I've seen quite a few old posts where people have inquired about these parts, but no real answers..

has anyone been able to locate a replacement kit for the shifter bushings?

 

[bump] for need.. and desire to not have to buy the whole box just for some little plastic parts.

 

What number are you talking about?

 

yah.. see.. that's the problem... they're not a listed part number in that diagram.. it's the bushings INSIDE part #1 (i'm the "A" condition shifter box). the bushings where the shifter arm (which I'm replacing with an alta short shift) meets the levers that actuate the bowden cables.

there's a pic of it here in alta's installation docs, refered to in step #10 and shown in the picture on the left just below step #11.

Thanks for your quick reply, Helix.

 

Aah yes, the ol' I broke-the-bushing-when-I-tried-to-remove-the-shift-lever bushing. AFAIK, there's no part number for that--maybe Mr. Partsman would comment. Your best bet, besides biting the bullet is to get a shifter box from a junk yard, and harvesting the bushing. Just be sure that it's the same part as the one that's on your car: there was a change in design in about 2004.

 

that's kind of what i've been hearing... I was hoping beyond hope that it wasn't the truth...

Fortunately for me I have not YET broken that part... shifter ought to be here tomorrow and it's saturday's project. I just figured it would be a good idea to replace it while I was in there... I've noticed that my stock shifter has gotten a little sloppier over the past few thousand miles. (sloppier. from what i've heard, this "A" condition box was sloppy when it was new, too.)

thanks for your input, helix.

 

Last month, I put my car in reverse and felt something unusual in the shifter. After backing out of the garage, the shifter had completely free play left to right (you could move it with one finger with no resistance) -- in any gear -- but shifted OK otherwise.
The dealer said they found a bushing that had come loose, and put it back in place, but that I should replace the shifter, for about $580 (after a credit for the hour's labor in diagnosing the issue). I passed on it, and it's been shifting fine since. I wonder if it's the same bushing?
I'm thinking I'll give it some time to see if the problem comes back before committing to the new shifter; anyone have any experience with a similar issue?

 

Installation should be about 2 hrs labor.

I would get a B&M Short shift kit for 35-50 bucks which is about what I have seen them go for. The kit comes with new harder bushings which should last longer and gives a more precise feel to each gear.

You should be able to have it installed for about 200 dollars unless they come across a frozen bolt or break one off, then add another 20 mins labor or so.

With the B&M kit, your old shift **** presses right on just like the original.

 

I second this.

Sure wish I had known at the time that the B&M kit came with new bushings... I ended up buying the ALTA short shifter.. it didn't come with them. Luckily I was able to get the old ones out and they didn't look TOO bad so I went ahead and re-used them. they feel a little sloppy, but the improvement in the shift DEFINITELY out-weighs it.

Really, it only took me about 25-30 minutes to put that short shifter in.. drop the back end of the exhaust, takeoff the bottom of the shift box, pop off the cable connections, pull out the old, slide in the new and bolt it all back together. easy. did it in my garage on 2 jack stands.

I'm glad, though, that I had that shifter cable tool.. getting those cables off of the stick would have been a nightmare without it.

ALTA short shifter comes with an adapter, too, that allows it to connect to the stock shifter ball.

 

Hi guys I am working in the change of one of the shifter cables and if you want to DIY I have to tell you that is not that is not easy is that you need to be patient... I s worth to DIY because you learn and save a lot of money. In the other hand I installed a Short Shifter from B&M and the difference is brutal...When I remove all the parts I discover that in the other cable the boot was broken, did not change it because it cost $128. so for the moment and for protection I use the old good black electrical tape.
By the way because the intake filter compartment is remove, a 180degree thermostat is on its way...
For the last 5 years I did many mods to my 2005 S so I maybe can help anyone with ideas on how to DIY. (Do It Yourself)

 

I busted one, too, when I was doing my clutch. The rubber shoulder that held the cable assembly to the socket that the pin from the shifter linkage on top of the transmission snaps in to (yah, that's awkward) accidentally got forced off with a screwdriver.. maybe it was a couple of screwdrivers.. :-/ anyway, i ended up doing a temp fix until I got the new one in, but I bet that my temp fix would have held as good as new, practically indefinitely..

I went to the auto parts store and got a little tube of some black gasket-making goop.. and I filled the space where the rubber broke out of with it, real good.. smeared it in nice with a popsicle stick.. then let it dry over night. drove it for a few weeks like that, no problem. and when I took it off to put the new one on I was kicking myself for having bought the new one but changed it none-the-less..

incidentally.. i bought the tool from the dealership for it.. well worth the $60.