Is This My Clutch Cable?

So I bought back my old 2003 Mustang and just realized recently that the clutch cable was installed on the left side of the dip stick by somebody and the cable is rubbing against the engine, and the metal cable is exposed. I am currently trying to sell the car and it has not seemed to be a big issue so I have been putting the issue in the ads to sell the car....I would fix it myself but I have a new baby and been very busy.

So today I am driving it...the battery had needed a jump (since I never drive the car) so I decided to drive the long way out to Wegmans. After about 20 minutes I was having trouble all of a sudden getting it into gear, and it just got worse to where I was afraid I was going to get stuck...I had to muscle it into gear. I started freaking out because...I am trying to sell the car! Synchros and Transmissions start going through my head. But then I thought of my clutch cable.

So the second I turn off the car I can move the shifter in and out of gears easy. After 20-30 minutes shopping I went back out to the car and drove the 15 minutes home and it was fine. I am going to go get the cable replaced immediately. Do you think this will fix my issue? I'm so worried...ugh!
 
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Replace the cable. Only other thing it can really be is the clutch.

Easy way to check is to have someone push the clutch in and out while you look at the clutch arm and throw-out bearing.

Don't "jam" anything into gear anymore. If necessary, you can drive a car without the clutch... It takes a little finesse. heh
 
Take a look before paying someone to do it:



I should note that I'd never install an adjustable cable on purpose. OEM cable only. I bought mine in SN95 length to give me more routing options around the exhaust.

If you do pay someone to change it, an OEM cable is your best shot at not having to do it again. Maximum Motorsports is one source for these cables.

I heard a nasty rumor that the FMS cables are no longer OEM. When I look at their website, it says that their cable is adjustable and made in Taiwan:

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=507

OEM is non-adjustable and not made in Taiwan.

Read this page carefully. All of the information is there:

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/MM-Clutch-Cable-Universal-Mustang-Ford-OEM-1982-04-P897.aspx
 
Thanks for the heads up! Definitely going to have someone do it for me as my 8 week old takes up all of my time right now...I have hardly had time to drive the car let alone wrench on it...and was just hoping I could sell it and tell the new owner to fix it. Now that I know it's having this issue though I don't want to pass it off to someone who won't be able to make it home with a car they just bought so I need to fix it ASAP.

Will check the max motorsports site and maybe order it to have it installed if the shops I call tomorrow don't have the part in stock. I talked to my ex who I used to work on cars with earlier and he also said to buy an OEM part. That is what we had put on the car back when I owned it. The reason it's screwed up now is because of how it was installed last...not sure why they did that.