Knotchy feeling 1st-2nd with B&M and Kartboy Bushings?!?

[drivethruecp]

I recently installed my B&M ss and kartboy bushings...I put the grease at the ball joint of the shifter where the screw is.. But I have had it in for I guess 3 weeks and I am getting this knotchy feeling when shifting from first straight down to second. What I mean is that say I am in first and half-way to second (neutral) it feels like a knotch or a bump that like kinda stops me and I have to push through it, like a knotch. It actually slows me down quite a bit. I don't think I had this problem when I first installed it...but It seems to be getting worse. Another thing is when I first installed it, there was a "ting" sound when going into each gear, but that has disappeared, I am not sure if its because its broken in now or.. I didn't grease the bolt for the bushings, I torqued the screws at 16-18 lbs, but forgot to use locktite (which I want to go back and apply) (just saying what I did and didn't do). I am not sure if I could have done something wrong or if there is something I can do. But the problem is rather annoying and is really making me just annoyed to shift from 1st to 2nd at all. Any thoughts?? Thanks!!

[nezumi]

mine was like that but it started to losen up and the notchyness went away, but i haven't installed my bushing yet.

[uclap5]

its probably just the point when the synchos are working to get the dog teeth into the gears.

if you work at it you can get it in smooth and easy to get in with the right technique, but you may still be able to feel that transition point.

[drivethruecp]

It was fine when I first got it....but that point between 1st and 2nd...theres just this knotch I hit..kind of like a bump along side the nuetral position..that I hit... It just can't be right..I didn't have this problem with my stock shifter...

[drivethruecp]

bump! Any more thoughts???

[flat_black]

This is a common problem, and honestly, my suggestion to you would be to switch to Red Line synthetic gear oil. MT90 is what I use, and it helps things slide nice and smoothly, for sure. =) My car just slips right into gear, though there will always be a bit of notchy-ness to the shifts between one and two, just due to the synchros.

[slvrES]

quick question for you ... what kind of grease did you use for the ball joint? I'm installing a TWM shifter soon and I want to make sure I have the right equipment/greases before I do my install
thanks and good luck with the notchiness hopefully it will smooth out for ya

[drivethruecp]

I used the grease that came with my B&M. (Thanks brah

[Dimitrios]

It's normal. If you want to talk notchiness (at first), try the B&M with the Kartboy AND the Corksport Bronzoil bushings, which is what I have. I don't have knotchy, per se...it's more like I click through the gears now. After a few months, I couldn't imagine going back, so give it some time as well.

You also need to make sure you're "timing" has changed. The B&M isn't as short as others, but it is shorter than stock obviously, so your timing of your shifts needs to be adjusted a bit...it should take about a week or so to get used to it.

Is it just 1-2; how is 3-4, 4-5? How's about downshifting (is it only on the upshift)?

My other thought would be on the install: did you have an easy time getting the shifter down into the hole in the floor? What about the o-ring? The snap ring?

The reason I ask that is that the first time I had the shifter in, I didn't have it all the way down and it was downright stiff and very knotchy - downright dangerous...so, I pulled the shifter back out, swapped (i.e. replaced the lithium that B&M supplies) the grease with a moly/synthetic lube (Valvoline Durablend grease) and everything went together like buttah...

I'm also going to Redline MT-90 synthetic in a few weeks here to help it out more.

I'm voting to double check your install.

[RHAGEL]

I have the same problem. I now have about 33k with my shifter and has gotten better with age. The higher the engine revs, the easier it becomes. I think some of the problem is in the engine and transmisson mounts. The more play play with the drivetrain the harder it is to shift. I found that the best way to shift is with a little extra gas and a rev match when you shift. You get used to it, and like someone said before, once you get use to it, you won't want to go back to stock.

[RHAGEL]

Also, make sure the heat shield for the exhaust is completely bend out of the way of the shifter, that may be an issue.

[Dimitrios]

RHAGEL, good point. I noticed it got better when I installed the AWR front mount (this with the Kartboy and Corksport bushings). The rear is neaded as well.

Rev matching is important as stated.

[rednecks_r_us]

The "ting" you heard may be the heat shield. You can pull it off really easy and take a pair of tin snips and cut out a section where the shifter would travel.

Some people have just left out the heat shield and have not reported any problems.