i havent really torn it apart yet to get a good look..but this deff cant be good.

shifter in neutral

shifter in first

now this is the messed up part..

i can push the shift all the way over there it just started doing this randomly.

 

looks like just the boot ripped

 

Yup, This boot is available brand new. Your shifter is fine, prolly just feels funny when you shift and you can feel warm air from around the shifter correct?

-Markus

 

Um, the boot doesn't control that. I don't have a boot on my shifter and it does not move past the gates like his does. If it were anything, easy, it'd be the bushings.

 

Maybe it's just the photo, but I only see 2 bolts holding the shifter in place. There should be 3. Can you still get the gears and drive the car?

 

Your shifter bushings went out. Happens on all FC's and they are easy to replace. I usually have to replace mine every few years.

-Joe

 

The problem is with your shift linkage.Nuff said

 

This man is right.
The one below him is wrong.

 

I've repaired and rebuilt transmissions on these cars.Its the shift linkage not the bushings.The only thing the bushings do is keep the shifter tight.The linkage keeps the shifter in the correct position for shifting, if loose or damaged will make this happen.

 

it's the shift spring. read your haynes manual. im fixing that spring as we speak.

 

how hard is it to replace the shifter linkage? can it be reaplced without rebuilding the trans? i went to mazda today and bought the 3 peice bushing set thing for $14 im looking at my manual right now and i see six peices...i asked teh guy for the upper and lower set and he showed me a paper and was like these? i was liek i want the upper and lower bushings so he gave me this. how many am i supposta have 3 or 6?

 

oh one more thing...is it bad for me to drive it like this?

 

I've been driving mine like that since I bought it about two months ago and as long as I don't slam it into first, it's fine. I haven't had any issues with it since the first day I drove it.

 

Time to buy a short shifter

 

i would if i didnt just buy new rims/tires and keyless

 

 

Here's what's inside:

 

how do i get the upper bushing off? its like stuck on the ball of the shifter