# shifter removal?



## Flounder (Sep 4, 2003)

how do i get the factory shifter out? I DID search too.


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## James (Apr 29, 2002)

you have to move aside the heat shield and cat to get to it. there are two bolts that hold the assembly together, unbolt them and take off the shift knob from the top. you can pull the entire assembly down without removing the linkage from the car.


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## Flounder (Sep 4, 2003)

no way to disconnect baseplate from top?


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## pearl200sxse (Jun 14, 2003)

SERmonkey65 said:


> no way to disconnect baseplate from top?


nope.
the fun part is when you need to remove your catalitic and you bolts are heat rusted....thats when i decided to get a test pipe.
and get the b&m shifter. i broke 2 others until i decided to stop going down the cheap path. besides the b&m is only $125 from summitracing.com but the actual shift knob is slippery. i got the white nismo dildo shift knob. threads matched!


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## thxone (Feb 7, 2012)

I just attempted to instal a short throw shifter on my '97 200sx SE... not good... looks like the only way IS to get under the car


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## thxone (Feb 7, 2012)

I finally got my short throw shifter in... 2.5 hours later 

Knowing what I know now I could do it in less than 20 minutes.

Here is what I did... in order as best as I can remember.

1. Jack up drivers side of car or use ramps - set E-Brake and or chock rear wheels
*IN CAR:*
2. Remove shifter knob/handle - *1min*
3. Remove outer shifter boot - *4sec*
4. Remove 10mm bolts at front of inner shifter boot plate - *41sec*
*UNDER CAR:*
5. Remove heat shield - 4 - 10mm nuts and one bolt with a Philips head. Pull heat shield down and move it to the passenger side by rotating it around the exhaust. Set aside - *2min*
6. Remove nut on shifter lever pivot (faces the passenger side) - *1min*
7. Remove bolt from shifter pivot (pain in the butt - rotate from drivers side until you can push it out from the passenger side. I used pliers to grab the head and rotate) - *2min - 10+min*
8. Remove both nuts from the bottom of the shifter - 1min 
9. Remove both nuts from inner boot plate (location is to the rear of the car and these are the bolts not accessible from inside the car) - *1min*
*IN CAR:*
10. Remove inner boot plate and inner boot together - *30sec*
11. At this point I was able to remove my shift lever from inside the car by twisting it until the pivot popped out of the hole easily - *1min*
12. Disassemble the items around the pivot ball carefully - there are two snap rings on the plastic, two piece collar around the ball. One on top, one on bottom - *2min to 5min*
*UNDER CAR:*
13. Instal the short throw shifter from UNDER THE CAR. It most likely will not go in from the top - *1min*
*IN CAR:*
14. Grease and instal the plastic collar to the ball and all components that were on the factory lever pivot ball - *2min to 5min*
*UNDER CAR:*
15. Once that is done, bolt up the lever from under the car (pivot bolt, linkage and nut, two lever bolts) - *2min to 3min*
*IN CAR:*
16. Re-instal the inner shift boot and plate and 10mm nuts - *1min*
*UNDER CAR:*
17. Instal the last two nuts at the rear of the shifter to secure the inner shift boot and plate - *1min*
18. Check all nuts and tighten them *EXCEPT* the single shift lever linkage pivot bolt and nut... just snug this. If you tighten it down all the way like a lug nut your lever *WILL NOT MOVE*. Ask me how I know.
19. Put the heat shield back on if you want to

At no point did I have to remove my factory exhaust. The exhaust was movable enough to gain access to ALL nuts and bolts with either just a ratchet and socket or ratchet, socket and 6in extension once the heat shield was removed. Take things slow, think and be patient.


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

yeah, usually having the car on the lift speeds things up.
i also recommend the shifter bushings on the shift linkage and control rods, and to check that return spring to make sure it's not rusted out yet.


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## thxone (Feb 7, 2012)

azkicker0027 said:


> yeah, usually having the car on the lift speeds things up.
> i also recommend the shifter bushings on the shift linkage and control rods, and to check that return spring to make sure it's not rusted out yet.


I am glad you said something... I actually inspected all of those things and for a car with 198 thousand miles, those items were in remarkable shape. I did tighten the linkage slightly at the tranny while I was under the car. The spring on the shifter linkage, which seems to me keeps it stiff somewhat in neutral, is still shinyish.


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