I recently had a Helix short shift adapter installed in my JCW. While I like the how the throws are a lot shorter now, there's two things in particular I really don't like:
1) The feel is inconsistent. Sometimes it is really smooth and easy to use, other times it can be stiffer and stickier and harder to feel the "slot" for the next gear when shifting. I haven't been able to correlate this yet with anything in particular...
2) The shift tunnel/boot get really hot after about 30 min of driving. I had cut off part of the shift box dust cover to fit the adapter, which seems to be typical (many leave it off completely). However, I now get a lot more heat from the exhaust with only the heat shield between the exhaust and shifter box. Do others have this issue? I'll note I had the resonator on my JCW exhaust replaced with a straight pipe at the same time, so it's possible this may be contributing as well?

The second item in particular has me ready to uninstall it, as I worry about the durability of the shifter cables/boot/etc with the much higher temps.

Are there any short shift kits for an 06 that don't stretch the cables and allow the dust cover to be used? I've read the resurrected thread on the B&W one, but it apparently doesn't work with the 05-06 models.

And does anyone have an extra dust cover laying around that they might be willing to part with?

 

I'm interested in knowing the answer to this as well. A short shifter is on my mod list for my '06 S-vert.

Bryan

 

I have had this on my MINI for several years now and I have felt some slight notchiness
in shifting but I had that without it too. As far as heat I never noticed any difference and I don't have the cover on at all.

 

Blammo, I had my resonator removed and replaced with a straight pipe just over one month ago on my 04 JCW and I did not notice any difference in the heat around the stick shift. I am getting ready to install my Helix SSK also. I read where one owner took a house electrical wall box, like for a light switch or plug in, and mounted it to the shifter dust cover to cover the extra length. I do not recall if he cut the box down or if he found a shallow mount box.
I do not know how long you have had your JCW but I too found my shifter inconsistent with the stock tranny like Braminator did. I think it may be normal and that the SSK just brought it to your attention.
Let us know what you do.

 

That was me! You can read about it here (skip to step 20): https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...shift-kit.html

 

Well, I had my clutch replaced about a month before the SSK install, and I have to admit it shifted like butter after the new clutch... I expected the effort required to increase with the SSK, but was not expecting how vague it felt as well initially. The shop that did the install indicated it takes a few weeks to "smooth out" as the cables are stretched across the bottom of the box they come out of to meet the lower attach point on the SSK (hard to explain, but at least that's my understanding...). They also indicated that it's normal to have higher heat in the shift console if the dust cover isn't installed (or is cut up like mine is).

Anyway, yesterday I noticed a larger "pop" than normal coming out of a gear into neutral. I almost thought maybe the cable had detached from the shifter. This morning, the shifter felt much nicer (pretty close to stock feel), so I'll see if the vagueness comes back in the next few days (which seemed to be the case earlier - inconsistent feel).

As for the heat, I'm not sure... it feels like it's probably 100+ deg F inside the shifter (noticeably warm boot and shift lever, even on hot days here in SoCal). The extension box linked above looks promising. NM offered a modified dust cover with a metal piece attached like that in the link above, but no longer offer this for the R53.

At this point, I may just remove the SSK and install a new dust cover... If the improved feel stays consistent I may look at an extension box instead, so I'll see how it goes over the next few days.

 

I don't have a SSK myself, but I believe that NM Engineering makes a slightly modified dust cover meant to accommodate a SS. I've seen both the NM SSK and dust cover for sale on various web sites.

 

Just a thought couldn't you heat wrap the exhaust around the shifter to keep the heat down?

 

As I mentioned above, I tried to get one of these before the SSK install. However, I was unable to find any for sale. After exchanging emails with an engineer at NM, he indicated they might offer the metal part for sale, but no longer had plans to sell the complete kit (metal box attached to a new shiftbox dust cover).

 

That sucks. I was considering a SSK but only if I could get the modified dust cover. Appreciate the update, even tho it looks like I'll punt on the SSK especially w/the mixed reviews of post-install performance/feel.

 

We should seriously make a petition to B&M so they start making the Mini short shifters again... I had one in my Sunfire and it was awesome. I got a Mini too late to get one... 2009, don't know when they stopped making them, but I never found one.

 

NM engineering doesn't make the modded dust cover for the 06 anymore, just 07 and up. I install the NM short shifter extension, (it doesn't shorten the throw as much as the helix) and I called Nuespeed(NM engineering) and they sent me the metal extension and I just cut my own dust cover. Worked great! But I don't think you can use it for the helix one cause it would be to long I believe.

 

Well, after a long drive yesterday, the SSK still had some inconsistency in the feel (particularly when shifting around 4-5-6). There was still the heat buildup as well.

At this point, I think I will take it into the shop next week to have it removed. Based on the comments from others who have these, I'm surprised I'm having these issues -- maybe it's an install issue or something. But as I may end up having to sell my JCW next year (if a possible move to Japan ends up happening), it might be best to move it closer to stock anyway. I'm sure I'll feel like I"m rowing a boat again, though, after going back to stock...

 

Update...

Just had the SSK removed today (it took a while to line up a day off with an opening at the shop). Some comments:

- About two weeks ago, the SSK had finally "loosened up" and become pretty consistent. It still required more effort than without it, but I started to really like the short throws, and the feel was livable/consistent at that point. For a while I was debating whether to leave it installed.

- However, the heat was still an issue. I realized it was getting much hotter on hot SoCal days, but even on cooler days, the heat built up pretty good in the shift tunnel area. In the end, I was worried about durability, so decided to still have it removed even though I was liking the shift feel at that point.

- When taking it out, I was able to peek at how the SSK looked when they removed the heat shield. The installer had cut an opening in the plastic dust cover (as the Helix SSK extension sticks down past that), and the cable was stretched over the lip/edge of the cut as the extension caused it to angle/stretch down towards the road. Anyway, I figure this rubbing is what was causing the inconsistent feel for several weeks, as well as the additional effort - it takes a while to "rub" the edge smooth, I suppose. I think if folks leave their dust cover off, it should be less of an issue.

- I bought a new dust cover in advance and had that installed. Hopefully this should address the heat issue. As for feel -- it is definitely lighter and easier to shift. In fact, it almost felt a little toy like at first, as I was pretty used to the firmer feel of the SSK.

Anyway, hope these comments help anyone thinking about this... there's pros/cons to the SSK in my experience, so whether it makes sense appears to be person dependent. I think if you leave the dust cover off, and manage to avoid the heat issue (maybe that's just in my setup...???), it can definitely be a nice mod... just in my case things didn't work out.

 

Probably should have thought about this earlier -- that's a good thought. However, I was talking to my installer about the heat issue today when he was removing it, and he indicated that the catalytic converter is right nearby and gets really hot. So not sure I would want to heat wrap that... but if it's just nearby exhaust pipe, it might make sense.

 

With any short shift adapter kit, you will run into problems. I am coming from a subaru back ground, and have had issues with short shift adapters, if you just go with the real short throw shifter and replace the shifter bushings, that will eliminate any inconsistencies, and will be a lot shorter, and crisper. as for the heat, you wouldn't have run into the problem with a short throw shifter, because they usually fit without modifying anything around them. But, even if you un-install the shift adapter it will not reduce the amount of heat, but heat wraps work, but they still get hot, the best thing to do would be to get a heat reducing foam, many have sprays or even tapes, and go to town on top of your heat shield, IMO