Shift knob install--Did I srew it up?

[GTS21]

Background--1996 GTS (#21), B&M Ripper Shifter.

I decided to reinstall the original factory shift knob, replacing the MGW knob that I've had for years. I followed the instructions in the how-to section. I lowered the boot, put a wrench on both the knob and the locking nut, loosened the nut, removed the old knob, WD-40d the replacement knob, screwed it on
as far as possible (as far as I could still keeping the shift pattern straight), and then tightenend the locking nut.

At some point in the middle of the above, I had a moment of sheer and utter PANIC when i thought that i was unscrewing the entire shift linkage!! Is that possible? I'm not sure if i was turning the locking nut only or the entire shaft of the shifter!! Can the shaft become unscrewed from its base? Can it be OVERTIGHTENED into its base?

The shifter and shift knob seem tight (don't feel loose) now, and the car is shifting okay--EXCEPT (and here's why i'm posting):

***There seems to be more noise coming from that general area now than there was before. I'm hearing more engine noice, more noise when shifting...mechanical sorts of noises...claking/clinking/cluncking...noises i don't remember hearing before!!

Could I have screwed something up? Maybe overtightenend something? Granted, I don't usually drive with the radio off, listening for noises from the shifter area, so maybe i'm imagining things. If the car is getting into gear, and the shift knob and shifter feel tight, is that a good sign? Should I have it checked out?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Eric

 

[2charmed]

Eric,

I don't think you can "Unscrew" the shifter or the linkage.
The MGW knob is a heavier knob and my absorb more noise.
Also as you have pointed out, you are now listening for noises and you are now hearing them. Turn on the radio and drive it
for a while - the noises will go away - i'm sure of it.

Best of luck,

Steve

 

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

You did well holding the locking nut while unscrewing the shift knob.
It's a good idea following this practice as not to turn the entire unit without holding both the nut and shift knob because the twisting force can damage the internal shift forks. The only thing that could come loose is the shaft bushing on the shift linkage - no big deal.

The noise you may be hearing:
Under the factory leather cover inside the bezel is another rubber shifter boot. You need to inspect the boot to see if it is torn or ripped. That will certainly cause you to hear the noises you are describing.

Regards,
Doug Levin

 

[GTS21]

Steve and Doug; Thank you for the replies.

Doug-you mentioned that twisting the shifter could be a problem...this makes me a little nervous--when I thought that I had loosened the entire shifter, I used a wrench to tighten it, putting the wrench ONLY on the locking nut and turning it until the whole shifter felt tight. Could this have caused some damage? If I bent a shift fork, would it be going into gear at all?

 

[Doug Supercharged Vipers]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GTS21:
Steve and Doug; Thank you for the replies.

Doug-you mentioned that twisting the shifter could be a problem...this makes me a little nervous--when I thought that I had loosened the entire shifter, I used a wrench to tighten it, putting the wrench ONLY on the locking nut and turning it until the whole shifter felt tight. Could this have caused some damage? If I bent a shift fork, would it be going into gear at all?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Your welcome Sir,
I really wouldn't worry about any issues.... just drive the car

.

If it puts your mind at ease; There are plenty of Vipers subjecting the T-56 tranny by doubling and tripling the intended work load and they are doing just fine. I'd be surprised if you found the weak-link by changing the shift knob with a little extra exerted effort

. If you do find the noise being contributed by a torn boot, just let me know, I can provide you with a part # and a walk-through regarding replacement.

Regards,
Doug

 

[joe117]

When I got my 94, one of the things that needed fixing was the shifter. There is a molded rubber vibration isolator in the shift lever. Mine had deteriorated and the shift lever would rotate. I bought a replacement shifter on ebay for $20 and that fixed it. After looking at the old shifter I can see how it might be possible to break the bond by twisting the shifter. Probably a rare occurrence but it could happen.

 

[Mike Brunton]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GTS21:
Steve and Doug; Thank you for the replies.

Doug-you mentioned that twisting the shifter could be a problem...this makes me a little nervous--when I thought that I had loosened the entire shifter, I used a wrench to tighten it, putting the wrench ONLY on the locking nut and turning it until the whole shifter felt tight. Could this have caused some damage? If I bent a shift fork, would it be going into gear at all?

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


On the B&M shifter, *YES* the shaft can come loose. The shaft goes into a horizonal bracket, which then goes into another shaft that goes down into the transmission. The whole thing is sort of a z-shaped thing.

The shaft that comes up into the knob can be loosened from the horizontal piece by turning. When you were removing the old knob, was the shaft loose? You mentioned you tightened it with a wrench until it was tight - so I assume it was loose after you removed the old knob.

Don't worry about it. It's just aluminum and I doubt you damaged it in any way. You can twist the shift knob in your hand - if it's tight and the shaft is tight, then you should be all set - don't worry about it.

 

[Andy]

Mike is right. You can loosen the shifter shaft if you were to attach a wrench to it. It's no big deal though. If this is the problem, you will be able to rotate the shift knob very easily. All you have to do is tighten it back up. You could probably do this by putting a wrench on the shift knob nut itself, and tightening that a bit.

Not sure how this would cause noise though, unless it's rattling, or somehow the rubber boot got ripped (or even pushed into a funny position) as Doug suggests.

-Andy

 

[GTS21]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I think maybe that when I initially loosened the locking nut, that I somehow also managed to loosen the shaft, and thats when I got freaked out. But i did tighten the shaft and everything else as tight as I could when I was done. Now, the shift knob and shaft itself won't turn at all, they seem very tight. As to the noise, I'm still not completely sure that I didn't imagine it, the car has always been noisy, and very rarely is the radio off and my concentration focused on noises coming from the shifter. Since the rain has stopped in Delaware (finally), I'll take the car out today and check it out. Thanks again everyone, Eric

 

[Mike Brunton]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GTS21:
Update--just drove for about an hour--aggresively. With the stock shift knob back on, the car is actually a little easier to shift than before (longer shift knob, more leverage?). The "noise" seems to be only upon downshifting into second, a slight clanking/whining noise when putting shifter into gear, like the shifter doesn't quite want to go into the gear. Other than that everything seems ok. Noise could have always been there though, can't hear it with window down and radio on. Eric

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

to be honest, I find the stock knob to be MUCH better. With the B&M and the MGW knob I was smacking my knuckles into the console every shift. The stock knob was WAY better, IMO.

Did your B&M have shift stops? If so, did you use them? It's possible they are mis-adjusted causing it to be hard to get into 2nd? Or maybe it's just the different feel of the stock knob after being used to the MGW?

 

[GTS21]

Update--just drove for about an hour--aggresively. With the stock shift knob back on, the car is actually a little easier to shift than before (longer shift knob, more leverage?). The "noise" seems to be only upon downshifting into second, a slight clanking/whining noise when putting shifter into gear, like the shifter doesn't quite want to go into the gear. Other than that everything seems ok. Noise could have always been there though, can't hear it with window down and radio on. Eric