Sorry, I don’t really know how best to explain this but basically, I installed my mgw shifter and it shifts good and fees fine other than it is sort of stiff/sticky in the middle, it has about 3 inches of what I would call “stiff” play. For example if it’s in neutral and I move it about an inch to the left or right I’ll just stay there when I let go, rather than springing back to the center. Now if I move it as far to one side as possible, it’ll spring back an inch or so, but not all the way back to the center.

In gear it can be moved around laterally and wherever you move it, it’ll stay rather than spring back.
Any idea what this might be? I tried to attach a video showing what I’m talking about, but it wouldn’t let me.

 

From what you’re describing it sounds like you may have installed it incorrectly. It should always return to center regardless of how far you move from center. Unfortunately I don’t have an answer for you but a lot of guys tackle these jobs on their own and it’s likely someone else has run into the same exact issue. Did you try searching too?

 

MGW has excellent customer service. Call and discuss your issue, they'll take care of it.

 

Skip to 5.54, since your top cover was not trimmed correctly (will need to be replaced with new unit and re-cut correctly): which causes the return spring back to center tension

 

I trimmed the rubber cover the same as shown in that video, so that couldn’t be the issue..

 

Woah, thanks for this video, Dano. I'm so glad I read this thread. OP - hope you get your issue sorted. Mine is a little different.

I followed the C6 install video from MGW and it doesn't talk about tucking the ring of the boot below the bottom of the boot on the shifter. It just says to make the two boots look like one piece. (See how it looks at 13:40 )
My shifter is pretty stiff trying to move to the 1-2 gate or 5-6 gate from the 3-4 line. I just thought I needed to do the anti-venom mod but it looks like I need to get back under there and tuck the boot down lower.

As shown, mine just sits around the MGW boot like the C6 video shows and I added white lithium grease to keep the friction down. My only complaint with the MGW so far has been how difficult it is to move horizontally, and this hopefully explains why.


I'll try this and if it doesn't change things, I'll do the anti-venom when I change the transmission fluid in the spring.

 

And you did you enough grease on the shaft ball to linkage cup that it not causing binding issues there?

 

Not no, but hell no since the petroleum base grease just causes the rubber to swell over time.

If you want to grease any of the rubber parts, you need to use a silicone base grease that will condition the rubber at the same time to keep it playable/will not cause it to become more soft and swell instead.

 

Lol, thanks. Luckily it's only been on the car for about a month so I'll be sure to wipe it down and use silicon-based grease when I re-adjust the opening.

 

The ball came pre greased and I added grease to the linkage up as well.

 

If boot is cut and installed correctly, it will always pull the shifter shaft back to center.

So question now comes down to if the lower box with trans linkage was not indexed correctly at install that is causing the return problem (did you use the index plate), is the ball to box linkage the problem that is causing binding problems ,or is the trans shaft/tran's internal linkage causing the binding problem instead.

If I had to take a stab at it, when you pulled the old shifter linkage out of the old box, did not take the time to clean up the rod surface, and its bur on the box shaft that is causing binding on the nylon bushings that it runs through.

Short of that, its the upper shifter shaft assembly that is binding up it it pivot movement, and just needs to adjusted/may need to send it back to be adjusted.

 

I installed it according to the C6 video, but the C5 and C6 videos from MGW show the boot going on slightly differently.

I cleaned up the rod surface when I took the old lower assembly out and I lubed it up with a bit of the extra lube that came with the MGW shifter when putting the new lower box together.

I also used the alignment tool so I'm not sure how I could have messed it up. I guess I should explain the situation to MGW customer service and see what they say. If I'm stopped with the car running, it's almost impossible for me to get it into 5th gear because the force it takes directs me right to reverse. The sweet spot to get to 5th is hard to get to because of the tension. When I'm driving it's not an issue because of the reverse lockout. Never had any issues finding gears with the OEM shifter. I liked how smooth that one was, but I do like the notchiness and tightness of the MGW.

