jgedde
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 17, 2016
- Threads
- 38
- Messages
- 297
- Reaction score
- 96
- Location
- Middle Island, NY
- First Name
- John
- Vehicle(s)
- 2015 GT Premium PP, M6, Triple Yellow
- Thread starter
- #1
This is my first post and I thought I'd share my impressions of the MGW shifter with the gang... This is my third mod (1 and 2 are CAI and tune).
My shifter arrived yesterday and I installed it without any issues.
I have to say this: I have been installing bolt-on on my cars for 30+ years and the shifter is by far the most well-built and designed unit I’ve ever encountered. I’ve replaced a unit from another manufacturer. The shifter I replaced has really nice feel and short shifts, but NVH was a huge problem! You could actually hear the engine through the floor pan as sound was transmitted through the bushing. I also experienced intermittent lockouts. The old unit’s shifter seemed like the reverse lockout collar contacted before the shift rail had been fully rotated over. Plus the reverse lockout collar was made of Delrin machined rather thin in spots and doesn’t look like it would stand the test of time.
Is the MGW as tight and short as the other one? No. But it strikes a perfect balance between performance and refinement. If I had a aftermarket exhaust that could drown out the noise, and was concerned only with really tight, short shifts, the one I replaced is perfect. However, this is a daily driver with a stock exhaust…
The MGW shifter is vastly more refined. There is very little increase in NVH over stock (barring feedback though the ball into my hand but still light-years less vibration than the other shifter). The only extra noise is a slight amount of gear whine. It’s actually a pleasing sound! The decrease in NVH over the other shifter makes my car feel totally different! Almost as quiet as stock.
Like the guy on the pizza box says: “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best.” Well I can say I have the best for sure. J
MGW thought of almost everything in designing this shifter! As a mechanical/electrical engineer and home shop machinist I’m qualified to say the MGW shifter is a work of art!
In MGW's quest for the perfect shifter, I can only make one suggestion… The bolts/nuts that lock the bridge assembly arms on to the transmission… The heads on those bolts are virtually impossible to get to. I got lucky and they both locked up enough that I could get the nut tight. If I need to take the shifter off years from now, I know I won’t be so lucky and not have the head spin while trying to loosen the nut. Perhaps some feature to prevent the head from spinning would be a great addition. I’d say a hex shaped recess, but that would be challenging to machine or require broaching. Maybe a clip that lays over the arm with a hex shaped hole? Pinning the bolt? STI threading the bridge arms and installing a locking Helicoil insert?
Installing the boot, as mentioned in the video, is difficult. My method of getting it on was to jack the transmission up until it contacted the transmission tunnel. This made the shifter poke out from the hole enough that I could install the boot. With some finger muscle, I got it on. In retrospect I should have installed the boot before I inserted the shifter into the hole.... I think the video says to do this. The custom boot blows the cut Dynamat-to-fit approach by a mile.
A PM and I'll tell you the shifterI replaced. I miss the really precise shifts, but not the NVH...
Cheers,
John
My shifter arrived yesterday and I installed it without any issues.
I have to say this: I have been installing bolt-on on my cars for 30+ years and the shifter is by far the most well-built and designed unit I’ve ever encountered. I’ve replaced a unit from another manufacturer. The shifter I replaced has really nice feel and short shifts, but NVH was a huge problem! You could actually hear the engine through the floor pan as sound was transmitted through the bushing. I also experienced intermittent lockouts. The old unit’s shifter seemed like the reverse lockout collar contacted before the shift rail had been fully rotated over. Plus the reverse lockout collar was made of Delrin machined rather thin in spots and doesn’t look like it would stand the test of time.
Is the MGW as tight and short as the other one? No. But it strikes a perfect balance between performance and refinement. If I had a aftermarket exhaust that could drown out the noise, and was concerned only with really tight, short shifts, the one I replaced is perfect. However, this is a daily driver with a stock exhaust…
The MGW shifter is vastly more refined. There is very little increase in NVH over stock (barring feedback though the ball into my hand but still light-years less vibration than the other shifter). The only extra noise is a slight amount of gear whine. It’s actually a pleasing sound! The decrease in NVH over the other shifter makes my car feel totally different! Almost as quiet as stock.
Like the guy on the pizza box says: “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best.” Well I can say I have the best for sure. J
MGW thought of almost everything in designing this shifter! As a mechanical/electrical engineer and home shop machinist I’m qualified to say the MGW shifter is a work of art!
In MGW's quest for the perfect shifter, I can only make one suggestion… The bolts/nuts that lock the bridge assembly arms on to the transmission… The heads on those bolts are virtually impossible to get to. I got lucky and they both locked up enough that I could get the nut tight. If I need to take the shifter off years from now, I know I won’t be so lucky and not have the head spin while trying to loosen the nut. Perhaps some feature to prevent the head from spinning would be a great addition. I’d say a hex shaped recess, but that would be challenging to machine or require broaching. Maybe a clip that lays over the arm with a hex shaped hole? Pinning the bolt? STI threading the bridge arms and installing a locking Helicoil insert?
Installing the boot, as mentioned in the video, is difficult. My method of getting it on was to jack the transmission up until it contacted the transmission tunnel. This made the shifter poke out from the hole enough that I could install the boot. With some finger muscle, I got it on. In retrospect I should have installed the boot before I inserted the shifter into the hole.... I think the video says to do this. The custom boot blows the cut Dynamat-to-fit approach by a mile.
A PM and I'll tell you the shifterI replaced. I miss the really precise shifts, but not the NVH...
Cheers,
John
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