# 08 Chevy cobalt 5 speed manual transmission

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/08-chevy-cobalt-5-speed-manual-transmission/145744>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 1, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/08-chevy-cobalt-5-speed-manual-transmission/145744 "2019-08-01T15:29:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jared\_Deroche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@Jared\_Deroche](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jared_Deroche)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/08-chevy-cobalt-5-speed-manual-transmission/145744/1 "2019-08-01T15:29:48Z")

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So I just switched out the clutch and transmission on my 08 cobalt when I discovered I had bad shifter cables so I pulled the old ones and completely forgot to mark the linkage before pulling them from the bushings does anyone know how I can make sure the new transmission is for sure in neutral so I can have some kind of starting place to try and figure out the right spot for the linkage

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/08-chevy-cobalt-5-speed-manual-transmission/145744/2 "2019-08-01T21:20:58Z")

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Jack up one front wheel and turn it. If it turns, it is in neutral If it doesn’t turn, it isn’t.

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**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/08-chevy-cobalt-5-speed-manual-transmission/145744/3 "2019-08-01T21:26:01Z")

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Put some blocks 6" in front and behind the wheels, push it and it moves it is in neutral, my hillbilly response.

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**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2019, 6:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/08-chevy-cobalt-5-speed-manual-transmission/145744/4 "2019-08-02T18:20:48Z")

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Here’s how I do it. Rather than pick a center position, pick an extreme. Move gear shift to middle, observe cable position. Move it to one extreme and again observe cable position. Did it move forward or back? Then move the lever on the transmission all the way in the same direction. Connect the cable or linkage. Test. Viola.