army_rx8

hehe sorry mazdamaniac..if it makes you feel better i can add a few min.'s on...hehe..naw i can't lie...but i also didn't see if i could install it in upside down and backwards:p

i heard that you were at the MSCW meet tonight at fuudruckers...haha too bad the only pic i have to go off of is a dog on a turbo...and i'm pretty surte i didn't see any of that there lking about....so i hoep i made my potonight hehe i was curiouse abotu seeing your turbo...but it was hella cold out with that wind. catch you at the nedxt one..or the scenic drive (if you are going...hell if i'm going:D)

hmm now that i've rambled on i totaly forgot what i was originaly talking about...hehe so i hope i made the point i thought of 5 min.'s ago:p

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, I was there.
I got out of there right at the end because Ryan and I wanted to try to tune his E-Manage before it got too cold.

army_rx8

haha you guys should've started befor the sun went down then (or are you talking abotu engine temp?)..either way...are you going to need to tune it every season? (ie switch tunes once you have it tuned right for the weather)...or is t just a generic tune for all season? just curious i don't knwo too much about turbo's and what comes along with them.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

The tuning should be OK year 'round.
I was referring to the possibility of my man-bits getting frozen off by the 0°F wind chill.

army_rx8

lol...indeed teh wind chill was pretty killer tonight. i'm sure your intercooler was lovin' it though:D

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

How did this thread get on page two? No wonder I didn't sell any shifters today.
Everyone has taken to the first thread again which is fine but a newbee would be more likely to read a shorter one. It take hundreds of posts to get to comments from an installed owner.

Cam

iTrader: (1)

Richard, orders are now open to the public?

I thought only select members with pre orders were being produced/shipped?

I read earlier there was a prolem/glitch with "reverse". Has that been rectified?

I take it an order can be placed through your website?

Thanks

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

Cam, PM me. Right now I need more help with the website to get it working. I think the reverse problem you refer to is the fluxing of the stalk when you were about to get the clutch ingaged in reverse. The problem is the clutch is doing it's job by winding up the hub springs and unwinding them. This happens because you are not locking and going. You are on the verge when in reverse. If you let the clutch out and locked up the driveline and went faster it would stop.

Why it is more noticable in some cars then others I do not know. It just could be the driving habits of the owners. The lower force has more leverage on the upper part because of the higher ratio. That might make it more pronounced but it didn't start it.

You have nothing to lose, if you don't like it send it back.

PoLaK

iTrader: (1)

Richard if you'd like I can set you up a temporary Paypal "add to cart" before I/you finishes the website? Email me.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

this needs to get dump in the dyi thread. it took me a while to figure it out.

beer
john stewart

swoope

iTrader: (5)

i ended up using a thin screwdriver and a rag to protect the silver stuff. i spent .5 hr trying to move it with my finger. after that it was cake.

beers

trophymaker

I just received my AFE short-shift kit and installed it during my lunch break at work! First of all, thank you Gomez for that DIY, it made things much more clear. After defeating the right rear clip (not that bad once you figure out that it takes more yank then finesse), I had somewhat of a rough time with the twin plastic clips that tie back the wires. I used the flathead screwdriver technique to weaken their grip, and then tugged the bastards off. After that it was a race to get to the gearbox. I was surprised how well the new unit just slipped right in.

I reversed the process and finished up.

Impressions:

While still parked, I rowed through the gears. HOLY $&*@. The feel is VERY precise. I was amazed at how close the gates of 3, 4, 5, 6 seem. I thought at first that I installed it wrong because I was missing 5th and 6th. It takes a good push to the right to make sure you are in the high gears. Does anyone else only feel about 1/4" of travel between the 3-4, 5-6 gates in neutral (and much more travel between 1-2 and 3-4)? Is it normal?

I started her up... Engaging reverse feels very stock. I found that this stick transmits less vibration than stock because I can actually read the graphic on top of the shifter (whereas it was a quivering mess before). The AFE vibration is a much tighter whirring than the rubbery fluctuations of the stock piece.

