Anyone ever install the shifter with out loosening the heat shield. I am gonna attempt this tomorrow and just wondering about that step. What's it like down there for room?
I'm sure if I try to loosen the heat shield bolts, I'll break them clean off. that'll **** me off and then I won't want to finish this project.
Any input?
thanks org.

 

The heat shield covers everything you have to take out (except the cat)... You have to take it off..
My car looks EXACTLY like yours.. and now I want red/clears so much more!

 

You don't have to completely take it off. You can disconnect the two peices near the cat so that they hang down. But it is a pain in the a$$ that way.

 

Just rip the shield down, its useless. The STS can be installed with the exhaust in the way, just takes some sweet maneuvering.

 

I would want to have that heat shield there. After all, it shields heat. But more for the reason that it protects the shift rods and shifter bushing from dirt, salt, or whatever may kick up from the road.

 

another question... how much time should I budget for this install? I don't wanna think 2 hrs and it ends up taking like 6.

I installed my stillen pop charger in about 3 hrs. addco rear sway bar in just over an hour. using that as a guide line how much time should I be looking at?
thanks again.

Oh yeah, thanks for the compliment on the red/clears.

 

mainly depends on how fast you can get the catalytic converter bolts off. its a total pain. i would say 2 - 3 if you havent done it before.

 

You don't need to take any part of the exhaust off, other than the heat shield.

 

Without removing any of the exhaust, I'd say it took me about three hours and I got my hands dinged up pretty badly as well. If you're experienced it should go more smoothly than that.

 

you might as well remove the cat. it makes things a lot easier.

 

I'm sure the cat bolts are rusted beyond. I'm gonna try and not remove them.
I'll leave them for the exhaust shop when I do the exhaust.
2-3 hours huh. Should take me more than that... well I'm off.
I'll let you all know how long when I'm done.

 

My car hasnt had the shields on for well over 30k miles. No issues.

 

its not that hard to install the shifter. just takes a little time. you have to take the heat shield off, as stated above, because everything you need to get to is above it. as for the bolts that hold the heat shield on... i have taken mine off a bunch of times and have 2 bolts broken. it still bolts on fine with 2 less bolts. the hardest part of the short shifter install is bending the heat shield for the shifter to fit. when you bolt the heat shield back up to the car, the bottom of the shifter is going to hit the top of the heat shield, so ur gonna have to bend it so the bottom of the shifter doesnt rub against the heat shield. its not hard to do, just get a hammer or mallet. its just a little custom fab job.
after you install the shifter, have someone hold the heat shield in place. shift thru all the gears to mark on the heat shield where the shifter is hitting. take the heat shield out and dent it so the shifter doesnt hit it. youll see what im talking about when you do the install.
idk if yours will rub, mine is from custom maxma and thats what i had to do to make it work.
best of luck

 

After I did it once I took out the short shifter and put in my stock on in less than an hour. My first time putting it in took about 2 hours. Of course I'm in a shop with a lift and airtools. I took the cat/heatshield completely off too. I took the shifter out cause one of the clips wasn't seating properly so the shifter would fall down and hit the cat... I'd have to pull it back up and try to get the clip in there while driving. Total pain so I sent it back. It wasn't a real B&M either... >_> lol

 

well four hours later and my buddy doesn't have snap ring pliers. **** me off. I got almost done, but then can't finish. oh well... I'll have to purchase some and then try again next week.
It should go smoother next time cause I sorta know what I'm doing.
He's like what do you mean and what are snap ring pliers? You don't need those for this job. I show him the snap ring and he's got nothing to say.
So for now, I put the factory shifter back in.

 

I guess it's just personal preference then.

 

The B&M shifter does not hit the heat shield. There is no extra work besides installing the shifter.

 

that's one of the reasons that I bought the b&m. Sure the c.e. (when they were around) unit was adjustable and the price was pretty good, but you still had to take it apart to adjust the throw. 40% reduction on the throw and no other adjustments/mods needed to install it.
jsmax

 

i wish i knew that before i got the custom maxima one. i just might have to get the b&m because i hate how forward mine sits. second, and 4th gear (when the car is in gear) is where neutral should be, well at least imo