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Quick Review: MGW X-Spec

higdominator

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I have finally started adding the last few things to make my car kind of come together and to also get ready for the upcoming racing season. Some things I just can't put off (new fuel lines, adding a 3rd pumps, etc) and one thing I was on the fence about was a shifter.

I am one of the few people who felt the stock shifter was adequate, and in my opinion it was comfortable and worked just fine, why replace it?

Enter the last few weeks. I finally got the car somewhat sorted to do some testing using the stock clutch (:eyebulge:) and all of my 850whp in WOT shifts with a WOTbox. At first I was having no problem banging the 2-3 WOT with around 100ms delay in the box on street tires. I say street tires because I feel that is important. I decided to mount up my ET Street R bias ply for some real testing, 60 roll hits in 2nd gear (3.15 rear gearing) and then run through 2-3, and 3/4 WOT. 1st run- BAM 3rd gear lock out. Over and over. I tried 4-5 times. Short of lifting and letting the powertrain realign the 2-3 was not happening under WOT with sticky tires and the stock shifter.

Enter the MGW X-Spec with short handle. I knew what I was buying so I will spare the oohs and ahhs. It's a high end piece/thread. What I was hoping (and was optimistically certain about) was that the shifter would cure that 2-3 lockout. I assumed it was because my power comes in hard above 4K and keeps growing. You can feel it pull over in the solid mounted MGW. I'm assuming that with the sticky tires there was some fighting between the trans and rear wheels that compounded the movement of the stock shifter and made it impossible to accurately locate the 3rd gear gate under racing conditions. The cure? MGW.

THIS THING IS OUT FREAKING STANDING. Much more crisp than I imagined, super stiff, positive shift stop feel, and the NVH through the handle reminds me of the good ole days in my direct mounted shifter cars. I have probably killed my stock clutch powershifting the car over the last 12 hours. I just got back from a repeat of last nights test and this car is an animal. I will be moving my shift delay back to around 85ms as the shorter throw and accuracy of the MGW will allow much faster engagement. This thing makes the 2-3 shift easier than getting the car into reverse.

I am glad I waited to install this as one of my final mods. The last 3 things I have done to the car have all been "the best thing I have done ever" and this is right up there. (Paxton, 3.15 swap, WOTbox, MGW).

If you are on the fence, I would say go for it. You may not really need it but by the time you do need it you would have built up nice strong MGW forearm muscles.

Next up: Replacing this poor abused stock clutch.....:paddle:



**For those looking for install notes: I've done a few of these installs. All were the previous race spec which had to be loaded in from under the car. This install of the current shifter body design is super easy and dropped install for me by at least 45 minutes. I did it in 2 hours including breaks to eat pizza and help hang ornaments on the Christmas tree. **
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Bert03GT

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Upgrade your trans fluid to the Optimum Performance. I already had the MGW and just changed the fluid last week and now wish it was the first thing i did.
 
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higdominator

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Upgrade your trans fluid to the Optimum Performance. I already had the MGW and just changed the fluid last week and now wish it was the first thing i did.
I've used BG since day one. I have tracked the car quite a bit this last year so fluids and other things have been addressed.:cheers:
 

Competition Orange

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Damn you.

Can you tell me more about the NVH? I've been so close to purchasing one lately because my shift bracket creates an ungodly vibration in the shifter. I've torn the console apart 4 times, probably 4-6 hours combined time trying to fix the noise. I have it down about 40%, but it's still ridiculous.

I've heard the NVH is there, but nothing terrible. Thoughts?
 
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higdominator

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Damn you.

Can you tell me more about the NVH? I've been so close to purchasing one lately because my shift bracket creates an ungodly vibration in the shifter. I've torn the console apart 4 times, probably 4-6 hours combined time trying to fix the noise. I have it down about 40%, but it's still ridiculous.

I've heard the NVH is there, but nothing terrible. Thoughts?
I donā€™t hear anything new. I used both the included insulator and stock white insulator when I put it back together. I do feel more of the motor vibration in my shift knob but it is minor and is preferred for me. I have 0 complaints about anything NVH related.
 

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BmacIL

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I donā€™t hear anything new. I used both the included insulator and stock white insulator when I put it back together. I do feel more of the motor vibration in my shift knob but it is minor and is preferred for me. I have 0 complaints about anything NVH related.
This. No added noise when everything is put together correctly. Shifter vibrates a little but not in a problematic or annoying way at all.
 

racingandfishing

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Damn you.

Can you tell me more about the NVH? I've been so close to purchasing one lately because my shift bracket creates an ungodly vibration in the shifter. I've torn the console apart 4 times, probably 4-6 hours combined time trying to fix the noise. I have it down about 40%, but it's still ridiculous.

I've heard the NVH is there, but nothing terrible. Thoughts?
If you don't mind my asking, what shift bracket are you using?
 

08StangGT_CS

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Great review. I used to get the lockout on my ā€˜12 and this took care of it. One thing I didnā€™t like in my ā€˜12 is the interior above the transmission tunnel would get hot. Any signs of this happening here?

Anyways I feel my shifter in the ā€˜17 is good but Iā€™m about to go turbo and might need something as well.
 
 




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