shifter noise and problems
 

I just got my FD a few weeks ago and the previous owner said it had an aftermarket shifter and i'm having a lot of trouble with this shifter. For example from 1st to 2nd it will be hard to enter and sometimes it will pop out of 2nd gear, and theres a constant grinding noise between 2-4k rpm.

Today i took the shifter assembly apart trying to find any issues. Any clues/opinions about what you see in the pics? It seems to be a bit low on oïl? Also the color of the oïl seems strange to me, maybe its due for a change.

also on a separate note, do i need to apply any sort of gasket before i put the 4 bolts back on?

http://imageshack.us/a/img705/9819/20130415170601.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img202/5425/20130415170620.jpg

Looks like you may have a "broken" plastic guide still inside the shifter assembly. The off-white looking thing in the middle needs to be pulled out. Very common problem with those breaking off and making the shifter do funky things.

You are right. I pulled it out but it doesnt seem to be broken. Is it supposed to be glued to the shifter itself?

That's the lower bushing and it should just snap onto the lower ball of the shifter. Wouldn't cause the problems you're having.

Most aftermarket short-shift kits will transmit alot more gear noise than OEM since the shaft isn't isolated. Generally most noticable in 1st and 2nd gear. Replace that lower bushing and see what you get. If it still pops out of gear, it may not be the shifter, but the transmission.
It looks like there's a little moisture in the gear oil. You could carefully syphon it out and replace it, but it's separated from the rest of the transmission and I doubt that's your problem. And yes, I'd use a little gasket maker.

It pops onto the bottom of the shifter, and should be a "snug" fit. If it was loose or Off, you can have multiple shifter issues. Dealer usually has these or Ray Crowe. That is assuming your shifter uses the OEM size.

yes its OEM size. the lower bushing is definitly not snug at the bottom of the shifter, it moves a lot and pops out easilly. ill try to source a new bushing to see if it helps. thanks for the input guys.

It's not that complicated, but you may want to take a quick look at pages J-61 and J-62 in the FSM. Note that the ball and that bushing take grease in addition to gear oil submersion.