I installed a Hurst Billet/Plus Shifter #3915061. I got it in with no problems. When I took the old shifter out I was looking at I think linkage and some sort of trey or square shaped bowl with a hole in the front and a hole in the back for fluid flow I am assuming. I was mostly dry, is this normal. I kind of expected to be half full for somome reason. The 2nd issue is the shifts are short and firm which I like but they are LOUD. I have a cat back and I can easily hear the shifts over the exhaust and radio. It feels and sound almost truck like. I know I can take out one set of the springs for adujsting the preasure. I like the firmness but I want to lose the noise. I am almost conisdering go back stock if I can't figure out how to loose the noise. Should I have more fluid, and how can I loose the noise, or even are they related?
Thanks

ADDED: I forgot to mention the shift adjustment screws to prevent over shifting are set in the middle. Thanks

 

When I removed my shifter to change my trans fluid, the area you're describing was dry as well. After adding the trans fluid, it still did not reach into the area, so I don't believe it is supposed to. Hopefully someone with more knowledge can chime in.

 

After a few thousand miles or so things will wear in a bit and quiet down, but by that time you will have learned to love a Hurst; you'll never go back! A stock shifter will feel like a rubber connection in a bowel of pudding! Firm is good!

 

no fluid in there is normal, Did u make sure to put the screw down rubber cover back on? If not it will be really noisy.

 

I love mine, when I first installed it I didn't put the boot on or even the console on and took it for a spin. Yes it was noisy, it sounded just like a 1st gen Z/28 with a rock chrusher 4 sp. so I ended up leaving the console out and installing a mister gasket rubber boot over the hole in the floor. That's what a hot-rod is supposed to sound like.

 

Thanks for the input. Yes I put both boots back on, the lower one on the tunnel and the stock leather upper boot. I am going to give it about 100 miles or so then take out the 2 springs and try that for a 100 miles and see what one feels the best to me. I live in a historic district with brick roads and 4 way stop signs everywhere. That was the only down side of the extra firmness in the shfter. It is also the reason I feel I will be forced to chose between long tubes and stock ride hieght, or shorties (I know they suck) and springs. These brick roads are awful.