So I got some pieces from Mazdatrix and thought I'd put them in the T2 today. Shifter's been feeling a little goofy and I thought I'd try some new bushings. I thought I pulled it down far enough to see that I didn't need new rubber boots, but sure enough, the bottom one is spent. Bushings really don't seem that bad. Kinda dry.



My questions: The Mazdatrix how-to says to pour 90W gear oil into the shifter hole. "Fill to around middle of shift rod". How much should this take? I feel like I've poured a cup or so in there, and it still wants more. I don't want to pour a quart in there and find it laying somewhere it isn't supposed to be. Anybody ever done this?



Do I want to grease up my ball (heh, heh)and stick it in the new bushings, or just let the gear oil do the lubing?



Anybody have any luck with short shifters? I'm generally not a fan, but there is some wear in the slot on the ball of the stock shifter. Not a lot, but I'm guessing it's about a millimeter wider (the slot) than it was when it was new. Can't be good.



Thanks for help, opinions, worthless banter. I'm not picky.

 

The mazdatrix short shifter is one of the first "mods" I do when I get a new REX. I love the short shifter. Personally if it were me I would replace the bushings and the boot at the same time. If I recall it all depends on how low the fluid in the tranny is. Basically the top fill hole (on the tranny) doesn't fill the shifter compartment, so if your tranny is low on fluid I would think you could poor all day long, and just be filling up the tranny. Either way I have put a quart a in that area before, so you should be fine.

 

yeah i just fill it a little over the um thing the shifter goes inta

 

Go for the short shifter, it's awesome.

 

Should I put any grease on the big ball and the bushings? Or just rely on the natural lubricity of the nylon? Or the gear oil, which only touches the little ball on the bottom?

 

I've just done what they say to do here: mazdatrix short shifter installation instructions



Here are the statements involving the oil/lube:



After cleaning the shifter hole, this is a good time to put the oil in the shift tower. We use 90W trans/diff oil. Fill to ABOVE the shift rod you can see down in the tower.



Put some oil around the bushings and the ball socket and groove.

 

Yeah, I printed that out so I wouldn't forget anything. Old age and senility, you know.



I actually just finished up this project this morning. Got the lower boot from Mazdatrix on Monday. I was wearing my nopistons.com t-shirt while I did it, too!



I oiled her up good with the 90-weight. She feels awesome. Much better than with the dry and somewhat worn old bushings.



One installation note: I found that when inserting the lower (white) bushing (with spring) under the pin and into the shifter hole, the spring wanted to catch on the lip causing the spring and bushing to not want to go in. Being aware of this, you can press your finger against the lower surface of the spring where it needs to go under the pin and it slips right in like, well, you know.



Now it just needs to stop raining so I can take her out for a test drive!