Short Shifter Help/Advice?Knowledge Exctraction
02-07-2011, 05:15 PM
#1
New Proud Rx-8 owner
Thread Starter
Short Shifter Help/Advice?Knowledge Exctraction
Hey, I am still somewhat of a noob about to do my first performance mod on my RX8. Now, I have this on going friendly competitoin with one of my best friends who has an SRT-4. It is his opinion that his car is MUCH more modifiable than mine and has a MUCH wider market for aftermarket parts. However the battle rages on. He just purchased a Maddog Short throw shifter with a i believe 73% throw reduction. Now when we race it's not even a competition because he literally barely even has to touch his shifter and its in gear. The speed in which he can shift is absolutely incredible. Its like.. it's pretty much instant and it just clicks into gear easily. So here is my problem.
i cannot find ANYWHERE online a short throw shifter for the RX-8. Ive read about them i think i heard MazdaSpeed makes one. But a google search yields no results. I cannot find specs on one either.
Secondly, I am beginning to get very frustrated with the stock shifter and wondering if soem of you could shed some light on what the problem may be. When I'm idleing, if i shift into first gear with the clutch FULLY depressed touching the ground i hear a LOUD THUNK and the back of the car moves. This happens almost every time i shift into first gear from a stop.
Also, when I have been working on shifting quicker in hopes i won't need a short throw. Well EVERY time i shift quickly and i promise you the clutch is ALL the way down, from third gear into fourth at about... 8k rpm, i hear the gears grind. With the clutch fully depressed.
One more question about my stock shifter, when i am slowing down to a stop sign, i like to push the clutch in, put the car in neutral till im going around maybe 6mph and then have it in first before i stop completely just so its there when i go to start again. This results in grinding of gears. Is that normal?
Main question and bottom line: WHERE can i buy a short shifter comparable to the maddog SRT-4 shifter, will it help my problem if I do, and where can i read up on it. I want one so bad his car is SOOO easy to drive and shift with one, and it makes it waaay smoother as well.
i cannot find ANYWHERE online a short throw shifter for the RX-8. Ive read about them i think i heard MazdaSpeed makes one. But a google search yields no results. I cannot find specs on one either.
Secondly, I am beginning to get very frustrated with the stock shifter and wondering if soem of you could shed some light on what the problem may be. When I'm idleing, if i shift into first gear with the clutch FULLY depressed touching the ground i hear a LOUD THUNK and the back of the car moves. This happens almost every time i shift into first gear from a stop.
Also, when I have been working on shifting quicker in hopes i won't need a short throw. Well EVERY time i shift quickly and i promise you the clutch is ALL the way down, from third gear into fourth at about... 8k rpm, i hear the gears grind. With the clutch fully depressed.
One more question about my stock shifter, when i am slowing down to a stop sign, i like to push the clutch in, put the car in neutral till im going around maybe 6mph and then have it in first before i stop completely just so its there when i go to start again. This results in grinding of gears. Is that normal?
Main question and bottom line: WHERE can i buy a short shifter comparable to the maddog SRT-4 shifter, will it help my problem if I do, and where can i read up on it. I want one so bad his car is SOOO easy to drive and shift with one, and it makes it waaay smoother as well.
02-07-2011, 05:31 PM
#2
sounds like you need lessons on driving before you get into the mod market...
And, just so that my response doesn't seem like a complete waste of time to you (which it will, but I actually gave good advice), scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on one of the "similar threads".
Very easy to search for that
And, just so that my response doesn't seem like a complete waste of time to you (which it will, but I actually gave good advice), scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on one of the "similar threads".
Very easy to search for that
02-07-2011, 05:32 PM
#3
Resident Alien
Join Date: Apr 2010
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Richard Paul makes a short throw shifter for the rx8
here:
http://www.axialflow.com/products.htm
The grinding going into 4th could possibly be helped by changing your transmission oil to Red Line MT90. It helped me anyway.
