This isn't a problem, just a question about a trait in the (my?) RX-8. One of my friends noticed this when a bunch of us were driving around in my car this weekend. When cruising down the highway, the gearshift lever undulates up and down. I won't describe what my friend joked it looked like, but the lever definitely had a very noticable up/down oscillation while moving (probably around 1/4-3/8 an inch). It almost looks as if the lever is floating/moving with the suspension rather than being mounted to the chassis/body.

What I'm wondering is : how is that possible?! Is the RX-8's drivetrain somehow extremely isolated from the chassis? Even considering normal shock/vibration mounts, it seems like it's a lot of movement.

After a quick forum search, I couldn't find anything mentioning it.

 

Normal, for exactly the reason that you describe.

The shifter is connected to the drivetrain, and the rest of the body is isolated by the springs.

With the Voodoo **** and short shifter, this is extremely noticable.

In a car with a hugely long sloppy shifter (cough 330i), you dont really notice it.

 

Your gearshift actually comes off of the tranny directly...hence the tight shifter...many front drivers have cables and/or rods connecting the tranny to the gearshift so that most of that movement doesn't make it through to the shifter....so there you are!

 

the engine is bolted to the trany, the trany is connected to the diff via a drive-shaft (carbon fiber at that! (manual trany)) and all 3 are bolted together with a PPF (power plant frame....like a backbone for the car) but this 'drive train' is connected to the car via mounts, the rx8 has pretty soft mounts and there can be quite a bit of movement.

When cruising in gear on the freeway its easy to see/feel it move up and down with the road.

 

It is a trait, but a good one. The direct connection to the tranny makes the throws short & precise.

 

^I agree!

 

Classic thing for a rear drive car with the shifter that grows out of the back of the gear box.