cadillo

Well, tomorrow's the day. I received the shifter last night, but spent the day today waiting for the phone company to show up to repair a bad phone line. Didn't want to have to stop and crawl out from under the car to let him in. Funny how the wife cannot live without a phone, but can't understand how I can't live without beer. At least she works now that I'm retired.

I've got all the tools laid out along with the floor jack, stands, and chocks. First thing tomorrow! I hope it goes smoothly. I'm really looking forward to an improvement over that long loose OEM shifter.

exx1976

YA MON!!!

acascianelli

Haha. Damn dude, you're really looking forward to it. I'll be waiting for your next post saying how awesome the shifter is. Congrats.

cadillo

As stated above I installed the shifter the next day. I've been slow about posting an update due to my not knowing what the final outcome would be. Today I have a clearer picture of what may well be the end result.

While doing the installation I had trouble laying the Dynamat over the upper shifter opening in the drive shaft tunnel. It stuck to the surface and when I tried to pull it back up to removethe large wrinkle that resulted, it pulled apart and made a mess; my bad.

I had read in the instuctions that the Dynamat on the inside was no longer needed because MGW now shipped an additional insulation sheet or pad for this area and that this would suffice, so I proceeded after having laid Dynamat on the underside as per the instructions.

The latest instructions state that ten turns outward is the maximum amount to loosen the bushing block for connection to the shifter linkage. I set mine at 8 thinking that I wanted it really short. When I test drove the car, the shifter was very nice, but much to stiff and short for my liking, but I knew that this could most likely be corrected by changing the adjustment on the linkage.

What both annoyed and worried me horribly is the amount of horrible noise in the passenger compartment any time the vehicle was in motion, as well as the very loud noise caused by each gear change. I swear that I could even hear the throwout bearing as it was put under and out of a load and could hear a constant whine fromthe transmission at all speeds. The people I took for a ride each excalimed, "Man what's wrong with your new car"? I mean the noise was VERY BAD! It would even drown out the sound of the exhaust. I began to think that maybe this modification had done something bad to my transmission.

Today I put the car up on the jack and stands and made the linkage adjustment turning the linkage block all the way back down until it seated and took it for a test drive. Much better and easier to shift than before, but still a big improvement over the operation of the OEM shifter, but the unacceptable noise level was still present, so after a little rehydration back under the car.

I pulled out the MGW and after a good side by side inspection of all the kit compared to the OEM, I installed the OEM in order to drive the car and see if the noise level remained the same, which might indicate damage to the transmission.

The subsequent test drive revealed a nice quiet interior environment. I dislike the long shifter travel, but I like the quiet. I can actually hear the exhaust now, which I could not do while rolling with the MGW installed.

Now here is what I think. The OEM shifter has only two components that reduce noise. One is a very nifty double layered boot that fastens on one side to the floor pan and the other to the shifter shaft. The other is a rubber pad or bushing that fits between the rear of the shifter and the floor pan where the two studs attach to the two 10mm locknuts. That's it. No Dynamat and no rubber pads placed on the drive shaft tunnel as insulation, and yet it is MUCH BETTER at sealing the passenger compart from exterior noises.

The MGW came with one layer of Dynamat laid over the rear attachment point where the shifter bolts to the body. This in contrast to the thick rubber bushing on the OEM.

I really like the feel of the MGW, and it looks awesome with the white Hurst ball kit, I mean really nice. At some point I will do this: I will obtain a significant amount of Dynamat and lay either two or three layers of it on the trans tunnel/floor pan. I wil, fabricate a pair of rubber bushings to fit between the rear shifter attachment point and the body.

Once the shifter and boot are attached I will seal not only the bottom area with Dynamat, but will also try to form a seal between the rubber boot and the layers of Dynamat I will have already laid on the trans tunnel. Hopefully this will eliminate the noise. Once I get this done, I'll post another opinion. Hopefully these changes will make it possible to live with the MGW, which is really a nicely engineered and constructed piece of equipment.

Riptide

Jeez what a PITA.

This is the first I've read of such god awful noise. Who wants that?

mlcrycc

There has got to be something else going on.....

I just cannot imagine how this...




Could possibly be quieter that this....




Followed by this.....




Now granted, mine was an early install, and I was not aware that MGW now suggested not using the dynamat inside. But the stock factory rubber boot is so thin and cheesy, I just cannot imagine that is what makes the difference. My MGW is very very quiet. No tranny or street noise at all....

I would suggest calling George and discussing this. He is number 1 in customer service. One thing I would DEFINITELY NOT do without discussing with him is fabricating rubber bushings for the rear attachment point. I think this runs the risk of jeopardizing the integrity of the entire shifter and installation....JMO.

Goldenpony

Something is not Kosher here. My '06 is quieter with the MGW than with the OEM. I can't imagine the MGW being noisier. Talk to George, he is the man.

exx1976

+1 on something is wrong. MGW is WAY quieter than OE. Notchier, yes, louder, no.

06VistaBlueGT

I agree, something is amiss. The only noise I get from my MGW is the "chunk" when it goes in gear. Very solid and very quiet.

phatphil

Did you use TacoBills instructions available on this sites stickys? The MGW is as quite and precise than any shifter I've tried. The notchiness people talk about is nothing compared to a Hurst and can actually be nullified with some fine tuning of the height and position of the stalk block and stalk. Check TacoBills instructions and go thru them picture by picture to make sure you have it right.