Tried a search nothing came up..

New to mini's got my first this week. 2006 JCW 6 spd, got it on the road today, so went for a ride on the freeway today, and noticed the shift boot got quite hot..

Is this normal?

Planning on replacing trans fluid as soon as time permits. Car has 100,000 miles, mostly city mileage i think too.

 

Stock exhaust?

 

Chances are the previous owner installed a short shifter and removed it later (or its still in there). Either way the shift box lower cover is probably gone, simple way to test drive with the windows up. If it stays somewhat cold it's the cover missing.

My 06 is missing the cover and gets pretty warm. Windows up nothing windows down starts warming up immediately.

 

Interesting... it was a hot day, so i had sunroof open and windows down... So if I pull the console apart there should be a cover or insulation in there?

Car has custom exhaust, but header/cat is oem.

 

To access the cover you do so from under the car. It's behind the heat shield in the tunnel just a little behind where the rear part of the exhaust bolts to the cat.

Depending how close your exhaust is to the heat shield will determine how hot it gets. I recently swapped a custom exhaust I had on that had a baffle pack about a 1/4 inch from the heat shield, the shift boot/ring would almost burn you. My new strat exhaust the boot is much cooler but still gets pretty warm.

 

yup with fully adjustable short throws such as craven speed or alta, depening on the position, the lower cover of the shift box has to be removed, so the only thing preventing the elements in is the heat shield. mine gets warm all year around but never "hot" I also have a cooler exhaust since I am catless, and preety much the cat is in that area.


if I have the sunroof popped, I can actually feel air coming through the boot

 

Its can get warm from the exhaust being right near it, especially with an aftermarket one. Or is someone removed the bottom of the shifter lug box.