B & M Short shift problems!

Anonymous · May 12, 2005, 08:07

Hi all,

Having heard good reviews about the B & M short shifter i took the plunge and decided to part with my cash and buy one! I have just fitted a it to my mr2!

I can get into each gear; however it seems to be very, very notchy and a little stiff. Having put plenty of grease on the shifter i didn't think this would be the case!

The up-shifts although stiff are ok, however the downshifts are not so good, I have great difficulty in downshifting from 5th to 4th (usually finding 6th or the gate in-between 4th and 6th), 4th to 3rd (really, really notchy) and 3rd to 2nd (hard to engage)! I am wondering if i have reinstalled the spring correctly.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Dom

Tem · May 12, 2005, 08:15

Mine seemed "too stiff" at the first as well, but it gets better over time. If you have just installed it, I'd drive around for a while and see if it gets any better.

Slacey · May 12, 2005, 08:23

As Tem said, it will loosen up. Installing a set of brass shifter bushings at the gearbox end help quite a lot too, see here - m http://www.twosrus.com/new/Lower_Frames ... shings.htm m

roger · May 12, 2005, 14:19

Quote from: "Slacey"As Tem said, it will loosen up. Installing a set of brass shifter bushings at the gearbox end help quite a lot too, see here - m http://www.twosrus.com/new/Lower_Frames ... shings.htm m

I also have a "not perfect" short shift (generic not B&M). it is getting better, but still not as perfect as the original.

If you have doubts about the spring, double check it. Make sure the bend on the end is clipped around the "thingy" that it is supposed to be, so it acts as a spring. If its not clipped its no longer a spring.

I put the rear brass bushes in when I did the shifter. recently took them out to see if that altered the situation, and it doesn't. IMO the bushes are really for those older cars where the rubber is loosing its solid feel, on a 6spd the car is new enough not to warrant them.

When I had the Unichip done the guy (forgotten hids name) at Millways said it felt like what they get when they change gear on a box taken off the car. From that we deduced it was something to do with leverage. In theory though this is corrected by lifting the cage off the floor with the supplied bushes, but it may still have something to do with it.

Sorry can't be more helpful, but thats my experience.

Anonymous · May 12, 2005, 21:45

The short shifter will be stiffer than stock.
It still takes the same amount of work to change gears, work is force times distance, your moving less distance, so it takes more force.

Of course I'm using Newtonian physics here, not taking relativity into account, so things may change as you approach the speed of light (is your car turbo'd?)

LeeUK · May 22, 2005, 16:50

Maybe you do have an issue with yours, but it does take a while to get used to it. My Girlfriend for the first time drove my car yesterday when I met up with Biggun007 and I had to get in the car and put it into reverse for her when she hit a dead end! s:lol: :lol: s:lol: The reverse is a pain though. s:? :? s:?

Anonymous · May 22, 2005, 18:23

Following peoples advice, it seems to be getting better! Especially once the gearbox oil is a bit warmer! Getting happier and happier with it now!

Cheers

Dom

MRMike · May 22, 2005, 19:28

To Roger's point..I absolutely positively hated mine at first..used to drive me spare. But god i miss that rifle bolt shift now! s:cry: :cry: s:cry: