Alignment issue - Love my MGW
MGW shifter install problems....
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 52
From: Boise
MGW shifter install problems....
Okay so back in 08 when I first got my car, I purchased an MGW shifter, which was new to the C5 world at the time I believe. I enjoyed the shifter but after riding in my friends car with a B&M, I decided to sell the original MGW and swap in the B&M because it was much easier to shift.
While trying to sell the MGW I got a message from George saying that he was looking for an original MGW for a race car project he was working on, and that if I was interested he could send me the newest version of the MGW, which apparently is a lot easier to move side to side, and I agreed.
So I've had this shifter sitting around for a few months and I finally got around to putting it in today. I took out my B&M and swapped in the MGW and....wtf!
This think is WAY stiffer than the original MGW I had, and in addition to that, I am having major problems getting into 5th and when my car is turned on I can't even get into 6th.
So I am wondering if there is maybe a mistake I made when installing this shifter? It's not exactly rocket science I know but I feel like something definitely went wrong.
Any ideas?
While trying to sell the MGW I got a message from George saying that he was looking for an original MGW for a race car project he was working on, and that if I was interested he could send me the newest version of the MGW, which apparently is a lot easier to move side to side, and I agreed.
So I've had this shifter sitting around for a few months and I finally got around to putting it in today. I took out my B&M and swapped in the MGW and....wtf!
This think is WAY stiffer than the original MGW I had, and in addition to that, I am having major problems getting into 5th and when my car is turned on I can't even get into 6th.
So I am wondering if there is maybe a mistake I made when installing this shifter? It's not exactly rocket science I know but I feel like something definitely went wrong.
Any ideas?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 21
From: Oak Hill Virginia
You could easily find a detailed writeup with pictures if you search this forum but... from memory:
Ebrake on
Trans in Neutral
Remove your center console
Remove the rubber shifter isolation boot
Loosen the three torx screws
Put the alignment pin from your stock shifter (you can use the appropriate size drill bit or allen key if you don't have the alignment pin anymore) into the hole at the front of the shifter.
Torque the torx bolts down to spec (I think it's 22 ft lbs) while the alignment pin is in place.
Remove the alignment pin and put your car back together
Aligning the shifter is part of MGW's installation procedure. If you didn't do this during the install then it is likely the source of your problem. I recently purchased a C6 and bought a new MGW shifter for it. Lateral movement with the new model requires significantly less effort than the one in my C5...
Ebrake on
Trans in Neutral
Remove your center console
Remove the rubber shifter isolation boot
Loosen the three torx screws
Put the alignment pin from your stock shifter (you can use the appropriate size drill bit or allen key if you don't have the alignment pin anymore) into the hole at the front of the shifter.
Torque the torx bolts down to spec (I think it's 22 ft lbs) while the alignment pin is in place.
Remove the alignment pin and put your car back together
Aligning the shifter is part of MGW's installation procedure. If you didn't do this during the install then it is likely the source of your problem. I recently purchased a C6 and bought a new MGW shifter for it. Lateral movement with the new model requires significantly less effort than the one in my C5...
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,393
Likes: 17
From: Belleville Mich.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,152
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Sometimes, aligning with the pin leaves it of just a little. You want it straight up and down when in neutral in the 3/4 gate. I'd adjust it until you can look down the alignment hole and see it's exactly line up.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 1
From: Orange County California
Love my MGW but it takes a small bit of getting use to...there is no side to side play in nuetral, instead it "clicks" left and right for precision almost like am index shifter...so get i the habit of clicking to the right and up or down for 5th and 6th...
also, very important for making this shifter comfortable and maxin its benefit...change the rubber bushings in the shiftbox, and most importantly, do the anti-venom mod...the anti-venom mod is simple and cheap and makes the shifting much smoother, while the MGW makes the shifting very precise...between the two, you get smooth precise shifting ;-)
also, very important for making this shifter comfortable and maxin its benefit...change the rubber bushings in the shiftbox, and most importantly, do the anti-venom mod...the anti-venom mod is simple and cheap and makes the shifting much smoother, while the MGW makes the shifting very precise...between the two, you get smooth precise shifting ;-)
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