!! HELP !! Botched OBX short shifter install, need help ASAP!

Riot_Polizei

Comp Engineering Student
:
2002 Mazda Protege5
Problem now solved! Thank you!
(As of 5/30 @ 8:30)
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****!

When I went to reassemble the shifter, it just slid right through down to the heat shield and has no grab! I realized that I did not take note of how it was assembled. I searched for guides, and came up with nothing helpful at all. Some pictures have one bushing, while I have two! WTF?

**** me man I'm so mad at myself. I thought I knew what I was doing. Now I'm wondering if I broke my snapring or the boot...

When reassembling, I followed this diagram:

http://www.mazdaspd.com/manual_files/05-16.pdf

But I can't get the thing to bolt back in properly anymore! I cannot find any manuals or any detailed pictures of how to put the bushings, boot, seal rubber, metal seat, and retaining ring back in.

The sun's going down, and I'm in the way of people that need to work tomorrow.

Please, I need help!!

PICTURES:

https://imgur.com/a/gcErlgN

VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJm4afwyNzE&feature=youtu.be
 
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there's two white pieces? I don't remember but the c clip should hold it from falling down like that. Secure the bottom part first so it's easier to work with.
 
there's two white pieces? I don't remember but the c clip should hold it from falling down like that. Secure the bottom part first so it's easier to work with.

Yeah, I have two, instead of every single guide's pictures showing me one! Seems like absolutely nothing went right.

How do I even position the components beneath the shifter's ball fulcrum? No pictures have helped or instructed what to do with the metal ring or rubber seal. I don't even know if I'm supposed to cover everything with the boot.

Christ I thought I knew what I was doing.
 
Yeah, I have two, instead of every single guide's pictures showing me one! Seems like absolutely nothing went right.

How do I even position the components beneath the shifter's ball fulcrum? No pictures have helped or instructed what to do with the metal ring or rubber seal. I don't even know if I'm supposed to cover everything with the boot.

Christ I thought I knew what I was doing.

It can be fixed dude don't stress it happened to me as well. I just remember the bottom white piece locks into place with the metal ring that you compressed to take it out. I remember you can't take it out the shifter otherwise.
 
It can be fixed dude don't stress it happened to me as well. I just remember the bottom white piece locks into place with the metal ring that you compressed to take it out. I remember you can't take it out the shifter otherwise.

I do need to chill out a bit. It's stressful accidentally bricking your car directly in the path of a guy that goes to work at 4AM, but it could be worse.

Where exactly do I fit the c-clip to prevent the shifter from falling? Nothing pops out as obvious to me yet.

It's too dark out now, so I'll just be conducting loads of research for tomorrow.
 
Maybe yours doesn't have one. Previous owner might've lost it. It inserts by pinching it onto the bottom white piece maybe yours just lays there? Fasten the bottom bolt first tho the one that goes thru the control rod on the bottom of the car so it doesn't flop around.
 
Maybe yours doesn't have one. Previous owner might've lost it. It inserts by pinching it onto the bottom white piece maybe yours just lays there? Fasten the bottom bolt first tho the one that goes thru the control rod on the bottom of the car so it doesn't flop around.

Thankfully, I do indeed have that c-clip still, and it was a pain in the ass to remove. Heck, I even have the correct tool to do it and it was still weird.

I'm kind of burnt out on this now and I think I'll just have to take the L for tonight. Tomorrow morning's going to be interesting.
 
... Tomorrow morning's going to be interesting.

You better be up by 2:30 am to get your car out ta the way by 4...

Either way you're gonna be working in the dark...

A good nights sleep should help clear your mind..
Set your alarm for 2am and you'll be fine.
 
there should be two white pieces. i guess they're called bushings? they surround the pivot ball on the shifter. the top half is labeled #10 and the bottom half is #12 on the manual. On top of #10 is an O ring (#9) then a snap ring/c-clip (#8) that holds it all in.
 
here's a really crappy photo. this is all i could find in a pinch at work.

cache.php
 
Big freakin thanks to all of you guys.

I did have to come to an arrangement, but nevertheless, I managed to successfully install the short shifter.

My biggest problems were:
  • Shifter ball was set way too high up the shaft
  • Didn't realize the white bushings encased the shifter ball
  • Didn't realize "pokey" sides of the white bushings faced outward from the ball, not inward
  • fully-enclosed metal ring thing sat on the bottom white bushing to protect the boot
  • The boot sat underneath the white bushings and everything, not over it
  • C-retaining ring secured the shifter right before the inside of the outer boot

It all just clicked into place, thanks to you folks.

Damn I'm so glad I set up an account here...god bless!
 
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