The World's Dumbest Mistake

[Matthew]

When i installed my shifter about a month ago, I put in the snap ring incorrectly. Today I'm racing my friends turbo civic and i blow out fourth...im like :wtf: i better not have blown my tranny...comes to find out, the snap ring came out and so did the shifter (well, it was still attached at the bottom)...once i put it back together it was like an inch lower than it was prior to this mishap, and feels even better...it was kinda funny but i was sure pissed.

 

[alexlitov]

Always make sure to check you work after you are done.

Glad everything is fine. My friend almost lost his shifter. When they did an engine swap they didn't attach the shifter correctly. He was driving his car while holding the shifter so it wouldn't fall out.

 

[Matthew]

mine was the opposite...instead of closing the snap ring when i put it back in, i managed to expand it...dont ask.

 

[Sir Nuke]

even if you put the snap ring in the correct location, there is STILL a right way and a wrong way to install it.

if you look at the edges of a snap ring closely you will notice that the snap ring looks like it was made using a punch press....cause in fact they are. what that does is leaves a rounded edge on one side and a sharp edge on the other. the CORRECT way to install the snap ring is to look at where its installed...and put the sharp edge of the snap ring in the direction which you do NOT want it to be able to move, what happens is that when presure is applied to the snap ring trying to move it the sharp edge will have a tendency to DIG IN and grap where as the rounded edge could act as a ramp and help it ease out of the groove.

so in the case of our shifter...you would want the sharp edge of the snap ring point ing UP.

 

[Matthew]

well im not sure which way i installed it this time, up or down, but im sure its about 100% more right compared the way it was installed.

 

[FrigginGLI]

Dam dude , that is not good. Hopefully your tranny is fine. You must have s*** your pants when it came loose.

 

[Matthew]

i was beyond shitting the pants stage.

 

[p5sundevil]

lol, good thing everything tuned out ok man.

When I did mine I never actually took the snap ring off of the snap ring pliers i was using, so they went in facing the exact same direction and side that was stock. Now hopefully the sharp edge is up in stock position cause i honestly didnt notice....

anyway mine is just now starting to ease up a bit and just gets more fun as it goes.

 

[Matthew]

really? i wish mine would go back to that really notchy, sporty feel...

 

[FrigginGLI]

Mine has loosened up quite a bit as well, in the beginning it was notchy as hell. After about 3k miles it has lots more play in it.

 

[Matthew]

anyone know how to get it back to the way it was when we installed it?

 

[Coqui258]

Why do you want it back to when you first installed it? I think that when it gets broken in, it's way better! Just my opinion... maybe you like the way it is?

 

[Matthew]

better go vote in my thread i just created

 

[Sir Nuke]

well guys considering the snap ring application in our shifter....there REALLY isn't much of an axial load trying to push it out so as long as you got it in there I am pretty sure it will NEVER EVER come out. that sucker is damn strong and hard enough to get out. but if you are ever taking stuff apart with snap rings that hold them together....just keep in mind the EDGE....as some day it WILL make a difference.