Mark, you should clarify that you are sending back your original unit that was replaced with a new one because it had a worn lower bushing. Not sending one back because you didn't like it.

BTW, aren't you one of those who flamed me for my spelling??

 

They don't teach 'em like they used to, RP....

 

Indeed, i don't know how one could make that mistake... o wait i do its because this thread has too many pages .... a recurring trend it would seem.

I've given up trying to inspire this forum with my superior knowledge of the English vernacular after seeing the plethora of pig English present in many more posts then your own.

 

It's rather ironic, I think, that the thread that DosDog started because my one was too long...


....should have more posts than the original!!

 

BTW, I unscrewed the **** only 1 full revolution, and it has made a big difference in the performance of the shifter. What seemed like a subtle change has made the shifter much smoother and easier to engage. And, I have no extra noise, aside from the normal syncho whine here and there.

 

No worries, too easy...

 

Does anyone experience extra tranny noise that is completely intermittent? I mean only like 1 out of 5 times you drive the car.

It seems like sometimes this shifter didn't have any effect on noise, and then the next time I drive the tranny is making a lot more noise (i.e. sychros whining when engaging gears, and a constant twirling noise when cruising).

 

When down shifting you should hear more noise with this shifter. It teaches you to rev match better.

Did you push the rubber boot down around the shifter? If not that may be the issue.

 

I agree with it teaching you to be more "in-touch" with your tranny.

I did secure the outer boot on the white ring of the shifter, but I can feel it slipping off occationally. It tends to slide up, and off of the ring.

 

Funny thing, after someone else had driven my car for a couple of days it had noise in the gearbox. I thought "**** I'm going to have to rebuild the thing" but after a day or so it went away never to return.

Normally I hate things that fix themselves but this time I was happy for the break.
That's the only time I've heard of it and if it were someone elses tale I wouldn't belive it. If anyone can explain it I'm interested in your theory.

 

just got done installing my RP SS, and just want to say thanks to richard for a great product and another thanks to Gomez for the DIY

 

Hmm mine was difficult to push down onto the shifter. Did you happen to get grease on the shifter area where the boot is supposed to be?

 

I didn't get any grease on the shifter ring, but the boot may have been stretched a little bit when I was removing it-only thing I can think of. do you think it would add any noise if i used something to better secure the boot to the white ring? Any suggestions?

Still a considerable improvement over the stock shifter.

Anyone have any experience with the mazdaspeed shifter?

 

Has anyone ever had a problem with sucking type sound at high rpms after installing the kit?

I get this intermittently and it has never happened before i installed the short shifter kit. I thought it might be a vacuum leak but spent considerable time checking over everything and hose clamped everything there was to clamp with no effect. Then last week i missed a gear because of concentrating on hearing the sucking sound and i swear the grinding sound was comming from the same place as the sucking sound - by the tranny.

Not sure what would happen if maybe that rubber boot that seals the tranny from interior would somehow work itself a little loose...

 

Let's see...... A sucking sound coming down by the shifter??
Is your girlfriend riding with you??
Does the thought of a quick shift with your new 'unrubbery' stick excite her?
There isn't any other way that a sucking sound could be coming from that area.



Edit) I just went out and tested this theory and it is in fact intermittant. I only hear it when she is on the upstroke. Funny thing is I never noticed it before you bringing it to my attention.

 

Richard

I Demand a refund my short shifter does not perform it doensnt make any groaning moaning sound , and it cetainly doesnt make a sucking / sound , but it does bring a stupid smile to my face everytime i change gears , best mod ever .

 

Just did my install & I think I may have the answer to the missing green fluffy stuff mystery. The fluffy stuff on my shifter was ..............wait for it .......... Brown .

 

i wish that was the problem... really i do

 

Whats the amount of vibration i should expect at idle. The reason i ask is I installed my shifter the other day and the vibration when in nuetral when the idle drops down to around 750 rpm seems excessive.

With my stock shifter it only moved a few mm at the most. When you look at it, it appears blurry if you know what i mean just slightly shaking. With the short shifter it seems to be moving about 12 -15mm each side. Is this normal?

 

Definitely not normal, but I don't think it is the short shifter though.

Do you have problem when starting the car off - there is some metal knocking noise? Do you have excess vibration on your dash.

That could be your engine mounts. Aussie ones have been replaced in record number, and I think most of the Oz forum members have their replaced at some point.

 

It isn't the shifter that shakes at idle, it's the whole engine and transmision rocking in it's mounts. Nothing changes with the shifter kit. In fact even the rubber connection in the stock unit has no effect at idle.
Try putting the stock one back and comparing it back to back. If you leave the console and the rubber boots off you can see the whole thing shaking and you will understand why nothing but the engine itself controls the amount.


Also did you have the AC on in both tests? Mine shakes with the AC on but that is normal, I think?

 

I don't think it is the engine mount Taka, no knocking noise only the clunk from the brake test. The vibration doesnt seem excess but has defenitly something to do with. .

I compared them both today when i got home from work. There was no camparrison with the driving and gear changing after almost a week of it on, I have grown to really like the shifting of the AFE, it takes a bit of getting used to and its not as lazy as the old shifter, which is really light to change where the AFE feels a bit heavier. It is much better though when you are driving the car at speed, I didn't have much problem with the 1st 2nd but messed it up 4 or 5 times in a year so it wasn't perfect, this seems heaps easier to be good

Your definetly right Richard about the engine causing the transmission to shake the shifter. I think it is caused by a combination of the stiffness of the mounting and the laping of the rotary. By the way the vibrations were not as bad today as i went to work and back. I compared them both in my garage and the afe did shake a bit more. maybe because its that little bit shorter it shows up the shake more. It would be fine if the idle speed just stayed up around that 900 rpm mark. No difference with ac or or off

I think the car hates sitting in traffic and i might try changning my plugs as they have been unchecked since i got the car at 5000km and it now just done 20000km. I suspect this won't do jack as i think its just a quirk of the engine at that rpm.

At the end of the day it not as much shaking as a bridgeport which has similar power to the renesis and makes the whole car shake at idle! so they have done well to keep the idle tame. I still really like the shifter and will put up with a bit of shake, putting the old one on sealed it lol

 

If any of you are waiting for a good deal you should know there is a factory refurbished unit that was a beta test part. It has the latest bushing installed and carries a new warranty. It is on Ebay starting at $1.00 and no reserve.

 

hey RP can you PM me the link to that ebay auction?

 

http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-...3323362&lk=URL

It's already up to $1.25