Sometimes my 98sl2 has to have a good tug to get it to switch the next year. When I'm on the throttle hard you gotta really pull it to get it to go in. Doesn't grind or anything stays in gear fine to just feels like something is keeping it from sliding right it. Is It a user error as I was used to a cavalier 5sp or is there more to it. Fluid level is good to. Thanks guys

 

possible shift cable(s) stretching?

Any issues with the clutch ?

 

Exactly what was happening to my '99 5 sp SW2 a few weeks ago, I even started a thread about hard shifting...then I completely lost the shifter Thursday afternoon on my way home from work, still waiting for the shop to diagnose it, but these guys here are pretty convinced it's the shifter cables that let go, at 177K...that's next on your plate, I'll post in my thread once I get the diagnosis from the shop what it was...

 

Clutch seems too engage fine. I'll check the cables maybe lube them up..
Idk......

 

I just replaced the broken shift cables on my 2002 SL and it's really pretty simple. This was part of why I got this car so cheap. It was stuck in 5th gear, and I had to drive it 14 miles in 5th! Try THAT in the city sometime!

There are two cables with a rubber grommet at the firewall, so you can NOT buy just one of them, they come as a pair! Which is a good thing. You pay for one, but get two! The cheapest brand new ones I found on ebay are $68, but they're double that at the dealer! Got mine for $20 from a wrecking yard.

When I pulled mine out, I found out HOW they break. It's not that the cable itself actually "breaks", it's that the outer black sleeve that has braided steel cable under the insulation breaks out of the crimped end. It was a bear to get the first one out after watching a video on youtube, but once I did it, I found out it really didn't have to be as hard as the guy made it seem. He did stuff you don't even need to do!

I can post step-by-step instructions on what I did if anyone wants. But really, do NOT watch that youtube video that I watched or you'll do a lot of stuff you don't need to do! It's about a 10-15 minute job! His video was 28 minutes and didn't show a few things.

But after I got mine out, THIS picture shows what I found! It's the cable that controls 3rd, 4th, 5th and reverse. The other cable controls 1st and 2nd gears. So, if YOUR Saturn stops shifting and gets stuck in any gear, THIS is what happened!

 

Not necessarily.

The shifter cable bushing can also break, leaving you stuck in gear because the bottom of the shifter is no longer connected to the shifter cable.

Or the shifter cable loop end can break, again creating the situation where the shifter is connected to nothing.

Your $20 cable set was actually your best move if you are not going to buy new OEM, as all aftermarket cable sets are crap and do not function properly.

Your photo link is broken
We have no clue what youtube video you are referring to and are therefore not likely to view it.

 

I was only referring to what I personally found. And no, you can't view the youtube link because I never posted it. If you're saying I'm tripping, then that's your opinion. But I clearly showed a picture of MY shift cables, which were exactly the same as 3 of my friends who own Saturns who had shift cables break.

I do realize the bushing can break, but this is RARE! And if you find one at a wrecking yard, good luck removing it! I tried to get a spare bushing from several cars at the wrecking yard. They're next to impossible to remove!

 

I have replaced 2 bushings in my years. They have them in stock at auto zone. They are aggravating to say the least to change out.

 

Every 5sp saturn s series shifter cable bushing will eventually fail. In fact it is much more common than the actual cable failure that you experienced.

In fact, the shifter cable bushing in your vehicle might be a replacement......

I have replaced one each on my 95 and 97SC2's, around 230 and 250K mi.
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No you did NOT state only what you found on YOUR car, you stated
I intervened because your statement was factually incorrect and misleading to anyone that comes along afterwards and reads your post. We try to limit propagation of misinformation. I know it was not intentional. But it needed to be addressed, so it was.

Again, if providing factually correct information is being negative and acting like a know it all, I can stop providing it if you prefer.

And the fact that you referenced a youtube video to not watch (no link) was my entire point.
And your picture link is still broken.