the people that had my 87 GXL before me installed a short shifter.... the ripped all the rubber boots off, not to mention, that they put the old bushings back in so now my shifter rattles... but for some odd reason, oil is coming up around my shifter..... what could this be?

 

Well if the shifter is rattling enough it could be doing it . The shifter sits in a little cup that is bellow the oil level it probably is splashing it out . Get new bushings that would fix it if that is the problem .

 

there are 4 boots total i believe... 3 of which go around the shifter itself, and another kind of seals the surrounding from the underside of the car. The ones that go around the shifter includes the inner boot, which includes the metal part the holds your shifter down. The other boots just provide more protection and keep the tranny oil smell out of the car (which are nasty). Go to mazdatrix and order new bushings and boots.

Part letters:

Shifter Bushings

(H) 79-95 (Upper) 17-4810-8AF1
(I) 84-95 (Lower) 99-1780-M505

Inner boot

(C) 81-95 17-480A-M513

Middle Boot

(J) 86-92 (3 pieces) 64-490B-FB01

and for the sake of boredom, if you order all of that its like $101 without shipping... but it should feel like new, and you wouldn't leak anymore...

good luck,
Fero



EDIT: Pics of boots and stuff