As for the shifting problem at a stand still; maybe you're having a clutch bracket problem. The clutch bracket is under warranty for 8 years 100,000 miles. You could have it checked out by a dealer if you don't know what to look for.
here:
http://www.axialflow.com/products.htm
The grinding going into 4th could possibly be helped by changing your transmission oil to Red Line MT90. It helped me anyway.
As for the shifting problem at a stand still; maybe you're having a clutch bracket problem. The clutch bracket is under warranty for 8 years 100,000 miles. You could have it checked out by a dealer if you don't know what to look for.
02-07-2011, 08:12 PM
#6
Extraordinary Engineering
No one mentioned the possibility of a bad or poorly adjusted clutch pedal. Search for the threads on clutch pedal snap off. Look up clutch pedal adjustment as well
02-08-2011, 02:50 AM
#7
New Proud Rx-8 owner
Thread Starter
yeah thats really kinda what i was hoping.. then they could just adjust it. i really dont like hearing "Yup ur tranny is bad.. fork over 6k"
02-08-2011, 06:57 AM
#8
Extraordinary Engineering
http://www.blackhaloracing.com/shopm...041030W01.html
BTW, I love the short shifter as a mod.... just don't expect it to fix your clutch issue...
Also check for a broken clutch pedal using these pictures.
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...t=clutch+pedal
Last edited by DarkBrew; 02-08-2011 at 07:03 AM.
02-08-2011, 08:34 AM
#9
If you think just an STS is going to make any difference in your acceleration times you will be dissapointed.....
Your friends SRT-4 is faster because......its a faster car in a striat line. End of story. Nothing short of going FI will change that. If you want to beat him you will need to invite to an auto-x or track event and compare times. This would be safe, not to mention legal. Racing on the street is dumb and dangerous to others on the road.
Sounds like yout trans or diff have issues. As others have already posted you need to get these issues worked out before you start modding the car.
Your friends SRT-4 is faster because......its a faster car in a striat line. End of story. Nothing short of going FI will change that. If you want to beat him you will need to invite to an auto-x or track event and compare times. This would be safe, not to mention legal. Racing on the street is dumb and dangerous to others on the road.
Sounds like yout trans or diff have issues. As others have already posted you need to get these issues worked out before you start modding the car.
02-08-2011, 11:23 AM
#10
Rotary User
Join Date: Jul 2008
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The Axial Flow shifter is amazing, short and precise shifts. i could hardly believe it the first time i used it. its a good mod to get either way, but it wont "fix" problems you are having.
02-08-2011, 04:52 PM
#11
I'm the guy who makes the SS and would love to sell you one. BUT it will not fix your grinding problem. The good news is that you probably just need to adjust the clutch. Take notice of the free play in the pedal, meaning how much does it go down before you feel more resistance. "pedal getting harder"
There should be less then an inch of travel. The service manual will have a more definitive number with a range.
Your discription is textbook for the clutch not releasing all the way. I think you have been noticing it but not seeing it. Because you talk about pressing it in all the way. Thus you do feel it or you wouldn't bring it up. Now if you fix this quick enough you can save the trans, otherwise you will hurt your syncros.
Anyway you can't go wrong with my SS everybody loves it, it's your best first mod.
There should be less then an inch of travel. The service manual will have a more definitive number with a range.
Your discription is textbook for the clutch not releasing all the way. I think you have been noticing it but not seeing it. Because you talk about pressing it in all the way. Thus you do feel it or you wouldn't bring it up. Now if you fix this quick enough you can save the trans, otherwise you will hurt your syncros.
Anyway you can't go wrong with my SS everybody loves it, it's your best first mod.
02-08-2011, 06:19 PM
#13
EBT, I can't place that one. If it means: "exchange beautiful tart" then we might be able to work with it. 
If it means something like W.C. Fields': "For which I will gladly pay you on Tuesday"
Then I can't see it viable.
Now if you think it worthwhile I can get a soap box and a couple of bottles of snake oil.
