I finally got the AE automatic shift **** to work on my 2000 but with an issue.

It took quite a bit of effort, and it is still not 100% correct. I can not get the car to go from reverse to drive. I have to slide my hand down beside the shifter and manually move the selector lever. All other gears selections work perfectly. So, does it work? Yes, but not like it should. I should probably not even say it is "working".

I will say the **** itself does NOT require any modifications.

I'll briefly try to explain how the shift **** works and point out the issue: The thumb part of the **** get pushed in (from left to right), it strikes a plastic "paddle". The "paddle" is on top of the medal rod which goes downward into the shift assembly. By striking the "paddle", and rolling over top of it, this causes the "paddle" to be forced downward. The downward motion causes the medal rod to go down, and at this point, you can move the shifter forward or backward. Without the medal rod going downward, you can not move the selector forward or backward. The only problem is that the "paddle" is different between the 2000 and the 2001. This is why I stated no modifications to the **** itself are needed.

I used a Dremel rotary tool to shape the paddle to the way I thought it was supposed to work, based on inspecting the thumb part of the new shifter. Dave Burnette, of South Point Nissan, supplied some pictures and dimensions of the 2001 paddle. He was great in this whole process. I carved mine to be very close, or to what I thought it should be. However, I think I may have gone just a bit too far in the widdling. Maybe I did not. I just know when in ONLY that one gear, and while pushing on the button, the button bottoms out (e.g. the button fully in) before the selector box is ready to change gears.

At this point, there is nothing more I can do. I believe Dave Burnette said I could get the paddle, but he said the part number between a 2000 and a 2001 are the same. Nonetheless, I've shaped mine ever so slightly wrong or I shaped it too much.

It looks like the paddle is the culprit, and hopefully Dave can come through with a replacement.

 

Nice to see you finally have it "on." Good luck on the paddle and keep others updated on how this ends up.

 

I spent some more time on getting the AE auto **** to work on my 2000, and....it paid off! It is officially on there and working in all gears.

I reported before the car would not shift into park. That was because I "altered" the internals too much. I spent some time today and tried to rebuilt what I destroyed, to a certain degree. I did just that.

I had already ordered some replacement parts from Dave B at Southpoint Nissan. I'm still going to install these parts when they arrive and, basically, do the entire procedure again. I am going to do this because what I have done I see as not lasting the entire life of the car (the rebuild). I say this because I screwed it up then fixed my screw up. That will not last too long, but I am 100% confident if I "start over", it will be perfect, just like from the factory.

I'll post my install process instructions along with some pictures when I re-do it with the new parts. That way, it will be exact and have good documentation. It will be good enough for somebody else to take my writings and the pictures and make the conversion themselves, if so desired. It is really not that big of deal, as long as you don't screw it up....

 

Congrats... definitely good news.

 

Congrats on getting it working!!!
Looking foward to the detailed instructions.

Also wondered what extra replacement parts are
needed to install it correctly and how much were
they? Or can you get them for free being that
it was Nissans mistake in telling us that all
the surrounding parts would be the same...

Sounds as though that would be the
least they can do for there mistake.

 

Does anyone know if Dave has figured out a solution yet???

I am waiting for him to figure out before I purchase it, btw how to contact him besides calling him, it seems like he doesn't respond to his email?????

Tim

 

Why wait for Dave when you can ask the man who changed the shifter?

 

Not to disregard all the hard work that many of you went through, but does this mean I can basically unscrew and screw in an AE auto shifter on my 2001 SE?

 

The only way you will be able to put the AE automatic shifter on your 2000 is the make modifications to your car.

You will NOT be able to buy replacement parts and just slap them on.

Once you make modifications, the old 2000 shifter will NOT work.

I AM purchasing replacement parts so that I can get back to square one again. But, once there, I am going to make modifications again but do it right this time.

Even if you were to purchase the entire 2001 shifter assembly for about $300, which does not include the shift **** itself, Nissan has their parts catalog wrong in that they would send you a 2000 shifter assembly. Dave B has reported the parts discrepency to Nissan.

 

Here is the piece that is the problem:



The white, plastic piece on the end of the rod. This is the piece which needs to be modified. It is permanently attached to the metal rod. So, you can not just swap out the plastic white piece. If you order a 2001 part like this, you get the SAME one as for a 2000, which is wrong. Otherwise, you would be able to purchase this metal part with the plastic piece on it and install it. THe install would be a bear.

The plastic white piece is the part I hacked on and got it mostly working the first time. I then realized I hacked on it too mcuh; therefore, it would not work in all gears. I molded part of the plastic back together to make it work as it does today. As I said, I am not comfortable knowing I molded it back together. That is why I said I ordered replacement parts, the metal rod with the plastic piece on it.

I would recommend going to the "Tech Talk" forum of this website and look at the Infinity leather shift **** modification write-up. That article is very similar to what I have done, but our modifications are more extensive.

 

I have an idea which may salvage your existing situation. You'll probably need the help of someone used to dealing with impression materials and resins such as a dentist. This came off the top of my head so it may not be workable. Start by taking a silicon impression of an AE shift paddle. Place escape holes in the impression to vent air. Make sure your existing whittled down paddle is smaller than the AE shift paddle. Place retention on your existing paddle (holes, grooves, roughening surface.) Place a bonding resing on your paddle (may not be applicable depending on the composition of the paddle.) Place a composite or acrylic resin in the impression and seat it on your paddle making sure you orient it correctly. Remove the impression and finish trim the new paddle. Like I said, just an idea. Good luck!