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I'm looking to get a short shifter put in. I was looking around ebay and saw they had some cheap ones like this -
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda-MX ... dZViewItem
was kind of skeptic of these, how good of quality they were, does it come with all the parts necessary for installing. I don't know if anyone bought one similar to those on ebay. Or what other ones would be cheap but good quality, I've been looking around here and saw pacesetter and b&m the most popular ones. What would you recommend?

My car right now does not shift very easily, especially going from 2nd to 3rd gear. Would a putting in a new shifter fix that problem or would something else need to be worked on.

And how about installing it? I found this link
http://www.twmperformance.com/manuals/M ... manual.pdf
Is installation really that simple, what kind of problems could occur?

if you want a short shifter B&M has a good one, as far as helping your shifts it won't do much it just makes it a shorter path. some people say it makes there shift worse. If you want better shift get bushings from srd performance they work good on my car.

KrissyKCMU wrote:I'm looking to get a short shifter put in. I was looking around ebay and saw they had some cheap ones like this -
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda-MX ... dZViewItem
was kind of skeptic of these, how good of quality they were, does it come with all the parts necessary for installing. I don't know if anyone bought one similar to those on ebay. Or what other ones would be cheap but good quality, I've been looking around here and saw pacesetter and b&m the most popular ones. What would you recommend?

My car right now does not shift very easily, especially going from 2nd to 3rd gear. Would a putting in a new shifter fix that problem or would something else need to be worked on.

And how about installing it? I found this link
http://www.twmperformance.com/manuals/M ... manual.pdf
Is installation really that simple, what kind of problems could occur?

Those install instr. basically cover it, although the TWM STS is adjustable IIRC where the one on ebay (B&M knock-off) is not adjustable (neither is the actual B&M STS). One Q to ask the ebay seller is if a new snap ring/circle-clip is bagged in with the new STS.

Your 2nd-3rd shift prob could well be caused by wear to the shifter bushings as opposed to a worn shifter. I had a 1st to 2nd "sticky shift" before installing an ebay B&M knockoff. Replacing with a STS will not necessarily resolve that prob unless you replace the shifter bushings at the same time. I installed an ebay aftermarket B&M-type of STS last year and also replaced the worn stock rubber shift bushings with bronzoil bushings from http://www.SRDperformance.com. The improvement was dramatic - like driving a different car. You do take your chances w/an aftermarket "no name" vs an actual B&M product. In my case, it worked fine (dif ebay seller though) btw, It's a good sign that the ebay listing indicates a steel (instead of billet aluminum) product. Steel is what you want.

You could always do this:

http://eunos30x.com/howtos/shifterswap/index.html

Or a straight swap is even easier if you want to outlay the $$$ for an aftermarket one (but I don't see why):

http://eunos30x.com/howtos/shifterswap/ ... tswap.html

and put some Redline oil in the tx, that might help the shifting problems.

get the srd bushing.... change the tranny oil and make sure to put in some good stuff like royal purple, redline, amsoil, or mobel 1 fully synthetic any of those will be good

i really dont know if there is a huge difference in any of the shifters i'd just get one of the ebay ones and probably cut an inch or three off and decress the shifter through even more then but a shifter knob on and call it a day.... the big thing with shorter shifters is that it does require more effort to shift... you are loosing leverage but making it a shorter through.. it will take a few days to get used to the new pressure required to shift but after that it is smooth sailing

oh and nice to see another MI person in here (my home state)

I had the same problem. I would have to jam 2nd into 3rd sometimes. I did get a B&M shortshifter but what really helped with smoothing the shifting was replacing all the shifter bushings like these guys have already said. I too used SRD bushings. The B&M was just to allow me to have a slightly shorter throw (I no longer feel like I'm shifting with my whole arm extended going into 3rd).
The hardest part with installing the new shifter would be removing the bolt at the bottom of the old shifter -#8- where it joins the control rod #12. I would suggest buying a replacment bolt from Mazda. Here is what I replaced. (Sorry for the huge post.)

Use this diagram as a parts guide.



This goes to the extention arm where the rod conects to the side of the transmission. #16 in the guide.



These -#18-

go here-



This is probably the hardest part to replace because you have to grind the bolt off (it wasn't made to be replaced)


It looks like this from underneath. The best way to grind off the flat part of this bolt would be to pull back on the rubber boot, unbolt the link inside and disconnect the control arm altogether from the tranny so you don't have to grind it underneath the car.



Go to http://www.srdperformance.com for these parts.
Take these guys' advice, change the tranny fluid to the brands they recommended.

Are you doing the install yourself?

im using MOTUL tranny fluid with the srd bushings and i cut the stock shifter shorter and i LOVE it the throw are pretty short and the shifting ig nice and TIGHT(no play at all) and very very smooth.

Where did you find the Motul? Do they also carry the engine oil?

yes they carry all the MOTUL oils. tranny, brake, engine. i got in waterloo at poit zer auto sound. http://www.pztuning.ca

Is the engine oil more expensive than Redline, Royal Purple or Amsoil?

Thanks for your replies.

id imagine so motul oils aint cheap...i honestly dont know the cost of the oils. i know they charged me something like 90 bux for the tranny fluid when i got it swapped to mtx..

I wouldn't ever put it in my car. I've known 4 people that have put them in their cars and guess what? ever single one spend a grand on getting a new tranny. A. Because Short shifters have a rep of trashing the tranny and B. You get excited slamming gears that it eats it up.

Thats bulls---.

Short shifters have no such rep I don't even understand what

B. You get excited slamming gears that it eats it up.

means.

A short throw shifter is a great, inexpensive mod with no negative side effects that improves your enjoyment of driving.

** Please note - I didn't say "bullpoo". The mx3.com site Nazis CHANGED my words. Didn't delete or mask them - they CHANGED them into a word totally out of context.

Grants wrote:** Please note - I didn't say "bullpoo". The mx3.com site Nazis CHANGED my words. Didn't delete or mask them - they CHANGED them into a word totally out of context.

Grants,

I am in no way a Nazi, and I as well as the other site admins and moderators, do not like the fact that you have called us that.

We placed some word censors on the forum, as we do not feel it is appropriate for vulgar words, and swear words to be used in an automotive forum.

We simply placed a word censor on your "b u l l s h i t", and made it appear as "b u l l p o o". If i remember correctly, they do indeed mean the same thing, and do not make your post "out of context".

Grants, I would watch it if I were you, your posts are being watched, and if this attitude keeps up any longer, your member will be banned.

Regards,