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M46/M47/M90 Short Throw Shifter
Installation Instructions
Installation is fairly
straightforward, but there are a few points that I’d like to make.
-Everything in our kit
is new and replaces your existing parts except for one thing; you will have
to re-use the C-clip that holds in the stock bushings (this hides under the
shifter boot).
-The shifter knob screws
onto the shaft, so if it ever comes loose just crank it down some more.
-If you bought an M46
shifter with a button and you feel the urge to unscrew the knob, BE SURE to
pull up and remove the button first. Just take a knife or screwdriver and
pry the button upwards until it comes out. If you don’t then the wires will
get twisted inside and you might ruin the connectors that clip onto the
button. To re-install the button it is best to remove the shifter boot and
feed the wiring up into the shaft, clip it onto the button (polarity does
not matter), then feed the wiring back down the shaft and through the
grommet. That way the wiring stays straight and tangle free inside the
shifter body.
-"What is this o-ring for
and where does it go?" is a very common question I get. It is there to
take up the tiny bit of tolerance difference between different cars and
hopefully keep the aluminum bearing cups from rattling. It goes into
the transmission arm first, below the two aluminum cups, and rests in the
tiny groove that's machined into the lower cup.
The first step is to
remove your factory shifter. Jack up the vehicle and place it securely on
jackstands, you only need it high enough to crawl underneath. If you’re
skinny with a high riding car you might not even have to do this. Put the
transmission into reverse, this gives the best access for the next step.
Get a 4mm allen key and clamp the short end into some vice grips, that way
you have a really long key with some grip. Unscrew the 4mm set screw on the
bottom of the stock shifter, it doesn’t have to come all the way out. Slide
out the pin, this might be a pain depending on how rusty and gummy it is,
best of luck! After it’s out push the shifter out of the way and remove the
little bushings, sometimes they’re white plastic and sometimes they’re
brass.
Get back into the car
and remove the shifter boot completely, you will have to pull the shifter
knob off first. Trace the overdrive wiring (M46) and unplug it. Remove the
reverse lockout plate by unscrewing the two small bolts. Take a small
flathead screwdriver and pry out the big c-clip that holds in the pivot
bushings. Now the shifter should pull right up and out! You will need this
c-clip for the new shifter, so pry it off the stock one now, pliers help.
Take out the bushings that might be left in the hole and clean it up nicely
with a rag.
Squeeze the old c-clip
onto the new shifter below the rubber grommet and wiring. Now is the time
to choose what setting you want your “throw” to be. Since these shifters
are adjustable you have the option of changing the throw from around 3” –
4.5” between gears (stock is 6”). All shifters are shipped at the lowest
setting, which is roughly 4.5” throw between 1st and 2nd
gear. Perfect for most people and it should fit on all cars without
rubbing, a HUGE noticeable difference from stock. If you go too short then
the linkages might start rubbing the transmission or driveshaft, but I have
included washers to eliminate that. More later. Also the shorter you go
the “notchier” the shifting feels, and the effort required to get into gears
also increases, so for a daily driver the default setting is perfect. To
adjust throw we are moving where the pivot point is, that main spherical
bearing. There is a spiral clip above and below it, simply take a knife or
sharp small flathead and roll the spiral clips from one groove to the next,
only move one groove at a time, you don’t want to over stretch the spiral
clip. The highest groove on the shifter is the shortest throw.
Now to install it,
remove the lower pin by taking off one of the stainless e-clips. Sitting
inside the car, slide the shifter into the cage and try to make sure that
the lower part lines up with the fork under the car. Gently make sure that
the aluminum bushings are going in straight, it’s a TIGHT fit and might take
some gentle tapping. Once they’re in properly you should be able to snap in
the old c-clip that you installed. Make sure that it is COMPLETLEY seated,
because if it’s not then it might pop out during your test drive, leaving
your car stuck in gear until you fix it again. Route the overdrive wiring
under your carpet and plug it into the stock harness. We will leave the
boot off for now. You can test the OD wiring, turn the key on and put the
car in 4th gear, then click!
Get under the car and
line up the lower bearing of the shifter with the selector fork. Remember
that it’s still in reverse. Now slide the stainless pin all the way in and
clip on the other e-clip that was provided. Needle nose pliers might help
to clip it on.
While you are under the
car take a look at how close the shifter fork is to parts of the
transmission. On an M46 it should be almost touching the housing at the
default setting, it’s fine to leave it like this unless it rubs badly or you
can’t even get the pin in. If you have adjusted the shifter for one of the
shorter throw positions then the fork will probably be hitting. In 740’s
with M46’s the bottom of the shifter might be getting really close to the
rubber guibo on the driveshaft, this is BAD. M47’s should have tons of
room. To fix all of these problems I have included 4 large washers. These
will be used to shim up the shifter cage and give these parts more room to
breathe. The shifter cage is bolted to the transmission with 4 17mm bolts,
remove the two bottom ones and start by inserting 1 washer between the cage
and the transmission on each side. This will pivot the cage upwards and
give you lots more room. 1 washer on each side should give enough room for
the shortest throw on an M46, but I’ve included enough for 2 just in case.
If you go too high then the end of the cage (where the shifter is) might hit
the body of the car. These washers should solve all clearance problems, so
don’t be afraid to use them.
Bolt in the stock
reverse lockout plate, then adjust its position so that the “window” to
shift into 1st gear is nice and tight, then test getting into
reverse with the shifter. The last thing we have to do is install the
shifter boot. To do this you must remove the knob. If you have a shifter
with a button, please re-read the first paragraph! Take out the button
first. The knob unscrews counter clockwise. Slip on the boot, gently
squeezing it over the reverse lockout handle, put the knob back on, play
with the wiring to get the button back in then clip the boot to the floor.
Voila! Go out for a
test drive and enjoy your shorter crisper shifter!
Let me know how you like
it.
If you have any
questions please e-mail me at
John@CravingBoost.com
and I will be happy to help!
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