i cant figure out how to drop the shift lever into the little circle its supposed to go in because there is a paper clip lookin thing in the way, i need your help asap!
im on the verge of getting my car running for first time in 2 months tonight!
yes its nub question

 

comeon noone please ive been tryin to move it to driver side with screwdriver for like hour now with no luck

 

Make sure the shifter is in neutral. Also, check to see if your upper bushing is aligned with the groove at the top of the shifter housing. The shifter should drop in with a slight push.

That paper clip is one of your return springs. It should be in the way.

 

ok its in neutral, still having same issues, with that plate over it i cant see what im doing, everything is lined up bushing wise, its just that damn spring in the way

 

ok - im really struggling here why is there no info on how to do this anywhere?!!!!!

i have fsm and haynes in front of me, neither even mention this spring or the bushings ******* bullshit

i am dying to start my car wtf is the goddamned secret to this

 

Are you pushing it straight down and not slightly to the side to avoid the spring? By pushing it straight down, the bottom ball of the shifter will push against the spring.

Maybe you have something in the bottom bushing?

 

i believe bottom bushing is in there right, i put the metal piece in then the black bushing under the pin thing now getting the other bushing to line up while simultaneously trying to push past that spring is next to impossible

and i am pushing to the side i guess?

which way should i be pushing, striaght down seems to not be right...

 

You can see from this picture what's going on.



The white bushing (which is already in the hole), the blue bushing, and the groove of the shifter must line up. It will never go in if they aren't.

Take the shifter with the blue bushing and groove perfectly aligned, and make sure the groove is pointing towards the front of the car and directly over the pin in the shifter housing.

Trust me, you want to be pushing straight down. I know because I've taken my shifter out about a dozen times the past 2 months to replace bad bushings. I didn't believe it myself when I first pulled the shifter out and got worried about how it was supposed to go back in. Try pushing down evenly on the metal base of the shifter as well as towards the top. The key is applying even pressure directly downward to prevent that blue bushing from rotating off the mark.

 

also...if you go to mazdatrix website and find their shortshifter kit for sale...there is a link that sohws a quick how to in removing a shifter and putting in their short shifter...there really is nothing to it...it just pops right in.

 

jpk3200 --- your the man it took me twice as long to put the shift **** in as it did to rehang my exhaust by myself wow im dumb

anyway for real thank you thank you thank you





now its time for some and a test cruise to see how my newly installed transmission works !

 

You're welcome. Have fun.