tjwong

After dinking around with different remedies for the dread aftermarket shifter rattle, I finally totally eliminated it. First I got the latest MGW shifter from George at MGW, and a new C6 shifter box. The difference is that the standard C6 box has rubber mounting vs the solid mounts of the Z06. With this combination installed there is absolutely no rattle of any kind. The replacement of the shifter box probably accounted for most of the remedy. The new MGW design was also an improvement over the last design.

Some say that replacing the Z shifter box with the soft mounted C6 box makes the shift feel less positive. Personally I can't tell the dfifference between the two boxes, to me with the new MGW shifter it feels 200% better than the stock OE GM design.

lkrassner

i hope your shifter doesn't rattle when the weather changes and it's cold outside. i have the older version and mine rattles when the temperature drops.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Yup.

DJ'sZ

Did GM change the shifter box in the '09 Z's...? I've had a MGW shifter and race **** for several months I plan on putting in soon. Guess I'll be installing a C6 box if GM is still using the Z06 box...

tjwong

I don't beleive the went back to the rubber mounted shifter box. As for mine I feel there is no noticable difference in precision between the soft and the hard mounted shifter boxes. The best part is that there is absolutely no rattle where there used to be when I romp on the throttle in second or third gears. Before the box replacement my wife would ask what that obnoxious noise was when I would get on the throttle, it was really unbecoming of a car that cost near 80K!

Zoxxo

"Soft mounted" certainly gives the wrong impression

Anyone who claims to actually feel a "less positive" action due to those thin fiber washers (bolted down at 22 ft/lbs) is fantasizing.

I'm surprised that the Z gets a different part at all. It must cost GM less to purchase.

So just why does the base C6 shifter box fix things for most folks?

The more I've thought about it the more I think that the rattle is being caused by a -slight- gap between bottom of the shifter box and where it rests on the chassis (or is supposed to.) Mass production could certainly create variable distances in different cars.The tranny linkage vibration could flex the box just enough and the faster you spun the tranny the more rattling you'd get. Chassis flex when you get on it could certainly contribute, too.

The C6 shifter box could be increasing that gap just enough to cure the rattle in most cars and seriously decrease it in others. Those who never had the rattle wouldn't install the new box at all (which might actually -cause- the problem ) OR, the C6 boxes could just have slightly different tolerances in their production to cure most issues - washers aside.

Just something to think about

Z//

markiemark

i haven't noticed a rattle. When should I be taking notice? Hard shifts? Thanks.

Zoxxo

If you have the dreaded rattle, you'll know it

Z//

skudlw

My shifter was replace about a year ago with the updated OEM version under warranty. Not a rattle since and also better response. Why go to an aftermarket shifter? Just don't get it.

0INTMD8

I believe the rattle's root cause is driveshaft vibration.

I never had a shifter vibration but recently bent the aftermarket driveshaft in my car. I started getting a shifter rattle so I installed the C6 shifter box, which helped but I still felt like there was a problem. Replaced the driveshaft and it's dead smooth, zero vibration or rattle.

I don't think any real vibration comes from the trans itself as it's the same trans in many other RWD cars and they emit zero vibration through the shifter.

garco1

Does anyone have a part number for the standard C6 shifter box

Zoxxo

2582 3572

Be aware that you can't get the box separately. You get the box and the shift lever together.

z//

Zoxxo

That doesn't explain the fact that changing the shifter box fixes things. And I don't see how driveshaft vibration could possibly cause the sound that _my_ car was making pre-C6-box. It was a real metal-to-metal Gatling gun racket.

The tranny on other cars is not separated from the engine as it is in the Corvette. A shifter that's mounted directly to the transmission is bound to be pretty vibration free. But the Corvette's shifter is at the end of a long arm that could easily be prone to vibrate. I can certainly feel a decent level of vibration in the shifter when I put my hand on it.

Z//

Zoxxo

That's pretty much the same as saying "why have a Corvette? A Sentra should do the job just fine."

Z//

gotjuice?

Maxx Schlick

I never liked how long the original throw was, and how far back the shifter went when in 2-4 and 6. The oem shifter has about 4 1/2 inches of travel. My short shifter moves only 3 inches to make a gear change. In addition I reversed the angle of the shaft on the B&M front to back and it angled the shaft even farther forward. Now 1-3 -5 are as far forward as possible without hitting the dash. 2-4-6 are almost 3 inches forward of where they used to be.

For me, it is a great improvement, and I would not want to go back to the original setup.


OEM shifter on the right has a goofy backward angle..never could figure out why they did it that way.
The angled OEM shifter just never felt right, just felt bent.
B&M on the left has just a slight angle in the shaft and I angled it forward.
The B&M has the same isolated shaft design as the OEM shifter and gives zero vibration or shifter rattle.

0SonOfDreams

It will, mine does

BRISLS1

So is the verdict here, that a newer shifter, 2009+, would guarantee not to rattle?
My 2007 just started this.

Thanks

MTPZ06

Pretty sure the change was made by GM on 2010+ C6Z's to go to the base shifter with rubber bushings. My '09 has the solid brass bushings still. You could try to swing by your dealer to see if its covered...there's an old TSB. Worth a shot...

GM TSB #1879075 acknowledges the "rattle noise."

Repaired under warrantee using part no. 25823571.

#PIC4355A: Manual Transmission Shift Lever May Rattle - keywords **** loose MM6 noise shifter transmission vibration - (Aug 13, 2007)

Subject: Manual Transmission Shift Lever May Rattle

Models: 2005-2007 Chevrolet Corvettes equipped with MM6 Manual Transmission only.
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This PI was superseded to update Recommendation/Instructions. Please discard PIC4355.
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The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.

Condition/Concern:
Some customers may comment of a rattle noise from the manual sift lever. This concern can be intermittent however when present, can be eliminated by squeezing the shifter **** or applying pressure to the shifter **** itself.

Recommendation/Instructions:
Replace the floor shifter assembly with current SPO parts. All previous parts have been purged from the parts system.

Please follow this diagnostic or repair process thoroughly and complete each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.
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Tech

I have a stock shifter and box out of a 2010 Z06 if it's of any use to you.