Short Shift Kit Install - Pictorial and Videos

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Slownrusty
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Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:22 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Short Shift Kit Install - Pictorial and Videos

Post by Slownrusty »

Hey Everyone - I'm not sure if this "upgrade" has been posted before, my apologies if it redundant and covered before but wanted to share my recent experience.

I bought my '86 CSi at the end of Jan (this year).

After a few times out to get acclimated with the car, I felt it shifted very vague almost like stirring a giant pot of seafood Gumbo (<- there's the giveaway I live in Houston, TX - ha!). I love driving manual cars and the engagement of a precise shifter and gearbox so I decided enough was enough time to roll-up the sleeves on my ratty garage shirts and get to work.

What a process this was, get your fav. Pandora station cued up because you're going to be working on the car for a while...the steps are:
1) Drop the Exhaust (!)
2) Drop the Driveshaft (!!)
3) Smack yourself in the face pulling out the shift knob and spent 15 minutes trying to find the lens for your glasses that went flying across the driveway into the neighbor's grass (!!!)
4) Drop the rear transmission bracket and support (!!!!)
5) Fish around trying to remove three fiddly clips for the shifter rods (one of which you will never see, has to all be done by "feel")

While in there replace:
1) Drive shaft flex disc
2) Driveshaft center support bearing
3) Rubber boot
4) Transmission mounts
5) All shifter bushings

Then re-install it all...there goes 2 easy weekends.

Onto the pics.
Here is my 33 year old set-up from under the car:
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On the front lower lever support, on my car it was very wobbly where it is connected to the tail of the trans and covered in oil:
Image

The short shift kit I bought is from Ireland Engineering (IE), here it is compared to the stocker:
Image

Also in the picture above, the top aluminum rod the bushing on the very left of the picture that connects into the transmission was very worn. Fortunately the IE short shift kit comes with a new poly replacement. The old bushing has to be pressed out.

Another picture of the new IE short shift kit compared to my stock 33 year old set-up. In the picture below you can see the original plastic cup that the shifter ball pivots on is broken in two (2)! Yikes...but I guess not surprising.
Image

I also decided to upgrade to the Turner Motorsports shifter arm bracket, this is the only one on the market. On my car the stock piece had a sloppy worn bushing that was also "out-of round". The Turner unit is well made in stainless steel with a new poly bushings. I paid $75 for it.
Image

I also replaced the lower rod with the IE DSSR stainless rod ($75) and the newer style E30 rod joint and pin ($30), here it is compared to the stock lower rod:
Image

New rubber bushings on the cleaned-up aluminum trans mount:
Before:
Image

After:
Image

While at it...don't forget a new rubber boot, that was tricky fishing the reverse light wires through it and getting it to seal properly on the tunnel, thank goodness I had my wife to help :)!
Image

And to top it off I decided to add some cherry to top off the cake, a new leather shift boot and knob ($192):
Image

Cost summary:
1) IE Short Kit - $150
2) Turner Motorsports shifter arm bracket - $75
3) IE DSSR + E30 rod joint - $110
4) Rubber Boor (from BMW dealership) - $20
5) New leather shift boot and knob - $192
TOTAL: $547, if you didn't spring for a new leather boot and shift knob you could do this call for around $350.

The parts prices of course add up, but the IE parts are well priced and less than comparable items from other vendors. On top of that they have good customer service, I didn't just willy nilly throw a bunch of parts at this, I spent over an hour talking to the IE folks on the 'phone and the upgrade "evolved" over the course of two (2) weeks based on planned improvements.

Here are some YouTube Videos I uploaded along the way:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD15T7scxT0&t=7s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULl4a63PPzY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIVDINKOrTc&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxVycLucris
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hornhospital
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Re: Short Shift Kit Install - Pictorial and Videos

Post by hornhospital »

That ring of heavy plastic was to help you install the rubber boot. You use it much like the "rope trick" when installing a windshield. You start the boot into the chassis hole and pull the plastic ring through the hole. It rolls the boot lip right on to the lip of the hole.
Ken Kanne
'84 633CSi "Sylvia"; '85 635CSi "Katja";'85 325e "Hazel Ann"; '95 M3 "Ashlyn"
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Slownrusty
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Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:22 pm
Location: Houston, TX

Re: Short Shift Kit Install - Pictorial and Videos

Post by Slownrusty »

Thanks @hornhospital...I got it figured out after I snapped the picture.

Here it is all installed from the underside
Image
GRNSHRK
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Re: Short Shift Kit Install - Pictorial and Videos

Post by GRNSHRK »

Great write-up and photos =D>

Nice attention to detail, clear pix, supplier info, part numbers and prices, and once again, funny story \:D/

I don't have a series II 6er, but I'm sure others will make very good use of this info [-o<
:mrgreen:
Bobbo
1980 633 CSi Cypress Green/Pearl Beige
2017 X5 M Sport Xdrive 35i Carbon Black/Ivory White
2005 330 Ci ZHP Cabrio Imola Red/Bone/Black
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