Off I drove... the same tight vibration was present as I drove off... once I exited the garage I gave it a nice peg in 1st then I wacked it into second. That clumsy feeling of bending the stick was gone. I got a nice thunk and the revs dropped in sync with my clutch-up. I know exactly what Gomez is talking about now. I have driven a manual trans. car for 10 years and I always seemed to flub the 1-2 shift in the 8. It seemed that unless I slammed it into 2nd (which never felt right, almost as if I'd rip the shifter out) the revs dropped too quickly for me to be smooth. I also felt that it was the lack of torque (coming from a V8) I was not used to, causing me to expect the engine to smooth the action out. Not anymore. The throw has been shortened just enough to fire off perfect shifts; the solid gate engagement is very satisfying. I made a few u-turns to row through the gears...

I did notice increased gear noise coming from the gearbox. Although not that intrusive, I think I might put some sound deadening material in. This might be futile... any thoughts? The noise is pleasing however... it sounds like a muted race transmission. By third gear the ambient noise drowns it out.

Once on the highway, I marveled at how much easier downshifts were. No need to be conscious of the gearbox anymore. This unit is telepathic. Just make sure 5th and 6th are engaged with deliberate pressure to the right (I am thinking this will lessen once the unit is lubed as Epitrochoid stated). My initial concerns about the gates being too close were kind of erased as the high gears were quite easy to engage, but I would still like to know if others' units are this close.

This is my first mod to my 8 because the shifter was one of only two things I feel lacking in the 8 (the other being throttle response, soon I will get a lighter flywheel). I was hesitant at first to get something that was brand new and unproven, from a company I had never heard of. After reading 3 or 4 testimonials, I figured I had to try it.

Overall, I am truly impressed. I got it 2 days after sending Richard Paul my payment and had it installed in less than half an hour. This was money well spent and I encourage everyone to buy one of these! It will really bring your 8 to life.

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

I'm glad it went right in with Gomez help of course. He needs a metal for this. Maybe he should come over here when my SC is ready and write the install for that too.

Back to you question about having to push hard over to the right. It might be.
It seems that Mazda hasn't held the best of tolorence on the plate with the two dowl pins. It's ok for them but with the adjusted leverage there is less movement of the reverse lockout tab. Less movement means more critical. So on cars that are on the end of tolorence there can be interferance with the tab and plate.

This tolorence can go the other way, whitness the guys who can't rub the wall when using 5/6. that is the oposite end of the stock tolorence.

If it is rubbibg the wall as this one is you can take the shifter oout and file about .010 to 015 off the tab. Using a small cross cut file it will be hard to tell how much you take off so be carfull unless you have a caliper. Trial and error but don't go overboard. It shifts now so all you want is to get it more into the gate.

Take a few strokes and try it. This material will file well with a clean file. Remember use a fine file, cross cut works. If you use a course file you will ruin it.
Very small amount will make a big difference.

Sorry about this but there is nothing I can do to fix the wide tolorence we must work with. I've been thinking about looking for a method that will allow the end user to move the plate and re- dowel pin it. It just would require some precision pining and might be out of the range for the avarage home mechanic. And/or his tools.

I could make the tab longer then everyone would have to file fit the thing????//
I don't think that would be a good idea as the number of cars with their tolorence at the end is small.

If anyone else feels this then here is your fix. Just don't everyone go doing it when you don't need to. Don't go making me sorry I told eveyone by filing things that don't need it. You can tell when you install it by checking the clearance between the tab and plate when going between 5/6. No clearance is ok if you arent hacving a hard time. Very light clearance about .005-.010 is good.

It will eventually wear some also. Any of you genius out there think of a way to move that plate around with ease let me know.

Again, This is the rare car at the end of the tolorence don't think it a problem when there is none. We hold that tab to .001 tolorence. If this was a standard problem I would make it a different size. This is in the center of Mazdas range.
Don't mod anything you don't have to. And if you can't hold the material removal to a limit don't do it, send it back for me to do.

If I could find another way I would but this doesn't effect to many cars in fact this is only the second one.

trophymaker

Thanks for the advice Richard, what unit of measurement is ".010 to 015 " off the lockout tab?

I'm assuming since I don't know, I shouldn't be filing it!!

hehe

Gomez

Glad you enjoyed the DIY. Richard is talking about thousandths of an inch. Point 010 is 10 thousandths of an inch. 40 thou is about one millimeter.....

Gomez.

Gomez

However, I wouldn't file anything until I checked whether the reverse tang was hitting the plate when selecting fifth or sixth. I had about 30 thou clearance whilst holding the shifter firmly (not too firm!) to the right. If the shifter is grinding metal off the plate during every 5-6 shift, then maybe I'd file it.

