? I DO HAVE the cable anchored admittedly temporary, as the shifter is (securely) clamped to a piece of steel. That is, the shifter body does not move. Cable clamps are tight at both ends, cable jacket does not move.

I assume? the SUPPLIED shift lever is the same for 904/ 727? (Mine is 727, manual VB)

The cable goes down through the original console hole, makes one turn under the trans and back to the clamp bracket. Until I get the shifter "permanent" the cable jacket is tied up to the crossmember with several wraps of insulated wire. It is fairly tight, there.

Now I do have TWO Cheetahs, both used. I could try the other cable, and even the other shifter. I can't see a thing wrong with the shifter itself.

 

[Bad Sport]

Does your shift lever look like this?

View attachment shift.jpg

Here is a snip out of the destructions, do you have the u clamp in the groove?

View attachment clamp.jpg

Not sure if it helps or not. And yes the part covers 904 and 727.

 

[67Dart273]

Yes and yes. I just downloaded the pdf, which shows only one Mopar shift lever. I checked carefully with the clamp in the groove, and after having trouble, RE --checked the clamp.

The bracket only fits one way--on top of the transmission. The shift lever only fits one way. Too hot to mess with it more this afternoon.

Maybe this evening I can get my neighbor up in the car to wiggle the shifter, while I watch underneath.

 

[abodyjoe]

did you adjust the cable with everything in the park position?

 

[earthmover]

they are tricky lol.. I have the pro stick and love it with the rev. patt. vb and took me a while to get it right...as you I had problems going in park and all the way back to lo ...I had to get some help while I was under the car making adjustments on the cable and they would keep moving the shifter to I was comf. with it...but once its right it all good...watch the cable on headers lol

 

[67Dart273]

did you adjust the cable with everything in the park position?

If you adjust so it goes far enough into park, it won't go into 3rd (reverse pattern) You can tell by playing with the shifter that there isn't enough throw or too much play.

I guess I need to wait until the neighbor gets home and it cools off this eve.

As I said, the Pro stick worked just fine. The odd thing is, the levers on the Cheetah are longer, which "should" mean that it's not as critical, IE the cable has to move further in the Cheetah than the BM, so therefore ANY play in the BM is critical.

It seems LOL that I have the opposite problem.

 

[Supershafts]

I never had any issue with them, and i have 4 that all work the same, is the cable being held correctly at the shifter ?

 

[67Dart273]

Yup. Both ends of the cable are tight. What I'm "imagining" is that the cable might have come internally untwisted, etc. If it wasn't so damn hot, or me so old, I'd be out there right now.

 

[abodyjoe]

weird. mine adjust and worked real easily. maybe it is a cable issue like you are thinking..

 

[Bad Sport]

There is plus/ minus ? 1/8"? play "fore-aft" with the handle, which also moves the cable, that is, maybe, 3/16--1/4" ? of total play fore/ aft

Hey Del, I just looked at my shifter again and if you turn it over there is a brass block with and adjustment where the cable goes in. Maybe that would eliminate the play.

Just a thought.

 

[Bad Sport]

Maybe check out these specs and see if it got out of whack somehow.


[ame]http://www.turboaction.com/Cable_Adjustment.pdf[/ame]

It has to do with the block I mentioned, there are specific measurements for the cable in relation to throw.

 

[waggin]

Uhmmmmm There is also a strong possibility that the valve body needs to be pulled and welded as the lever inside the trans is staked on and gets loose after years of abuse...I have had this happen several times over three decades of playing with mopars

 

[mopardude318]

I am sorry you are having troubles. It was a little bit finicky for me at first when trying to adjust it as well. After playing with it, I've found that a "little" bit of adjustment goes a long way.

Also, when new, they supply you with a new reverse light switch...Something I didn't think to include. It's still on my transmission, and if you want it I'll send it out right away.

Maybe the switch is different somehow from a stock switch? I didn't notice any differences between the switches, but who knows??

It's a great working shifter that came right off my working 904. I don't see how the cable adjustment is out of whack. I will be following this thread, hope ya get this sorted out.

-James

 

[waggin]

anybody got a pic of the topside of a valve body showing the dhaft that that goes thru the transmission case that the linkages go onto I can grab the pic and pit an arrow to the problem area, the shaft breaks loose from the other dohicky and needs to be welded back into place

 

[abodyjoe]

anybody got a pic of the topside of a valve body showing the dhaft that that goes thru the transmission case that the linkages go onto I can grab the pic and pit an arrow to the problem area, the shaft breaks loose from the other dohicky and needs to be welded back into place

know what you are talking about but don't have a pic of it.. i have seen them come loose too. seems kinda common.

 

[abodyjoe]

ahhh google is a wonderful thing...lol

 

[67Dart273]

I have not been back out yet tonight---it's still over 90 out there, and the hoist is on the west end of the house. I don't see how this could be internal, as the Pro stick worked well. This shifter uses a shorter lever / shorter cable throw, so in theory, it should be "more fussy" for adjustment.

