Is there any way to prevent this, or is it typical of these vehicles, or since it's probably not... what's worn out that I need to replace?

Thanks!

Jeff

 

take the shift boot off and see if you can see down to the ground.. if you can then you're missing the rubber piece that prevents most of the heat from coming into the car. i was missing mine for a long time.

 

funny you mentioned that..I had the exact same concern Tues evening. I had my lighter resting there and went to pick it up and it was very warm!!
I'll be looking for that rubber boot for sure!

 

you can even stuff a non oil soaked rag around the shifter, under the interior shift boot,, will help.

 

So, I guess that round, black rubber thing that goes around the shifter on the floorboard just above the tranny is the actual boot... the boot I was referring to (though I assume you all probably assumed the same thing) was the big rubber thing that goes from the top of the shifter (just below the ****) down to the console.

I can lift that up (because the things that used to hold it flush with the underside of the console were broken off) and hear my wonderful exhaust leak, so I assume that's also part of the heat problem. And that's another reason (in another post) that I'm getting a new exhaust system this weekend.

So, I'll check it out and see.

Thanks!

-Jeff

 

Mazdatrix sells the new boots. There are actually 4 of them. the one that bolts to the tower, the large one that is bolted to the floor, then one that slips over the top of it and your shifter boot. While you have things apart you may as well replace the shift bushings.
Todd

 

not that anyone cares. but i had a heat problem from my trani. well i sealed up my exhaust. but there was still heat. i checkd the boots, still heat. i noticed that i have a bearing noise in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and reverse. just so happens that all those gears are on the same counter shaft in the trani. i took the trani and rebuilt it and found a bearing on teh conter shaft in realy bad condision. put it back in. no noise, no heat.

 

Welcome to the world of Rotaries. The exhaust is damb hot. Deal with it during the summer and apreciate it during the winter. When I replaced my shifter boot to leather it stopped 50% of that heat.

 

those cats get HOT and they're located right under where your shifter is. be glad your gearbox isn't leaking any oil on them!

 

Pictures and prices for the faint of heart!



The parts you need are listed here;
The one marked 'C' is the Inner Boot for $28.56
The one marked 'G' is the Outter Boot for $34.10
The one marked 'E' is the Middle Boot for $45.73

IMO, the one that makes the biggest difference is 'G', but 'E' is the one that seals the top of the tranny from the shifter, itself - so you really need to get both. Once replaced, these will certainly keep heat out of your interior and quiet the external noise.

I found that whoever changed the clutch in the past took a knife and cut around the rubber boot to get the tranny out - what a lazy asswipe... PO's...

 

Mine did the same thing. I took a piece of insulation that goes under the carpet, cut it and put it around the shifter, no more heat!

 

Also check to make sure the heat shielding is still in place. It makes a huge difference. I am with you LD. My PO cut up my boot as well. I had to replace the middle and the outter boot. He also removed the heat shields. This made everything very hot. You could burn yourself on the passenger seat rails or the shifter. The heat also made the tranny leak (expanded the area near the seal). Of course the oil then dripped on to the hot cats and burned off, filling the car with smoke (through the hole he cut in the boot ). It is now fixed. It was a bit expensive, but worth it.

 

If I don't get my heater hooked up that will be my ONLY heater this winter.