Is it normal to have a lot of play in the shifter?

[Flw Sock]

I've never had play in any of my cars shifters, but in my Festiva there is a lot. When it's in any gear, I can move it side to side a solid 6 inches. Is that normal? How do I go about fixing it if it's not?

[Damkid]

Is it normal to have a lot of play in the shifter?

There's supposed to be little bushing at each moving point in the linkage, chances are your bushings have worn out and fallen out, pretty common for a festiva

[Flw Sock]

Will it cause any harm if I leave it as is?

[FestYboy]

not really but a tight shifter is fantastic...
shifter bushings for festiva

NAPA # ATM0771303

[Flw Sock]

When the shifter is nice and tight - when you're in 5th gear does it rub against the passenger's leg?

When I shift into 5th I usually have to tell the person next to me to move their leg (Lol!), so if I replace the bushings won't it stay in that place? At least now I can move it back to the center so its out of everybody's way.

[FestYboy]

it'll stay in position, BUT it won't be nearly as far to the right as it goes now

[Flw Sock]

Sweet, thanks! I'll replace it tonight if I'm feeling really ambitious. If not, definitely next week.

[jesteratc]

Baseball bat in a rain barrel. All mine have always felt loose. And all mine have been relatively low miles. 60k and 80k

[meg4x]

not really but a tight shifter is fantastic...
shifter bushings for festiva

NAPA # ATM0771303

Thanks for this, I was wondering whether it was just a Festiva thing and if it wasn't, how I would go about fixing it.

I ordered two and will be picking them up/installing it tomorrow. Seems easy enough.

[bobbyspider]

Slop is pretty normal in these cars . I put a nice tight short shifter in the BP car but couldn't stand it so I switched back to the ol sloppy stockie and love it because that's what I was used to on the b6 car

[TorqueEffect]

I say go the shortshifter route, I just did last week and I absolutely love it.

This is the shifter I had ordered for $15 shipped. (I needed a new shiftknob, my stock one is ratty and feels sticky)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190765997633?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Chrome one without knob $6 shipped. http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-CIVIC-...8255d1&vxp=mtr

Gunmetal one without knob $8 shipped. http://www.ebay.com/itm/88-00-HONDA-...429ef8&vxp=mtr

[wyldman]

Thanks for this, I was wondering whether it was just a Festiva thing and if it wasn't, how I would go about fixing it.

I ordered two and will be picking them up/installing it tomorrow. Seems easy enough.

You will need to get 4 packs. Only one bushing in the pack kind of works, you will need to modify the largest one. They do not just drop in! So just remember only one of the bushings in the pack kind of works.

[bravekozak]

If you want some really tight bushings, try Corksport. That way, you only have to crawl under the car once.

[Bert]

New bushings make an incredible difference and it's not much work. If you leave them too long the shoulder bolt starts wearing out the connectors and then the work becomes much more complicated. Mileage has very little to do with any of this. The bushings are merely thin wall pieces of plastic that become brittle in the cold and they're also likely too soft when they get hot.

[WmWatt]

My shifter has alwasy been loose. Hard to tell when it's in neutral.
Have to feel around with it to make sure before starting engine.