MS3 Shifter Adjusting

[Mazda3X2]

I found this video of a guy showing how to fine adjust the shifter in the MS3. Great information, so I downloaded the video and put it on my Photobucket.

I'm going to mess with mine right now to try to clear up my 1-2 shift woes.

http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa212/Bearman72/MS3/?action=view&current=finetuneshifter.flv

Hope it helps someone else out.

Edit; I just got back from adjusting and test driving and this made a huge difference! It feels better than ever, 1st and 2nd now engage smoothly. I recommend trying this to anyone who is even slightly annoyed with their shift feel.

[-cj-]

Nice find.... Is this exclusive to the Cobb STS he was using?

[5_Alive]

So, did you end up moving your link forward or backward along the selector link??

I guess if you go too much either way, it wont engage either 1-2, or 5-6.. I want to try this, but don't really want to mess anything up.
I'm relatively mechanically inclined, just don't really know how well this is going to fare that's all.

[Mazda3X2]

I adjusted mine slightly forward of where it was. Slightly ahead of how he had his in the video as well. I don't think you can mess anything up.

Either mark it where it was set or remember where abouts it was, then you can put it back.

I tried it full forward and back and could still get it into all gears, just not smoothly into either 1-2 or 5-6. Now I love it, just right.

This isn't exclusive to the Cobb shifter. You can do this same thing with the stock unit or any sts. That part doesn;t change.

[ramboh]

Wow, thanks for the tip! I might play with the adjustment on mine once the weather warms up some more.

[5_Alive]

Okay yea I did it, and it took like 30 seconds.. I moved mine back like not even 1/4 inch, and it is much better now.

The only thing I noticed is I have to move it up a TAD because when i engage reverse, it goes too far over, and then pops back into place once I take my hand off the shifter.
So I have to adjust some more.
But yea, my 1-2, 2-3 shift is a lot smoother and better now.
Thanks for the vid dude!

[flyinb22]

So I did this mod today as well as install my TWM STS with the help of the OP (Mazda3X2 - We are neighbors).
Anyways, as for the shifter adjustment...if you have even the slightest bit of hesitation in your shifter, take 5 minutes and do this adjustment. It is so simple and quick to do.
I had a slight problem with my 1-2 upshift but the biggest problem I always had was the 3-2 downshift....I had assumed it was just some syncro issue, but after making a couple adjustments it is now perfect....its a pleasure to hit a sharp turn and quickly drop to second now.

I would recommend that if you are going to do it...don't reinstall everythng until you take it for a drive, just leave the shifter boot and cupholder out and screw on your shifter knob, move the adjuster and try it, stop on the road as required till you find the sweet spot.
For me, the optimal location was about 1mm back from the forward position.

[flyinb22]

Oh yah, almost forgot....the TWM STS is AWESOME!!!

[b]

Wicked thx. I needed this. You are amazing!!!!

[MRT_MS3]

I also did this mod a couple days ago and yes it did make a big difference. You don't need to remove the cupholder to get access to this just the shift boot. Don't install the boot until you go for a drive so you can keep adjusting til you get the feel you want.

[Mazda3X2]

Mods,

I think this vid has the potential to help out a lot of people with shifting problems. Your thoughts on making it a sticky?

Can anyone confirm if it works on the 5spd?

[S.F.W.]

Mods,

I think this vid has the potential to help out a lot of people with shifting problems. Your thoughts on making it a sticky?

Can anyone confirm if it works on the 5spd?

sure thing. Done.

[wikdslo]

Anyone care to elaborate as to how I pull off the shift boot?

I have just a Mazda 3 though, is the shifter setup the same or is it different?

[Mazda3X2]

http://torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?p=405668#post405668

No tools required and it takes about 10 seconds to get it all apart. Maybe you can let us all know if your 3 has the same adjustment.

[MRT_MS3]

can anyone take pics to where their adjustments are? mine is slightly forward from the center. ive been adjusting for the past few days and this is probably the best setting for me. but there are times when 1st and 2nd gear feels like its sticking. i have my foot all the way down when i clutch in so im sure its not my foot. anybody experience this? im so annoyed at this cars shifter.....im really thinkin about gettin the twm ss.