Also, when manually shifting the trans underneath the car, I remember that the lever seemed very positive

The brass block and top end of the cable are probably not the problem. You can just barely wiggle the shift lever and see an immediate, corresponding movement in the visible end of the cable core "up top."

I appreciate the comments. As I said, I need to round up a second person. If not, I'll yank it out and do a side-by-side comparison of the two (Cheetah) shifters.

 

[MiradaMegaCab]

I had to file the "gate" on my Cheetah shifter. I could not get the NSS switch to engauge in the "park" position, so I filed the gate itself to allow for a longer "throw" into "park" position.

 

[67Dart273]

Maybe check out these specs and see if it got out of whack somehow.


http://www.turboaction.com/Cable_Adjustment.pdf

It has to do with the block I mentioned, there are specific measurements for the cable in relation to throw.

Thanks for that, by the way

 

[waggin]

the one on the top right shows the welded version....thars yur problem matey they don't call him abodyjoe fer nuthin hes a sheer gee nee uss thanks Joe [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Yq5m9eLIQ"]Do you feel like we do Full Version - YouTube[/ame]

ahhh google is a wonderful thing...lol

 

[67Dart273]

Ok ran some checks and here is the deal

THE PLAY IS ALL in the cable

1--With cable removed from trans, there is virtually NO play in the trans lever

2--The "nut" for the cable fits nice and tight into the trans lever, so the hole and nut is not worn. The cable is tightly clamped in the groove of the trans bracket and does not move

3--You can hold and observe the play from the knob to the cable connection on the shifter. There is virtually NO play. As soon as you move the knob, the cable connector follows

4--I jigged up a dial indicator and found both shifters/ cables to be similar. Locked the far end of the cable, so the play is the back/ forth in the length of the cable---------------------

A--Cheetah shifter measured at the flat on the reverse lock tab on the handle is about .2--.24" on respective shifters. See top and second photos

B--Moving the indicator to the cable below the shifter results in about .12 --.140 or so. This is very difficult to get precise, but I tried this several times See bottom photo

C--Similar cable end play on the BM resulted in about .06", and this is the raggy old cable I have been using. A brand new BM cable estimates to about .045--.050" Third photo down

It is IMPORTANT to note that even though I'm not in love with the function of the BM, it shifts flawlessly.

THE SOLUTION:

I have a reverse pattern gate coming. I'm going to do one of two things----either fab what's necessary to use the new BM cable with the Cheetah shifter, or just install the reverse gate and if necessary, grind the 3rd gear end of the gate deeper.

 

[waggin]

if your planning on any serious racing or wanting trouble free street use pull the valve body and weld the thingamajig in abodiejoes pics for reliability sake.

Ok ran some checks and here is the deal

THE PLAY IS ALL in the cable

1--With cable removed from trans, there is virtually NO play in the trans lever

2--The "nut" for the cable fits nice and tight into the trans lever, so the hole and nut is not worn. The cable is tightly clamped in the groove of the trans bracket and does not move

3--You can hold and observe the play from the knob to the cable connection on the shifter. There is virtually NO play. As soon as you move the knob, the cable connector follows

4--I jigged up a dial indicator and found both shifters/ cables to be similar. Locked the far end of the cable, so the play is the back/ forth in the length of the cable---------------------

A--Cheetah shifter measured at the flat on the reverse lock tab on the handle is about .2--.24" on respective shifters. See top and second photos

B--Moving the indicator to the cable below the shifter results in about .12 --.140 or so. This is very difficult to get precise, but I tried this several times See bottom photo

C--Similar cable end play on the BM resulted in about .06", and this is the raggy old cable I have been using. A brand new BM cable estimates to about .045--.050" Third photo down

It is IMPORTANT to note that even though I'm not in love with the function of the BM, it shifts flawlessly.

THE SOLUTION:

I have a reverse pattern gate coming. I'm going to do one of two things----either fab what's necessary to use the new BM cable with the Cheetah shifter, or just install the reverse gate and if necessary, grind the 3rd gear end of the gate deeper.

 

[67Dart273]

I probably will next time it's out, and that looks like this winter.

Got it in the car, "AbodyJoe" style, IE just welded the heads of some 1/4 cap screws to the floor. No more console, at least for awhile.

I got it to shift but it's REAL fussy. I'm convinced cable wear is the culprit, but I only have about 75 bucks into the BM Pro Stick, and it's got a brand new cable. I'm sure I can adapt that one, and it's way tighter for end play than the Cheetah ones.

So I guess you can say I've made progress. Waiting-------on the reverse gate.

 

[67Dart273]

OK, update on the update.

I'm absolutely convinced that the problem is too much end play in the cable, but I've worked "around" it.

got the reverse pattern gate today, put it in, confirmed not enough throw just like the forward gate, and discovered some things

1--That it's a PITA to tear this apart. "The Roll Pin."

2--That the gate is NOT hardened. Chucked it in the drill/ mill and elongated the park and 3rd end stop a little

Put 'er back in, and it still doesn't have "more than enough," but it does work. You even think about putting rear pressure on the lever, and the switch drops out. But ohh kaaayy. It works, and I'm happy. Proll'y be order'n a cover soon.