newbie needs shifter advice

[mmleehr]

the only thing, and i mean the only thing i don't like about the speed3 is the shifter. its clunky, and doesn't feel smooth. drove my buddies civic Si, and that is so light and smooth its ridiculous.

is there a shifter kit out there that make shifts smoother and lighter feeling?

thanks in advance.

 

[Silver Ecstasy]

A short shifter will definitely make things "shorter". Throws, height, movements will all be shorter.

I just recently installed shifter bushings (the stock shifter sits on rubber bushings) and it stiffened things up a lot better and the shifter is alot more precise. I'm pretty positive i'm still going to order a short shifter, but i'm just not sure when yet.

I'm sure your next question will be who makes a short shifter for the MS3:

TWM SS - shortens throws and the height of the shifter is greatly reduced. Some members have complained that the stock shift boot ends up rubbing the stitches apart with the TWM SS because of how bunched up it gets underneath with the linkage, so TWM has designed a new shift boot which is suggested.

Cobb Tuning - has also designed a short shifter which is adjustable. So you can adjust the height of the shifter as well as adjust the shortness of throws as well. They currently have a recall on the shafts having incorrect threading that will not support the OEM shift knob.

That's all I can say without forcing you to press "Search" and do so.

 

[speedalot]

i just instaled the twm with the bushing and i love it. the only thing that kind sucks is that the shift boot dont fit too well.. but even that its not that bad.throw is definately shorter. but not by that much. the height is short. everything feels nice and solid, thus far. installed it by myself. took like.. 40 min or so.

as with the cobb sts. they are changing it so that you can use the stock shifter. everyone that has one now will be sending theirs in to get a replacement. or something like that. not exactly sure how tahts gonna work.

but there my .02 hope that helped.

 

[mmleehr]

ok, last question

does the twm make it shift lighter and smoother, or does it still feel like you are trying to jam a square peg in a round hole? or is it just cause the car is new.

my buddy has an Si, and the shifts are so smooth and light, you could shift with one finger, and that's what i would like it to feel like.

 

[Silver Ecstasy]

It won't make shifting lighter or smoother.

It isn't a Honda trans. So it isn't going to shift like that. But if definitely will shift better than what you're experiencing now. But i'd say let the trans break in first. You can't always compare trans vs trans like that.

 

[jam_asian85]

upgrading your motor mount could help along with the short shifter.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

http://siteground207.com/~protegeg/product_info.php?cPath=160_353&products_id=850

 

[FrequentFlyer]

TWM SS, bushings, motor mount/inserts and some Redline tranny fluid. That's about all you can do. You're never going to get this car to shift like a Honda. I still dream about the way my S2000 shifted. Ok, maybe not, but it was the best feel'n tranny I've ever driven. Shift feel in a FWD car has a lot to do with the way the linkage is designed and there is not much you can do besides what everyone has mentioned already. When I had my RSX, I added solid bushings to both the shifter base assembly AND where the cables attach to the tranny under the hood. It had big fat rubber bushings in there that flexed pretty bad. Overall, shifting got a lot better. I wonder, does the MS3 have rubber bushings at the tranny? I haven't looked.

 

[derspi]

Like others have mentioned, you'll never get the MS3 tranny to shift and feel like the Civic Si's. Honda trannies are just, across the board, some of the best trannies on a road car. I feel your pain, my buddy's Si tranny feels 2x better than my MS3's but I got 2x the torque!

I recently installed the shifter base bushings and those made a noticeable improvement but it's not like day & night difference tbh. I'm one of the unfortunate few that got shafted by Cobb (pun intended) so I'm still waiting on the replacement shaft for the STS that I have just sitting on my desk. One of the reasons I didn't go for the TWM unit was because of how low the shifter sits and the fact that it requires even MORE effort to shift because of that.

 

[speedalot]

there erally not that much more effort in shifting with the lower stance. i think its easier to shift. i just installed it and it feels like ive been driving with the short throw shifter (twm) for like 6 months now. everytime i shift it feels so good.

 

[ericrapp]

the only thing, and i mean the only thing i don't like about the speed3 is the shifter. its clunky, and doesn't feel smooth. drove my buddies civic Si, and that is so light and smooth its ridiculous.

is there a shifter kit out there that make shifts smoother and lighter feeling?

thanks in advance.

Yes the Civic si is one of the better ones I have shifted. But, the recommendations so far will improve shifting and feel a bit. I changed fluid to redline and added CS inserts and those made for better shifting feel. Iwill have to improve or tighten it up more next season though. I suppose i am ready for something a bit more track oriented