HELP! Started disassebling instrument panel and shift indicator disconnected

[EB4X]

I started disassembling instrument panel to get my odometer working again (common broken plastic gear) and shift indicator clip disconnected....I was on youtube and other step-by-step webpage and neither addressed this....it just unclipped but zero slack AND WAY TOO TIGHT of spot to get hand up in there and guide properly back into hole/slot...tried needle nose and just not doable due to tension of cable/position etc.......not sure if safe/easy procedure to unhook cable and proceed with repair since I got everything else apart.....anybody else deal with this?? Input...? .....the cable going down to junction point - apparatus bridging to shifting to trans is completely covered by metal housing...short of going through that nightmare of removing all that I guess I'm hating life....it still shifts without binding of cable FOR NOW...but I'm guessing left like this will create problem shortly down road....
See pic....

 

[allmyEXes]

IIRC you remove the lower plastic piece and behind that is a metal piece that you remove too. All of this is below the column. Then you will see the bottom end of the cable and undo it there. Be careful it is fragile and brittle. Mine was broke way down there so my indicator was not calibrated. I was able to use a 1/4" wide zip tie around it twice to hold it in the position where it was near calibrated.

 

[koda2000]

Looks to me like you broke the very thin and delicate red 'ish colored cable. Its supposed to be longer and have a loop on the end that attaches to a hook that pulls on it when the shifter moves.

 

[allmyEXes]

Are you referring to Barrynewbie's cable?

 

[EB4X]

"IIRC you remove the lower plastic piece and behind that is a metal piece that you remove too. All of this is below the column. Then you will see the bottom end of the cable and undo it there."
I had to remove that and the metal underlying "shield" too....part of procedure for this complete project....when you look under that area that is now "partially exposed" you see yet another metal/aluminum housing covering up cable and other wiring etc.....
Going to re-fiddle with this tomorrow in daylight and examine to see how difficult it would be to remove that...or if there's gaps and can spot other end of cable. Had to park it for street sweeping at neighbors and abandon job for today...
Thanks....

 

[allmyEXes]

Mine is a 1997. There could be a few little differences. koda2000 may know for sure.

 

[EB4X]

The P.O. did some after market wiring / accessories so that area is somewhat of a bundled mess with wire slack coiled up in tie-wraps..so hard to see beyond that.... going to cut wraps tomorrow and stretch out mess and then I'm sure I'll see a/the disconnect / junction point..... will post back results for anyone interested....

 

[EB4X]

Okay sorry about drama gang..... job all done...odometer now back to working- replaced damaged worm gear on motor....and the other end of this cable issue was the infamous plastic bracket that always breaks...and being I had to disconnect and feed up through harnesses etc it sure enough broke even though super careful....so ended up doing 99EXP's custom fix (from 2009!) - #10-24 nut shim- three total...see pic -- and fixed my misaligned shifter indicator as well in process....so win win!
Here's some pics for anyone else who might undertake this. FYI: If you do this and have automatic like me I recommend tying string/wire through cable loop to pull down (will have to do this a few times working cluster back in place).....and when feeding Gauge cluster/ display back in it has to be tilted with TOP half slanted back in first.
Here's some pics: - Spacing / gap of motor-to-gear ---Gear part number ($5.60 on Ebay!)(it says speedometer on package but is same part / # for odometer motor/gear) ---Custom nut shim for broken thumb wheel adjuster -- and pic of cable looped onto shifter lever>> put shifter in L1 for better exposure and loop /hook sideways then pull down.

 

[allmyEXes]

Good idea with the #10-24 nuts. That is the spot where I did a double wrap with a good quality zip tie to take up the same amount of space.

 

[donalds]

Good idea with the #10-24 nuts. That is the spot where I did a double wrap with a good quality zip tie to take up the same amount of space.

I used a zip tie to

Never thought of the nuts