Sooooo my install of the Fidanza short-shifter isn't going too well. The kit came with the rod for the shifter, bushing at the bottom, urethane bushing that goes over the ball in the shifter, two spacers that fit together (notched so that they can fit together or so that the smaller piece can slide onto the notch in the turret), and the 3-bolt ring that is similar to the stock one that holds everything together. Also came three longer bolts and washers. I put it together using the smaller spacer, then the shifter through it, then the urethane bushing and the 3-bolt ring on top. However it feels extremely clunky, and sticks when in neutral instead of bouncing to the middle like it should. What did I do wrong? Anyone have pics of the correct install of this shifter?

New shifter beside the old one, with the parts that came with it above it: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15...l/IMGA0310.jpg

How it's installed atm: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15...l/IMGA0316.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15...l/IMGA0314.jpg

 

And I did drain the fluid from the turret and the tranny, replaced it with Mobil-1 syn gear oil.

 

Check the bushings for burs. File/sand them off if you find any. A light coat of grease wouldn't hurt.

 

Yea we have some grease on there, I'll check for anything on the bushings.

 

there was a rash of fidanza knock offs on ebay
mine's fine

 

Man I hope mine isn't. I bought it from the same dealer I got my flywheel :(. Ultrarev.com I believe. Here's the auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...ayphotohosting.
Did you use all the parts that came with yours Ben? I don't see how all the spacers provided could be used.

 

Saweeeeet, got it installed and working. Basically we had messed up with the bushings, the one on the bottom was cracked so we replaced it, then we weren't putting a bushing inbetween the metal sleeve and the ball on the shifter shaft, and since I hadn't ordered a new bushing like the one that is placed on top of the ball, I filed down an old one a little bit and popped it in. Works great now, and we creeped the hell out of some ppl at the taco bell we went to since my tranny was still burning off the excess oil.

 

I know I should make different thread or look around on rx7club but does anyone here have a short shifter for the TII Rx-7 trans?

Me and my friend creeped some people out at Taco Bell as well. We had his '06 STi without an exhaust (just the downpipe w/ 2 cats that are in the DP), the whole turbo was covered in PB blaster. So we were waiting for our order and the people inside started to walk up to the window (drive thru window) to see what the hell is wrong..... white smoke everywhere. They were trying to tell us that something was wrong with the car and we were just laughing all the time. Their comment: "Stupid Rich Kids" - we are 19ish and our parents don't buy us cars. lol

 

I found http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=445801 to be very helpful, he actually uses a miata shifter in his rx7. Turret looks the exact same, but apparently the miata bushing is slightly too large so he had to sand it down a tiny bit.

 

Thanks rollin.... The problem is that I don't have my miata shifter anymore. So I guess I'll just go to a junkyard and take one out of a miata since it's easier to find a miata than an rx-7. There is a 95 miata in perfect condition - except the front end.... it has 25k miles, perfect paint on everything except the front. I think I'll pick up the brakes from that car as well. and the engine since it has a nice huge crack in it they might sell it for cheap.