Shifter way too stiff
 

I just purchased this car as many of you may have seen in my older posts and have gotten alot of posts from me about how to fix some problems I'm having, hopefully this will be the last one. The gripe this time is the shifter, it's unbelivably stiff, going into any gear and it takes forever to shift. It also wants to grind occasionally when going into reverse. The reciepts I have from the previous owner says it has a mazdaspeed short shifter in it. Thanks in advance for any help given on this subject.

sounds like the clutch is worn or needs to be adjusted, when you place your foot on the clutch pedal you can feel a tiny bit of slop before some resistance, if that amount is more than approx 1/4-1/2" then the pedal free play needs to be adjusted. air in the clutch hydraulic system can also exhibit these symptoms, try bleeding the clutch system if it is not in the pedal.

So there's a possibility it has nothing to do with the shifter at all??? I just replaced the master cylinder and thouroghly(misspelled I think) so that shouldn't be it. How would one go about adjusting the clutch pedal? I've gotten it to go straight into the gears one time when I was getting on it but it just scratched every gear I hit so I don't just throw it really hard anymore, if this may change things any.

if it is grinding every gear i doubt it has anything to do with the shifter, it sounds like the clutch is dragging somehow, whether it is due to the hydraulics not working efficiently or properly due to air or misadjustment or the clutch disc grabbing on the metal rivets.

under the dash, where the pedal arm attaches to the rod that goes into the master there is a locknut and a threaded rod that can be adjusted to clean up free play in the pedal but if it is within the range i said then i doubt it is your problem and i would suspect a worn clutch if you say you bled it thoroughly.

Guess that's an excuse to go ahead and do an upgraded clutch and flywheel already. Wasn't really worried about it until the limits of the stock clutch were reached but might as well get it over with.

Short shifters are really notchy and difficult to shift even under ideal conditions. My mazdatrix short shifter is definately more precise than a stock shifter but less leverage makes it more difficult to get into gear.

So if you have a clutch issue that will help some, but you may just want to go back to a stock shifter with new bushings if this really bothers you.

you can do this simple test to rule out the shifter:

hold the clutch to the floor and force it into first gear, pull it into neutral and let the engine idle for about 15 second with the clutch still in and then try placing it into reverse. if it grinds still then the clutch is definitely dragging.

There's a difference between notchy and impossible to get into gear for like 3 seconds unless forced which results it it scratching or a thunk noise. You also have to stomp and apply your weight to the clutch to get the car to start, which leads me to belive it may just need to be adjusted.

I also had a short shifter on my srt so I know they can be a little notchy but I could still get into gears reasonably quickly.

A bad pilot bearing can also be the cause of the problem. If it's wasted, it can keep the input shaft spinning after the clutch is disengaged.

Not entirely sure where that part is but I'm assuming it's a drop the tranny fixer upper right?

that is true, at this point it sounds like the tranny needs to be removed to find the problem.

This guy I had look at it with me suggested that syncros and bearings in the tranny are going bad, found another one for 450, hopefully that gets it.

Have you checked and bled the slave cyl?

You can buy rebuild kits for about $450 including syncros.

Check out this site;

http://www.drivetrain.com/mazdaendload4_5sp.html

You should also be able to get a used Tranny for less than $200.
Check the "For Sale" section

You can buy rebuild kits for about $450 including syncros.

Check out this site;

http://www.drivetrain.com/mazdaendload4_5sp.html

You should also be able to get a used Tranny for less than $200.
Check the "For Sale" section

I replaced the clutch master and the slave cylinder with no result, I may rebuild this tranny and keep it around but I'm looking for a one day drop and replace... This is my only mode of transportation right now until I get my starion running.

Why'd you replace the master and slave cylinder? Were they broken? They will either work or won't. Talk about pissing away time and money. It's the pilot bearing like I said earlier. Oh well, I might as be the RX7idjet for wasting my time trying to help people that don't listen, I mean, read.

I changed them because they were bad, the clutch was staying on the floor when I engaged it to shift into any gear. Thanks for your help on this issue but that was an entirely different problem.