[sas]

Back/Forward direction doesn’t play any role for selecting the gear.
Practically, you can set any Back/Forward position for neutral, until
the stick isn’t limiting the shifting. Ideally, at neutral the all arm’s axes should
be perpendicular to cables.
There are two things don’t allowing to select concrete gear.
Un-synchronized gears and keys on the shifter column.
http://i15.tinypic.com/3zksj8i.jpg
You can see here 6 keys , right-lowest key is the key for R gear.
Their shapes are slightly different for best shifting and lowering chances of mistaken switching.
Probably you need in more precise Left/Right adjustment.
If you can’t achieve the reliable shifting then there is something else.

[Mazda3X2]

can anyone take pics to where their adjustments are? mine is slightly forward from the center. ive been adjusting for the past few days and this is probably the best setting for me. but there are times when 1st and 2nd gear feels like its sticking. i have my foot all the way down when i clutch in so im sure its not my foot. anybody experience this? im so annoyed at this cars shifter.....im really thinkin about gettin the twm ss.

I don't think any two cars would necessarily require the same adjustment. It might depend on stretching of the cables, shifter wear etc.

When flyinb22 was over adjusting his, it was in a different spot than mine to hit his "sweet spot".

And getting a TWM STS won't cure this problem. It didn't for either of us anyways.


Back/Forward direction doesn’t play any role for selecting the gear.

sas, did you watch the video? This forward and aft adjustment is actually adjusting the gear select cable and makes a big difference in shift feel. And what car is the shifter in your picture out of?

[sas]

This is the MS3.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123661188
I don’t have the java now, can’t re-watch this video. It seemed to me the man called them right and didn’t touch the shift cable.
The left cable is select cable. The front cable is the shift cable.
When you move the gear stick to left/right this column with keys is moving down/up.(selects the fork) When you move the gear stick back and force, column turns and turns the levers inside the gear box i.e. shifts the fork.
If you can to move the gear stick to left and right at the neutral line, then the shifting cable doesn’t play any role to engage the gear. The biggest problem is to adjust 1-2 and 5-R gears so that those keys were entering freely. Sometimes, the wears do it’s impossible.

[Mazda3X2]

That is a pretty cool write up. I'll have to read it a little more in depth later.

Have you tried this one?

[sas]

Short shifter? No, I’m completely in stock. These mechanical things… the fewer changes , the fewer problems. I use the car only to carry my ass from one place to another, not to beat records. I think, the stock shifter is more comfortable for usual driving.

[Jon2000]

Great video! I adjusted mine last weekend and it made a world of difference. Everyone who drove my car started it in 3rd gear before the adjustment. I've already purchased Ford Motocraft synthetic tranny fluid to try as well - hopefully I'll install it in the next week or so. It's supposed to be a huge improvement over the stock fluid - especially when cold.

[Mazda3X2]

Something happened with my original link in the opening post. Could someone fix it please to this one?

http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa212/Bearman72/MS3/?action=view&current=finetuneshifter.mp4

[stevenma188]

Can anyone confirm if it works on the 5spd?

I just looked at my car, the 5 spds have the same adjustment, so I would assume it would work the same.

UPDATE: I just tried this out on my 05 3 5-speed. Definitely improved the feel of my shifter. I think I might be able to fine tune it further for the optimal sweet spot.

[hastiej]

totally going to try this tonight, cause I have been having a little bit of trouble getting into 1st and 2nd gear at time and getting that lovely "grinding I'm not fully in gear" sound... hope this tweak helps a bit

[cSPEED]

Yep, just did mine. Had the same problem as you hastie. Did it fix it for you? Mine feels fixed but not exactly sure yet as I'm at work and haven't had a chance to get the car into 2nd more than like 3 times. Seems fixed tho!:cool

[speedsilver]

im so doing mine tomorrow, 1st and 2nd are kind of stubborn sometimes

[mikey32235]

i bought the cork sport shift plate for 60$, reduced throw by 40%

[Scythe]

I know this thread is old. But I worked through this today and after adjustment the shifter felt way better. For me I had to adjust the shifter slightly to the left (towards 5th/6th). Made it so that getting into 1st and 2nd was easier, and feels smoother now too =D