Pulled apart my shifter to replace the busings and...
 

Well my shifter bushings finally came today so I decided to install them. When I finally got the shifter pulled apart (would have been nice if the FSM or the Haynes manual actually went over the process) I discovered something a little strange. I had no shifter bushings! There was nothing in there except for a single spring washer. No wonder my shifter was sloppyer than a Hollywood Blvd hooker on saturday night! But I heard from a guy I met today who used to have an FC that this is somewhat common. Has anyone else seen this?

yeah, they usually start to disintegrate after so many years of use... ^_^

Where did you get bushings and how much are they? I've got a TII trans with 150k on it and the bushings are shot!

Mazdatrix has the upper & lower sets you'll need, along with a nice write-up (with pictures!), look 'em up...

just replaced mine - feels like a whole new car =)

yeah my bushings were completly absent when i did mine ....


and yes .. feels like a whole new car!

:D

Yeah, very common. They will completely wear away, to the point where you can't tell there was ever bushings there at all. New bushings make all the difference...

How much did it cost you guys for the whole set from Mazdatrix? Mine are really loose and it drives me nuts. The car also has some very slight grabbing when I slot it into 3rd, which might not be bushing related, but I don't think my tranny could be going crazy after 100k miles. :D

When I decided to do something about my sloppy ass shifter mine had nothing in there at all. Not even a peice of a bushing nothing and was bone dry no oil. Anyway I got mine here http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WD1V

^^

Yea that's precicely what I purchased. and yes the shifter feels a lot better now that it's being held in one piece. The tranny has 220,000 miles on it so the shifter mechinism itself it pretty shot too.

Has anyone ever machined some aluminum shifter bushings?

yeah it makes it feel like a whole new car...gotta love it

If your bushings are worn, broken or non-existant perhaps the pieces fell down into the small well where the shifter base sits. Make sure to draw off all the oil (it isn't very much), and try to clean out any pieces you find. Refill with fresh gear oil.

How much play should the shifter have? Mine has a good amount of play, maybe 2 inches or so of deflection measured at the shifter handle.

On the mazdatrix site ( http://www.mazdatrix.com/g4.htm ) they have something called a groove bushing ( http://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.as...m=17-5150-M501 ). Does anyone know what this is, where it goes, and if it would be a good idea to replace it while I'm replacing the rest of the bushings?

that is the thing that goes into the front of the shifter ball.

Cool, thanks. Does anyone know what it does or if it wears down with use?

I just got my new bushings today, yay! :D

How long does the job take, and how do you remove the top of the shifter so I can pull the boot and all that off? I was going to follow the how-to at http://www.mazdatrix.com/faq/shiftbsh.htm and was hoping for a couple of tips to keep me out of trouble. Thanks guys! :D

i wonder how many people went and ordered new brushings after they read this thread. because i personally wouldn't have had any idea to get new ones without reading this thread.

yay for the forum, adding to peoples list of upkeep to their cars, without otherwise having their car eventually fall apart at the seams!

Matt

Personally I knew to replace my bushings years ago, before this thread. :-) But anyway, doesn't take long. And the groove bushing is for, I believe, an S5. S4 I KNOW have no groove bushing. At least my 88 GTU and 87 TII don't.

yeah, It may only be on s5's. there is a small hole in your shifter ball that the shaft goes into (back to basics) and the other part (looks like an envelope) goes around the shaft that is connected to your shifter housing. It is kindof like a condom, or another bushing.

They do wear out, sometimes they will break and all the peices fall down into the tranny.

My s4 didn't require one, (86 base) but my s5 needed one. I had to smash out what wsa left of the other one with a screwdriver.

If you've never pulled out your shifter. I would suggest doing it. and while your there. you should replace any of the boots that are worn, they absorb a lot of heat.

Mazdatrix says to replace the bottom boot any time you remove the shifter, it is a good idea. it rips after about three shifts.

Actually this thread did inspire me to go order some. Only $10 at the dealership.

Anyone know if you can swap the miata shifter for the rx-7? The trannies are supposed to be based off the same design. It would be like a cheap short shifter kit.

what is "a lot of play"???
like...if the shifter is in gear & can move around without slipping out of gear?