Be sure that the lever on the trans. is about 90 degrees to the cable when the trans is in neutral and that you are using the correct lever from the mounting kit. This should get you close, then you can fine tune from there. Lee "THE MAV" Richart
The cable is only ran that way to try to get it working and the lever is at 90deg when in neutral. I am hoping the bends in the cable are big enough, I may try to call B&M today.
When it's looped the way it is...does the cable move freely when you move the shifter? Is the cable end pushing or pulling when you pull the shifter back into gear? Just some more random thoughts. I know these things can be frustrating...
Something else I just thought about...is the xmsn shift lever shaft clocked where it's suppose to be? If it's 180 off, either all the way forwards, or backwards, you could get your result...
If it's not a trick in the camera, it looks like the sliding end of the cable is not going into the sleeve straight. I know there is a little play, but not much. The end of the stationary sleeve needs to point exactly straight at the lever on the tranny. You may need to tweek the bend on the bracket to get it to point right.....
Mine was the same way. The brackets do not line it up to the linkage in a straight fashion. Mine comes out of the cable cover at an angle, and when you put it on the shift linkage, it binds. I had to physically bend the bracket a bit with channel-locks to get it to straighten out the exit of the cable. You also have a pretty good bendy loop, but it shouldn't be a problem. If the shifter moves freely until you hook up to the trans shift linkage, you will be fine. So straighten out that bracket. You should get them straight enough that you don't have to force anything onto the linkage. It should rest right on it, so you can slide it on and secure it. As popular as the C4 is, you would expect B&M to have made that bracket right from the factory...
Cable moves free. I have tried with different angles on the brackets I am starting to think it is just to much with tight bends, but with the tiny tunnel I can't see how to do it without a read cable exit shifted.
I would love to bend it but it is at that angle because the cable about 2" from the bracket hits the trans tunnel. I may notch the brace a bit to get it to line up. I worry about making the tunnel brace weak but I guess by the time I add a cage and subframes it should be fine.
You might want to try fabbing a different bracket that would bring the cable under the crossmember even if just temporary to see if that is where the problem is. Everything has to be very straight going to the shift lever. Lee "THE MAV" Richart
I pulled the rear bolt out of the bracket that comes with it and tilted it under the crossmember so it was straight but that made no difference.
Just curious...where are you attaching the cable end on the trans? It looks like the factory bracket is still installed in all of your pics. Did it come with a straight arm with the shifter to install on the shaft? I'd try that one...it's the one I had to use. It's worth a shot.
It did come with it and it is on there,but I did not need to cut it off when installed with the trans in nuetral and the the bracket at 90 to the cable bracket.
Ok...i went back and looked at your pics, and see what you're saying now. Have you had someone else cycle the shifter while you're under the car? It looks like the cable end could hit the kickdown lever in the pics...may just be the angle though. Lol...I know you've got to be frustrated...it's starting to p*ss me off now...
I'm just not sure it's the bend in the cable. If it moves freely without being hooked up...it should still move freely when connected. The bends haven't changed...