The button is basically attached to a long plastic pole that goes down into the gear changer, or wahtever you want to call it. When the button is not depressed, the pole rests against a wedge that does not allow you to move the shifter. When the button is depressed, the pole is raised up a bit, disengaging the contact between the pole and the wedge.

When you remove the shift ****, the pole comes out with it. Therefore, there is no longer any contact between with the wedge, just as if the button were being depressed. You can get in to all gears (P, N, R, D, S, M+/- ) with no issues whatsoever.

 

Interesting! I always wondered exactly how that worked!

The only thing I would worry about then is for the clumsier among us is accidentally shifting into reverse when you're meaning to downshift! For example, in my CVT days, I would once-in-a-blue-moon think/assume that I was in manual or SD mode, and push the shifter up to downshift, when in actuality, I was in drive, and I switched the transmission into neutral. Now, with the 'idiot' button, I did no harm - the transmission simply went into neutral, the engine revved up, I realized what I'd done, switched back into drive, and that was about it. But without the button, would/could I have gone into reverse or park? If so, I don't think the results would have been good!


-Paul!

 

I probably should not admit to this, but I have done that before ...luckily I reacted quick enough to fix my mistake . I like to say once you do it once, you won't do it again .


Oh, and to answer your question. Without the "idiot" button, you CAN and WILL go into reverse while driving by accidently hitting the shifter like you desribed above. I would not recommend trying it. As for going into park, I am not too sure as I have never made it that far on accident - let's hope I never do .

 

Doug, Perhaps you can design a **** with a dummy (sorry, s-531) button for those of us who fear screwing up our trannies without one.

If that's not possible, a custom **** without the button will have to suffice and leave it up to the individual if they trust themselves enough to buy it.

Thanks in advance, if you decide to take up this challenge.

Thanks.... to those of you who chimed in with your knowledge of the CVT.

 

what about just putting one of those pull up hinge mechanisms instead of the button (like on some manuals that make you push down the stick or pull up on the stick to get into reverse???)

 

Pulling up would be the perfect solution if it could be done.

You pull up on the **** itself which would lift the pole against the wedge to get the car out or P and R. Let go of the **** once you are in the gear you need.

Doug, does that sound possible?

 

Wow! I don't know what to say about all of this.

I'd hate to sell a person something that could potentially lead to serious transmission damage, or worse.

As for putting any kind of button into the stainless steel ball, I think I'd prefer to skip that. It wouldn't be an easy thing to accomplish.

And I don't know about engineering any kind of pull-up handle, either.
My brain hurts already (of course, it IS Sunday, and I've been working 15-hour days since Thursday...)

Let me give it some thought.

 

Noooooooooo problem, as far as I'm concerned, Doug. As much as I'd love to have one of your shift ***** on my beloved MINI Cooper, it's certainly not time-sensitive. Take up to three days, if you want. Kidding... take as much time as you need, of course !!

And if it can't be done, so be it. We'll still appreciate the brain power you will have used to give it a shot.

 

I am positive that this could work out. I will try to find the pull up mechanism that i metioned earlier. Hold on real tight.

 

Couldnt you just buy the aftermarket CVT ***** already available (either from OEM or from aftermarket companies like hartge)? Seems like a lot of work for something that is already available.

-another CVT owner

 

Whalen makes custom ***** that look insane...

 

Does anyone know if this is how the stock cvt shift **** works???

 

I may be wrong...but i could have sworn that rod B goes up...doesnt it?

I highly doubt that is how it works. My bet is that there is one rod and a use of wedges to get the desired motion.

 

i re read through the thread, and im pretty sure rod b raises as well, which makes the design of a whalen **** even easier...

 

Couldn't a **** design be created that simply kept the factory button? In other words, a new **** with a hole in the front... and the existing button & rod(s) are transferred into the new ****.

Mind you, if the **** and button are all one contained unit (and difficult to disassemble), then I guess that might not work.

 

Would it be possible to machine the image into the chrome center on the stock 'shift *****'

 

Of course...That what the Hartge shift **** is...just with their company logo

 

Unfortunately, that would be a huge pain.

Without a doubt, the top of the **** is not really spherical; and even if it were, figuring out how to securely hold on to the **** and locate it properly in the machine would be very difficult.

Sorry!

 

Ok ladies and gents! I was sitting at light today (left foot on brake, and e-brake pulled, and 1st in line) and decided I wanted to pull out my CVT ****, so I did, I then, without the ****, moved the remaining stick from D to N, to R, to P, to R, to N, to D, to SD, and 'shifted' to 1, and 'shifted' to 2, to D where I returned my ****. I then proceded to do the same shift pattern, without touching the button. But, with the engine revving at about 3500, I wasn't able to move out of N with the **** in, and button unpressed or pressed. So I tried without the ****, I was not able to move it until the engine revs drop back to under 1500. So...Mr. Whalen, if you want to, I'll beta test a CVT **** for you, it seems like it should work .

 

Bump any updates on this?

 

haha seriously... I want a ****

 

I'm talking with whalen now...

 

My Whlaen **** has been ordered . Will post my results/reaction about a week after I get it.

 

Seriously cool! I really dig the Whalen Shift *****, I hope they can find their way onto a CVT or a Auto S ****!!!

 

I've noticed that someone on eBay offers a shift **** for a CVT and even has a diagram showing how to make the installation. I'm wondering if Whalen could improvise on it and offer one that we MINI CVT owners could adore, as well?