190e W201 shifting at higher RPMs, Starting in 1st
 

How many posts start out with the words, "I have a friend who was helping me work on my car."
Anyway, he is a great guy . . . on American cars. When changing my oil filter, he must have grabbed onto a cable (I think it is the Bowden Cable) and summarily unwound about 1 - 1.5 inches of the outer casing. And I mean unwound. Now the car shifts at around 4000-4400 rpm. No twisting of the white nut is going to help this.
Here is my question. If I understand correctly, the bowden cable is, in simplicity, like the cable that engages your lawnmower engine, with a cable running through an outer sheath. If there is enough slack on the total cable, can I delicately remove the unwound section and move the cable up on the linkage? Is there any way to repair this.
This car is a 1990 with other issues and I don't really need an expensive repair right now. Thanks for the help ahead of time.

Well the cable is basically like that. Correct adjustment is just at the point of no slack when the throttle is at idle. Whether it's jury-riggable or not I can't say. It looks like a replacement cable is $100.