So, I managed to get 2 shifters in both of my x308s broken. One a buddy of mine went to move my car and the brake switch release thingie is sticking and he janked the lever braking off the plastic slider which drives the linear switch.

The second the shifter cable froze up and same part broke.

So now I have to do the same job twice. Any advice? Does the center console have to come out?

 

To replace the shifter mechanism you will have to remove the centre console but it is an easy job - just takes a bit of time.

Easy enough to get a new shift mechanism off ebay but for the second one you will probably need a new gear cable (guess who has the same issue).

Be warned though, the gear cables for an XJR and a XJ are different and not interchangeable. I could not find one on ebay so ended up buying brand new replacement (not cheap).

If you have downloaded the JTIS then just follow the instructions on there - thats all I have done with no issues.

 

Great advice from tberry6686.

 

Another bit of advice.

When you are replacing the damaged gear cable, have a look through the hole where the gear cable goes into the tunnel. If you see a bolted on clip going round the cable then you don't have a tie wrap and there is no point removing the seat for access - there does not appear to be any access from the side only from above - through the tunnel, and below the car.

If you don't have a pit or a lift it is a very fiddly job - the bolts attaching the old cable to the transmission are difficult to get access to (due to the exhaust pipe) and then get any leverage on. In case you haven't found out yet, the bolt on the cable shift (at the gearbox) is a 10mm Nyloc nut and you need to get a fairly thin 10mm spanner behind the shift plate to hold the bolt and stop it turning with the nyloc. The 2 bolts holding the cable to the transmission itself are 8mm and appear to have some sort of thread locking compound on them.

I am trying to do this on ramps but am close to giving up and booking it into the garage due to the access/leverage problems.

 

Great tip. It does have that clip.


I had 2 shifters fro an xj8 delivered from a JY. I'm not sure what year their came out of, but after I took them apart I realized the slider part is indeed different and won't work so I fabricated a fix.




On the car with the seized cable, you are right, the screw holding the cable is impossible to get to on ramps and the rust doesn't help. I was able to use a pry bar to gently persuade the cable into unsiezeing . This allowed me to throw it into neutral so I can get it into my workshop on the lift. I'll be doing a head gasket job to the car soon so I'll be dropping the exhaust anyway.