DIY: Axial Flow Engineering Short Shifter install.
 

Okay, here's my DIY on the Richard Paul (Axial Flow Engineering) Short Shifter install. Hope you enjoy it..... :)

First, undo the shift knob. It's a standard R/H thread, undo by twisting counterclockwise. If you have an illuminated shift knob, take extreme care not to damage the wiring, you may wish to release the shifter cover to check on the wiring layout underneath first.

Removing the shifter cover:

You have to gain access to the rear R/H tab of the shifter cover. Remove the small panel located forward of the cupholders. Check out the pic below.....

Edit: Tip for those with long fingers......If you release the handbrake, you can push this handbrake adjust access panel aft by reaching through the gap at the back of the handle and lifting the tang from inside. (Thank's Hymee for this tip)

Now having removed the small handbrake adjust access panel, you can get to the rear R/H tab securing the shifter cover. You need to reach in and use your finger to release the tab from the console base. Take care, this one tab is very fragile!!

Click on the pic for more detailed instructions.....

With the rear R/H tab released, you can now gently pry up on the rear L/H corner of the shifter cover and unclip it there. There are four remaining tabs centered around the shift boot, you can pull up on the shift boot to unclip them. If you have Audiopilot, Nav and/or seatwarmer switches, you'll need to undo these connectors now. I don't have them on my car.

This is what you now see.....

With the cover removed you now need to remove the upper rubber shift boot. There is another rubber boot under it. I found it easier to remove the ashtray to gain access to the two forward 10mm shift boot nuts, the ashtray is secured with the two screws indicated by the green arrows in the pic below.

You can hang the ashtray off to one side as I have here. This will also give access to the illuminated gear knob connector (so they tell me!).

Now you need to undo the four nuts indicated by the orange arrows. Two of the four nuts have wiring harness clips over the threads. These are a pain to get off. I used a small flat bladed screwdriver to separate the clip from the thread....others have had success using a straightened paperclip bent into a "U" shape.

With the four 10mm nuts removed, the upper rubber shift boot can now be removed. Gently twist and pry off by hand. Now you can see the lower shift boot, it is held on by love....remove by hand.

This is what you now have.....

To remove the stock shifter, undo the three bolts securing the plate seen here and then lift the shifter out of the housing. The bottom part of the shifter locates into the gearbox itself, take care not to drip gearbox oil on the seats when you remove the shifter.

The two shifters side by side....Richard's on the left. Note the white ring half way up, this seals the upper boot to the shifter as you'll see in later pics. Also note the reverse lockout tang which is pointing out on the right, without this there'd be nothing to stop you accidentally selecting reverse without pushing down on the shifter......

My shifter was supplied pre-greased. I just slipped it straight in taking care to locate the reverse lockout tang to the right. Bolt the retainer plate back on and refit the gear knob. Check you can select all gears. Marvel at the difference :D :D .

Remove the gear knob, and refit the lower and upper shift boots. The upper shift boot is secured on the white ring as in the pic below......

The rest is just a reversal of the disassembly. Secure the upper boot, refit the harness clips, connect up your illuminated shift knob (if you had one!) and replace the ashtray. Reconnect your seatwarmer/ Audiopilot connectors, replace the covers and knob......you're done.

Voila :D .

Sweet DIY, made it look like pie :D

Do you like the end results. How much and where did you order yours?

You get them through richard himself. www.axialflow.com
I cant post the price but you can PM me for it.

Man, best mod I ever did. Check Richard's website..... www.axialflow.com .

Or just send him a PM. Price to US customers is $249 plus shipping, I believe. Check with Richard. He's in the process of becoming a forum vendor, I think.

Cheers,
Gomez.

Awesome, thanks.

Once i get my swaybars i think this will be my next mod . :rolleyes: the wife wont know the difference between the shifters :cool:

cheers
michael

Oh yes she will.....

BTW, my car is RHD...there is no difference to the LHD models as far as this install is concerned. Richard has apparently made a running change to the shifter since mine was shipped, so yours may look a little different to the one in the pics above.

Gomez.

what's did he change?

I forgot to mention that , SHE CANT DRIVE MANUAL SO UNLESS THERES A SIGNIFICANT VISUAL DIFFERENCE , i will be safe :cool:

cheers
michael

I think he's changed the Delrin polymer pivot box (the black cage covered in white grease)....

Why would he change it, better design?

Yep....!

Say Gomez what do you think of dan's method of "yanking" the shift boot to remove it? Two people have tried this and no broken tabs.
Also I think it was boxcar who showed a picture of using a needle nose plyers to remove the wire clips from the studs.
These are good tips if they work out. Well I know the plyers trick will work. The yanking of the boot might take a little balls to try untill some more people do it.

JUST received and installed my RP Shifter. Thanks Gomez for the DIY guide. Made it easier knowing what was holding the console top down...ie not having to worry about breaking a clip by pulling on it the wrong way.....

Install was butter. Have to hang around the house for a while.....waiting on paperwork for a house we are buying.....BUT after that I am going on a little cruise to check the feel. I can notice it just sitting in the drive way working the pattern though.....WooHoo!

Thanks again Gomez....AND Richard Paul.

Oh, and RP....this is the first Mod of any kind I have done to the car. Now, when I have your AFSC on I will be changing the trunk designation from "RX-8" to "RP-RX-8" That should be a nice little attention getter...haha. Hey, maybe you can have the " RP- " letters made up and ship with your SC WHEN it is completed and ready for sale. Just a thought.