Okay, so all you fellas that suggested I should pull the trans with the engine may now say "I told you so".

I found another leak and this one is a gusher. It's the downshift cable/ detent/ kickdown cable (whatever we want to call it). It's just a little O-ring but I can't seem to get the cable out of the trans. I guess my question is this; is the "tab" (marked in the diagram) stuck inside the trans housing? When I pull the cable away from the trans (pictured) all I see is the metal rod. Or maybe it's stuck up inside the cable housing? Either way I can't seem to access the tab so I can disengage the cable. Would it help to drop the pan?

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There is very little room to maneuver and no way to mash my face into there for viewing. I've tried several mirrors with no luck.
Suggestions?

 

That cable should come out some more I think. You should be able to see the hole where the rod goes in. Can you push in the cable from the engine side at all? Might give you some slack.

 

The cable goes through the firewall and hooks to the gas pedal (I think). I just checked and I can't seem to give any more slack. The cable won't push in from the pedal through the firewall. I'm thinking the tab is stuck inside the cable housing because what I'm seing (and what's in the picture) is a solid metal rod, not twisted aircraft cable like what hooks to the gas pedal.
Thanks Don, I'll fudge with it a little more.

 

Disconnect it from the pedal to allow the cable to extend farther. The metal wire coming out of the trans is hooked through the hole through the cable tab as pictured.

 

I think I understand. Do you happen to know if it's the top or bottom cable on the pedal? Meh, I can figure that out myself. Thanks Eric.

 

Unhooked it from the pedal but still no luck. The rod pulls out of the trans with the cable housing and then just stops. That "tab" with the hole in it is either stuck up inside the cable housing or in the trans. My guess is it's stuck in the cable housing. I've put quite a bit of force on it but I don't want to damage something in the transmission. I realize this is blasphemy but can I clean it and put some silicone on it until I can get it to a transmission shop?

 

Can you push the cable down from the pedal side? Sounds like its frozen inside the sheath. You might possibly need a new kickdown cable if you can't work it loose.

 

I does seem like it's frozen. I can't push in the cable from under the dash without kinking it. I have some cable lube and a fancy cable lube jig (from my biker days). I might try some of that.

 

So, just to be clear; I should be able to push the cable into the firewall from under the dash, yes?

 

Yes, the cable should slide within the sheath back and forth just like a motorcycle cable.

 

I just happened on a retired GM tranny specialist at the parts store. My lucky day He said that the tab should be up inside the tube about an inch and should just slide out, as you said. He suggested spraying some Deep Creep up into the sheath and letting it set overnight. I'll give it a try and report back.

 

Mac, I feel your pain on this one. I just went through fighting this battle with mine. It is amazing how much fluid can leak from that little O ring. I think I cut mine upon reassembly. Anyway, the Rod that comes out of the tranny is spring loaded and wants to return back into the transmission. I found if I clamped the Rod with a pair of needle nose vise grips I could get the leverage I needed to attach the cable to the Rod. It is a major PIA. Good luck.

 

That's what others have said and, although mine does spring back, it doesn't go in far enough to be a problem. But commiserating is good
So for an update; I tried lubing the cable but it didn't help. So then I used logic and reason (meaning I got kinda' p**sed) and cut the cable. When i did that the linkage fell right apart, literally right to the floor. Not looking forward to the cost and hassle of a new cable but the old one wasn't going to work anyway.

 

When you pulled the engine...was there a ground strap on the engine to firewall? Reason I ask is sometimes if the ground is bad, the current hunts for another. It's not unheard of for floor shifter cables and things like that to fuse solid. Because that's what it sounds like. It's a thought.........

 

Now that's something I wouldn't have thought of. I just cleaned my ground strap yesterday as a matter of fact. There was a tiny bit of fraying on the firewall end but nothing concerning. I think it was just bad luck.