Gomez.

trophymaker

Yes it seemed that there was not much clearance at all between the lockout and the plate (in neutral between 3-4). Of course I didn't realize that the clearance should be so small so I just assumed it wasn't right. If there is only supposed to be about .010 anyways, maybe it was fine. I am pretty sure it is hitting the plate and that's why I feel very little travel. Although if it is that fine of an amount I have to file, maybe it will just wear with time. Should I grease the lockout tab to make the shift from 4-5 smoother or is that dumb? Thanks.

RP: Is it that the distance between 1-2 and 3-4 should be the same as 3-4 and 5-6?

epitrochoid

so your saying that if we remove material from the lockout tab, we'll be able to align the wall with the 5-6 throw?

sorry if i'm way off, but it seems like more material would be necessary to keep you from pushing the shifter too far to the right. either way, it really doesn't matter. you can easily learn to snipe 5th or 6th with ease after a little time behind the wheel.

Gomez

The plate is shaped the way it is to stop you forcing the shifter too far right. You don't want too much clearance. If the shifter is hitting the retainer plate with every 4-5-6 shift, firstly, try to reposition the retainer. There should be enough give there. Greasing the tab is a short term solution only.

I have never noticed the distance issue you refer to. The fact that the shifter is 1/4 inch shorter and the throw is an inch shorter will affect the leverage you have on the shifter. Maybe that's what you're noticing. There is naturally a tad more effort required to select each plane with this shifter.

Gomez.

trophymaker

Epitrochoid as I understand it, your situation is the reverse of mine. You have too much space between the lockout tab and the plate, allowing for 'overthrow' of 5-6. I actually seem to have not enough space. Although I can engage the gears (5-6) fine, I must use more pressure rightward than stock. Not much more, but enough that I might want to file the lockout tab a bit.

Like Gomez states, there seems to be enough play in the positioning of the tab against its bolts that we might be able to create and remove distance between the tab and plate. Its might just be enough to solve both of our problems. I will definitely look into it.

Gomez, I notice a definite reduction in the travel when I move the stick right (from 3-4 to 5-6), then left (3-4 to 1-2). Moving it left has a perfect amount of travel and engaging 1st is very definite. However when I move to the right, I have to use much more pressure to make sure that I am engaging 5th.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

It seems that the lockout plate itself can be moved around before you tighten it. The holes are elliptical on mine.
I'd suggest those with a gating issue on 5/6 try loosening the hold down screws for the lockout plate and push it as far to the right as possible before you pull the shifter to file it.

In fact, I'd recommend elongating the holes in the plate before any other fix.

Gomez

Yep.....if it's "too much", then you may be riding the retainer plate. Check the pic again, as MM says, the holes are elongated.

Gomez.

trophymaker

I will try it this weekend. Thanks guys.

Richard Paul

iTrader: (5)

Yes I believe the holes are elogated but there are tiny dowel pins. I'm now thinking that a person could file the dowel pins on the oposite side so it can be moved a slight bit. I may have not notice it if they are movable stock. That would answer all the questions wouldn't it? I don't have my own car yet so I can't go look. If you had some little needle files you could slot the dowel holes a little. These are much better ideas then filing the shifter be cause they are not permenant. If that plate can be moved a little then we are missing an install step.
If that plate can move we an just put it in 5/6 and push it up against the tab and tighten it for the perfect fit every time.

This would make me very happy to find an answer to this. I should have known MM would try it upside down and backwards if anyone did. Thanks to all of you for the tips. I had fear from a sales point of view whether to go public with a problem but decided to be up front. You guys did not disapoint me I feel good about it now. I couldn't ask for better reinforcement.

We have a group of clever techies here who love to share. I've never seen it so good except maybe with Bonniville racers.

rxeightr

I have been conversing via PM with Richard Paul regarding my shifter over the past week. I was having difficulty getting into 5th, like what epitrochoid experienced.

Richard is VERY interested in making this short shifter work for every RX-8. He has offered to buy it back if I am dissatisfied, but told him Hell No. This week I have relearned how to shift effectively with the new shifter.

This Short Shifter remains one of the best performance add-ons that exist for our RX-8's.