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Is there any way of removing the box that the shifter is placed in for the Miata 1.8L? There's crud in mine; I have to remove the side panel every time I remove the engine. I'd like to clean it up before starting the car, but have no way of removing it from the bell housing. There are four bolts that hold it in, and then a tube that enters the transmission bell housing. I can't get that tube loose. There seems to be some sort of stud or peg on the box side, but I don't see anything other than a sensor of some nature on the bell housing side. Haynes is no help, as usual.

Any ideas? I will try to take a picture later on tonight.

Grrrr... cmon... Hasn't anyone worked with this before?

I have, but I dont rember how, i belive you might have to take the case apart to remove that console. inside the brass looking tube is the shift shaft, and it has a metal block roll pinned to the shift shaft, you will need to remove the shifter and the side cover for the housing, and beat out the roll pin, then you might have a chance of removing it to the rear. When I get home, I will look, I have a miata one and an rx7 one (same trans different shifter position) but it will probly be around 7-8 pm eastern


on second thought, you might have to take the other end of that shaft off, inside the case. ill look when i get home.

Ugh. Maybe a can of WD-40 and an air compressor might be a better idea than taking it off.

I tore into mine to no avail. That box had the bolt mounts ripped off of it on the original tranny from my donor. All that was connecting it was that shaft. When I tried to pull it out of the case I could hear it moving the shifting fork and I knew it wasn't out. I disassebled the small parts from the shifter box to try to disconnect from that end. No go there either.

You are supposed to run that box full of gear oil anyhow, just fill it, shift a few times to hopefully release any crud in mechanism and disassemble and drain it. The plate on the bottom and side of it has a spring and ball in it. Be careful that you don't lose those parts when it comes apart.

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

Yeah, I know all about those parts... That's what I have to remove every time I pull the engine out due to the (relatively) narrow transmission tunnel.

Yeah that tunnel is pretty narrow. You are going to need some super stiff engine and tranny mounts to keep that thing off those fuel lines. I was shocked by how much mine flops around with a stiff prothane tranny mount and stock engine mounts. Probably about a half inch in either direction just starting it and revving it etc. (especially on my engine because it sputters and stalls) I imagine a clutch dump with some sticky tires would move it as much as 3/4" or more laterally.

You might consider moving those fuel lines below that shifter box. The pic below shows how I did it and my tunnel is narrow too. (but taller than yours I think) I don't know if you have room there or not, but it seems like the safest way around.

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He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

These come apart pretty easily, actually.

First, remove the shifter. Then remove the side cover on the shift box. You will see a bolt that holds the detent mechanism to the shift rod. Remove it.

Then remove the reverse light from the forward part of the shift tube and then the four bolts that hold the shifter assembly.

At this point you should be able to tap the detent back off the shift rod and start sliding the shift tube off of the main transmission case.

Once the detent is clear there is a spring and ball that you have to catch.

But that's it....no other hidden bolts or pins.

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Jack Collins

Jack,

So I'd have to remove the transmission from the engine... ugh. I didn't get that until just now--after coming in after a few hours of working on the car. I tried for a while to remove it, but there are two pins beneath the two bolting points that won't let it slide off.

I finally gave up and sprayed it with half a can of WD-40, and it's good to go. I made a gasket and it is setting now.

Chet, yeah, I'm thinking about that now. I originally didn't think I'd have room, but that might be the better idea. Which sucks, as I'll have to buy more flex line. Oh well. The other option is to install one or two hydraulic buffers to keep the engine from moving much--I've been wanting to buy a damper for my Mini... I've seen it run on a dyno--where others moved maybe half an inch, mine moved more towards two inches... nothing bad, per se, but interesting none the less. I also have very little room for the exhaust to move without hitting the steering column, so it may be a good investment.