I had a rattle and loose feeling recently coming from the F-Body MGW shifter on my LS swapped BMW. After some inspection, I found that the small nylon/delrin washer that sits underneath the shoulder bolt had cracked and split. Washer shown here in white, just ahead of the shifter shaft (not my pic)



So I removed what was left of it, and replaced it with a regular steel washer. Buttoned it all back and up and the shifter felt VERY precise compared to before, although lever effort also seemed to have gone up considerably, which is kind of a pain - fast shifts are now more difficult, especially at high RPM. I am wondering if that nylon washer had anything to do with lever effort.

It should be noted that the trans did have the fluid changed just a few weeks before the above happened - this is the stuff I am using. Fluid level is correct.


Trans is an F-Body T56 that was rebuild to stage 2 specs by Texas Drivetrain Performance. They did a great job and I've never had any sort of issue with it.

 

Look at the pics in this thread. I don't think the replacement of that washer has any effect on the force required to shift the trans.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/manual-tr...-pictures.html

 

Thanks. I think I might try a different fluid, we'll see.

 

FWIW I'm using the same Castrol Trans lube as you and I feel it gives marginally smoother shifts than the Valvoline des/merc I previously used. I've got a theory that the higher the pivot a aftermarket shifter has the more notchy it will be as it moves the shift rail faster for the equivalent shift speed. At some imaginary extreme shifter pivot height a normal shift speed would move the shift rail at the same speed as a shorter pivot does when power shifting. If that makes sense.

 

put some cheap dex 3 in there and do the antivenom mod.

 

Notchy is less rubber crap in the shifter to dampen it. If you don't like the positive shifting and claim "high effort" from a MGW then switch to an auto...

MGW makes the best shifter out there. Had on in my 04 GT, 03 Mach 1 and 04 GTO. Eventually I will work one into my 95 Z but the B&M is sufficient for now.