If it means something like W.C. Fields': "For which I will gladly pay you on Tuesday"
Then I can't see it viable.
Now if you think it worthwhile I can get a soap box and a couple of bottles of snake oil.
02-08-2011, 06:54 PM
#15
New Proud Rx-8 owner
Thread Starter
I'm the guy who makes the SS and would love to sell you one. BUT it will not fix your grinding problem. The good news is that you probably just need to adjust the clutch. Take notice of the free play in the pedal, meaning how much does it go down before you feel more resistance. "pedal getting harder"
There should be less then an inch of travel. The service manual will have a more definitive number with a range.
Your discription is textbook for the clutch not releasing all the way. I think you have been noticing it but not seeing it. Because you talk about pressing it in all the way. Thus you do feel it or you wouldn't bring it up. Now if you fix this quick enough you can save the trans, otherwise you will hurt your syncros.
Anyway you can't go wrong with my SS everybody loves it, it's your best first mod.
There should be less then an inch of travel. The service manual will have a more definitive number with a range.
Your discription is textbook for the clutch not releasing all the way. I think you have been noticing it but not seeing it. Because you talk about pressing it in all the way. Thus you do feel it or you wouldn't bring it up. Now if you fix this quick enough you can save the trans, otherwise you will hurt your syncros.
Anyway you can't go wrong with my SS everybody loves it, it's your best first mod.
but it seems to be my only option so im open to more haha
02-08-2011, 07:00 PM
#17
New Proud Rx-8 owner
Thread Starter
Oh! XD you learn something new everyday! well i am absolutely buying one of those like.. for sure lol! I didn't really want to spend more than 200 or so but it looks like that's inevitable haha
Last edited by Frostbytes89; 02-08-2011 at 07:07 PM.
02-08-2011, 07:25 PM
#18
Administrator
and to address your ongoing discussion with your friend-yes his car is more modable and yes there is a wider selection of parts available. thats because it came with a Turbo from factory and they built and sold a crapload of them. like 25,000 in 3 years
Last edited by zoom44; 02-08-2011 at 07:28 PM.
02-08-2011, 08:11 PM
#19
New Proud Rx-8 owner
Thread Starter
I was 3 seconds faster than him at the autocross lol.. As for the SRT-4 being significantly faster in 0-60.. like you said it has a factory turbo and the engine is twice the size with almost twice the torque and a lot more HP. The fact that we can even keep up is kinda sad on the SRT-4s part. BUT give me an SFR turbo and its game over. Thing is I really just don't feel like i NEED that much power yet.. I'd rather get more seat time stock and work on beating cars with more HP and TQ and THEN getting the power. but.. i really really want that short shifter lol.. like.. its sold imma buy it asap
02-08-2011, 08:18 PM
#20
As for the SRT-4 being significantly faster in 0-60.. like you said it has a factory turbo and the engine is twice the size with almost twice the torque and a lot more HP. The fact that we can even keep up is kinda sad on the SRT-4s part. BUT give me an SFR turbo and its game over. Thing is I really just don't feel like i NEED that much power yet.. I'd rather get more seat time stock and work on beating cars with more HP and TQ and THEN getting the power. but.. i really really want that short shifter lol.. like.. its sold imma buy it asap
02-08-2011, 08:38 PM
#22
New Proud Rx-8 owner
Thread Starter
haha no way really?!! please do explain im very interested XD I went to Mazdaspeedstore.com and didnt find any cams or headers there :/
Last edited by Frostbytes89; 02-08-2011 at 09:11 PM.
02-09-2011, 10:21 PM
#25
New Proud Rx-8 owner
Thread Starter
By the way, just got the car back from the dealer where they were doing the 60k mile inspection and what not. I'm not sure what they did but the shifter feels WAY stiffer. It was almost tough to shift from first to second like it was stuck in first or something lol. Good news is though no more clunking and i havent heard any grinding of the gears so far so... they mustve done something. It for SURE feels way different though.