A week ago I was reading through some posts about the STS rubbing up against the heat shield if it was set short enough. So I decided to take out my heat shield. It feels MUCH better. 95% of the noise has vanished and 100% of the grinding is gone as well. The shifter shifts much easier with alot less stiffness and resistance. It made a world of difference, it's like a whole new car. I thought without the heat shield my shifter rod and boot/**** would heat up. Well, that's not the case. So far, nothing has heated up at all. The only thing is sometimes it's hard to get the shifter into gear, especially 5th. Lots of resistance from time to time. Could it be the extra heat? Or maybe i'm just wearing the shifter out too fast since it's soo short.

I am extremely happy I did this, it makes driving alot less painfull. The only problem I have now is getting the stubbern shifter into the gears from time to time.

i drove all summer with mine off and never noticed it getting warmer... And there were long periods of time it was over 100 or so.

SuDZ

Check AND recheck that the shift rod is NOT hitting the front of your console underneath the shift boot.

I'm not sure about the 4th gen, but MINE is pretty much as low as you can go and it hits in 1st, 3rd, and 5th.

You know you want to say "I miss my auto"

Your always tryin' to get me to say stuff like that. Well it will never happen! NEVER!

I won't lie to you...there are things I truly miss about my auto. The 30 min. drive at 7:00am to school kinda gets annoying! 5spd has become like second nature but the auto allows you to relax while the 5spd requires you to be paying attention all the time...I guess that's a good thing. I also love the rolling back and forth at stoplights and what not, but that too can be nerve racking. People getting on your @ss at a sloped stop light is annoying! One time a guy behind me freaked out and honked at me because I rolled back to get into gear and go (had to)...the moron should have taken his precious bimmer a couple feet back.

...so little things like that fray at your nerves from time to time, but whenever I need the speed I always am happy...especially the 3.33 first gear.

Why not just stick it in 4th and forget about it?

Quote:
I also love the rolling back and forth at stoplights and what not, but that too can be nerve racking. People getting on your @ss at a sloped stop light is annoying!

OH.. Your one of them huh??

SuDZ

My occasional stacked up 1hr 20min drive home at 0-20 mph seriously does not bug me in the 5spd.

umm...yea

Then God gave you lots of patience my friend! I wish I were as mellow as you are about it.

SuDz, I don't quite follow what your implying.

When I get trapped, or have extended periods of city driving, it's no biggie. But it starts to get annoying because of problems with my clutch (rumbling/vibration in pedal). It's nothing like the workout a traffic jam in my Acura used to be, with a resistant cable clutch.

On the "One of those guys huh?" part?? I mean why is it that people with a 5 speed at lights on a hill always have to roll so far back at you when launching. That and why they roll up five feet roll back roll up 5 feet roll back like 15 times while waiting for a light.

SuDZ

Oh, lol. I thought you were 5spd?

Well, I personally know that sometimes it can't be helped. As far as the rolling back and forth like 15 times...well that's just fun. It gives you something to do while waiting for the light, makes automatic drivers feel like pansies and/or missing out, and to let the world know that Maxima's are available with a MANUAL transmission!

And also eats up your clutch.

Whatever kiddiot is next to me revving his honduh knows I'm a manual when I lay rubber off the line and my tail bounces like a **** on each shift.

I prefer the stealth approach

I do have a 5 speed.

SuDZ

good call on the stealth approach. and I'd never heard "kiddiot" before, that's pretty good.

I like to roll back and forth in my auto

If i was an auto I would too... That way I can break it and have a reason to do a 5 speed conversion.

SuDZ

All I do in traffic is leave it in 2nd gear, and keep back a few car lengths from the car in front of you.... I almost never press the brake or clutch.... as traffic moves, just give it a lil gas to increase speed while still keeping that distance...

Yup. And even in stop and go traffic you can get to almost a stop in second without stalling. So really play your distance right and your fine.

SuDZ

<Quote> "You know you are a Rice-boy when you pop your auto into neutral and roll back to simulate a 5-speed" </quote>.....

rush hour doesn't bug me either i even deliver pizzas and still love driving. and on top of all that i have the ACT clutch which is 10x harder to press down (every other clutch i've driven since my ACT feels like a hot knife through butter). don't be such a baby craig


Trevor

before my first max was auto, i actually slept on the wheel once and ran into the sidewalk. That's the worst way to wake up, i was sooo scared. With 5 speed, its a lot harder to fall asleep on the wheel because if you are not in a good state of mind, you'll be jerking and what not and you cna't sleep when your movement isn't smooth...

plus nobody in my house can drive my car except my father

Is the ACT REALLY that much harder to work? I am boosting soon and will definatally need a stronger clutch. But I don't want it to be alot stiffer. What should I do?

You ever driven a 94-98 Cobra or GT 5spd before, Trevor? Their clutches are really stiff because they use a manual clutch system while we have a hydrolic reservior. The Max + ACT isn't that stiff is it? Ever driven a Z28? Their clutches are stiffer then ours but it isn't bad at all, not nearly like the stangs. What do you think?

after 1k miles the act is fine. not like a domestic at all.

and craig... 2 things.

1. you're a baby

2. PLEASE consult us before starting a whole thread *****ing about how much a product sucks. about 17 people told you in that thread to remove the heat shield or bang it out correctly.

haha i blew it out of proportion. yeah, i have several friends with stangs (95 and 96 GTs) my clutch is not that stiff however if you go from your clutch to mine it will feel a lot stiffer. you get used to it after a few days and after you get 1k on it it feels a little looser. WELL worth it


Trevor

Boostin...??? I thought ur sis was gettin the max, and you was going muscle bound...

That was the plan, but I am pretty much getting the supercharger and clutch for free...can't pass that up! Besides, the Z we were looking at had a bad rear differencial, needed a 60k tuneup, and had bald tires. That's over $1000 right there.

Who knows, maybe the supercharger plan will fall through and I will get a Z But there's about a .1% of that happening. The muscle car is going to have to wait a few more years.