firefly

I've read a post on this topic a while ago but no one seems to know the answer. My shifter is very stiff and it's hard to shift especially from 1->2 and 2->3. The weird thing is it's only like this when the engine is fully warmed up. And instead of a smooth, "click-click" shift action all I get is a rubbery feeling when I put the shifter into the next gear. But it never grinds.

I have the following mods done so far:

TWM short shifter
KartBoy bushing
Redline MT90 fluid
Everything torqued to spec when installing

I've ordered a set of bronzeoil bushings from SRD performance and wonder if those will help at all.

arapau

You should reinstall the stock shifter to compare. I installed a Kartboy and it shortened the throw, but made the movement stiffer. I tried it for a week, then put the stock lever back in. After being able to compare the two, I left the stock in. I swear the tranny made a whining noise with the SS, like the linkage was in some kind of bind. I haven't heard anyone else complain about this so it's probably just in my head.

kenchan

take out the bushing first and see how it feels. I use their
ss on my other car (subaru) and it feels great without the bushing. with the bushing, it was too stiff or too notchy for
me.

I plan on installing the Kartboy on my pro5 later on this year
along with their knuckle-head shift ****.

firefly

Hmm...but that doesn't explain why it only acts up when everything is warmed up. I mean...on a cold winter morning the shifter feels great after 5 mins of driving. Very low effort yet short throw...almost feels like it snaps itself into the next gear. But keep driving for another 30 mins and it get all rubbery and stiff.

Gavin

Because things like bushings expand when they warm up.

JAC

I'm having the same issues, when the car is cold the shifts are smooth as silk but after it gets all warmed up it becomes very stiff and notchy.
I installed the SS/bushings combo about two weeks ago and it hasn't loosened up that much, I'm putting the stock bushings back in tomorow to see how it works.

kenchan

>Because things like bushings expand when they warm up.



exactly. when you do these ss mods, you should just do the
ss first and see how it feels. sometimes its good without the
stiffer bushings.

firefly

If what you said holds then everyone should have the same problem. The bushing is not an additional to the transmission system, but rather it replaces the stock rubber bushing with ones made from polyurethane. And the last time I checked polyurethane has a lower thermal coefficient than rubber...meaning they don't expand/contract as much when subjected to temperature changes.

So...anyone else?

Gavin

It's more than just thermal coefficient. Maybe I should have elaborated. When any kind of solid, petroleum based product changes temp, it's friction coefficient changes as well. It may not expand so much that it binds in it's mounting but it can become more/less tacky and/or more/less pliable. Put these variables into a shift linkage assembly and you're bound to get changes in action/response that directly correspond with changes in temp. Plus you have to remember that although these machines are assembled on a line, they're not all exactly the same, so they'll respond differently to the same mods (kind of like people and meds). I also haven't seen any responses from people with the TWM shifter - arapau and kenchan both speak of Kartboy and I have a B&M. I would try changing individual bushings one by one until the shift throw is to your liking. Or it could be the main pivot point where the shifter goes through the floor. Remember: these are only opinions based on rough information and no "hands on". Just firing out some ideas. Good luck.

JFanaselle

I had a problem with shifting as well. When going into or coming out of both 2nd and 4th gears, it would feel stiff, and then smushy going into the next gear. It was grinding a little bit, but I later linked that to my bad clutch that I thought was causing all of the problems. While tearing apart the drivetrain to replace the clutch, I discovered that my front motor mount was shot. The mount (#2) is a horrible design (at least on the 1.6, I don't know if it's the exact same on the P5) with a single thin piece of rubber running through a hole with a bushing in the middle. It was all torn apart and when the engine would get warm, the rubber would soften up and the mount wouldn't even hold the engine anymore. Long story short, 2nd and 4th gear were drastically affected by this, and I tried to correct the problem by squirting a bunch of polyurethane adhesive into the mount and letting it dry for a couple of days before I put it back in. It worked for a couple of days, and then everything melted and the problem is back again. This weekend, I'm going to take a fat piece of solid rubber and make it a solid piece instead of the crappy stock design. Check your mount and see if it's ok. The poor design can be ripped apart by constant aggressive driving or even bottoming out and moving the engine up into the engine bay a little bit. Hope that helps.

firefly

Thanks for the suggestion. Can you tell me where is mount #2 in the engine bay?

JFanaselle

it's right in the front next to the cat. To remove it, you have to put the car in the air and remove the frame brace that runs from under the radiator to the rear of the engine (2 nuts on the front, two screws holding the skid plates on the front, and 1 nut on the rear). remove the bolt through the center of mount, and drop the frame support down. Then there's just 2 nuts on the bottom of the support. It's probably thrashed like mine was. Biknman fixed his with a solid piece of rubber or urethane. I'm going to do the same thing this weekend and I'll post pictures. Here's a pic of biknman's fix job.