How would I know if it's an internal transmission issue? One other symptom I've been getting is the car will sometimes grind when going into 2nd when cold. I know this is a fairly common issue but it only happened once in the past 10k miles with the stock shifter and has probably done it 5 times in the last 500 miles with the MGW. It's almost like it doesn't have enough leverage to throw it past the synchros into 2nd. That's why I'm planning to change the tranny fluid when it's a little warmer out and send the old fluid to Blackstone Labs.

 

IMHO, no matter what is causing the problem you need to take the console apart to diagnose it. Remove the rubber boot, if it no longer binds you have found the problem. With the boot removed and it still binds the problem is deeper, such as in the lower box, or the pinch bolt connecting to the transmission shaft. With the rubber boot out of the way and still binding, disconnect the pinch bolt, if still binding the problem is in the lower box, if not binding it is the connection to the transmission shaft.

When I installed my MGW some years ago I did not have the transmission shaft correctly oriented with the lower box, it looked like it was aligned so I tightened the pinch bolt and put everything back together. After a test drive finding the 5 -6 gate was difficult, it seemed like the shifter was going all the way to the reverse gate, but still going into 5th gear. After taking the console apart I found the transmission shaft was off just a little bit, the concave portion of the transmission was twisted ever so slightly so that although the pinch bolt was tight, there was slop in the lateral movement. I slightly loosened the pinch bolt, then carefully made sure the concave cutout on the transmission shaft was vertical as I re-tightened the pinch bolt. No problems since.
Good luck, and let us know the resolution.

 

I'll definitely post an update. I spent a lot of time making sure that groove for the pinch bolt was perfectly aligned but obviously something's not right based on the responses I'm getting. Thanks.

 

Long-winded update: MGW opened after the holidays today and I gave them a call. They were super helpful with all of my questions and concerns. Everything I described to the guy at MGW sounds normal to him. It should be difficult to get into 5th when the reverse solenoid is not triggered and there isn't really a reason to do this other than testing it out. He said the best way to hit 5th when driving is to basically aim for the glove box and push hard. He also said the best way to hit 6th is to flip your hand so your thumb is pointing down, then push away and down to get to 6th. I do both of those things, so between the guy at MGW I talked to and myself, we think it's all normal. The only thing he said to check is if the screw going into the transmission rod is loose. You can check that by putting it in 3rd or 4th with the car off, then pulling hard left and hard right. There should be a little bit of play, but if it feels like it's moving an inch either way, then that bolt has come loose or isn't installed correctly. He said I would be having trouble getting into reverse if this were the problem though. He said I'm probably having difficulties because I have the shortest upper rod installed as short as it can go, and the gripper **** is the shortest **** they sell, so I'm losing more mechanical leverage than any other configuration they offer. I can change this by loosening the lock nut on the rod and raising the rod up a couple of turns, then raising the shift **** up a couple of turns as well. If that doesn't work, I can order a 1" longer rod they sell for the gripper **** I have or I can order the rod they sell that works with the OEM shifter. Both are about $15 each. I also asked about whether the anti-venom mod would help in the difficulty going between the gates, and he said that only really makes it smoother in the center of shifts, like when you are going from 1-2, 3-4 or 5-6, it removes the "notch" you feel between those gears. He didn't recommend that I do it and knowing it won't change how it feels going horizontally across the gates, I'm not interested in doing it either. So, with all that said, I'm going to take the console off, wipe up that lithium grease, apply a silicone grease, and try to raise the **** a bit to add more leverage. Then do the transmission fluid drain/refill in the spring.

Edit: To help OP, based on what I heard from MGW, you should check the bolt that goes into the notch of the shift linkage rod. Procedure described above. Do you have any issues getting into reverse? Can check these things without taking the console apart again, otherwise I'd call MGW and see what they say. They have been super helpful for me both during the ordering process and troubleshooting.