[Auf los!]

Got the B&M for Xmas, and installed it today in my '01 S. Had a LOT of difficulty with it, until I realized that the pre-installed nylon inserts in the two big blue bushings were not installed far enough. Once I tapped them in below the rim of the bushings, the shifter went in fine.

When I had it in the car, and used the marks I made on the cable, I could not access reverse. O-kayyy... I started moving the two cables around in the links, and by positioning the left cable BACK, and locating the right one IN, I finally could get all the gears, whew. I finished the install and took it for a short drive.

HOLY COW, now this is more like it! I know it is supposed to be a 35% reduction in shift throw, but it feels more like 75%. It now shifts much more like my old Miata, and the shifter stays upright, instead of laid waaay back for 2nd, 4th, and 6th. Yes, there is more oomph needed to shift, but I feel it is now in keeping with the steering effort and braking effort...the original shifter always felt floppy and loose to me.

I think I need to adjust it some more, though. Getting reverse was never easy, and now it is about twice as difficult, and it feels like I am barely in there, the throw UP is tiny. When I go into 1st, 3rd, and 5th, the shifter is banging on something...it feels and sounds like metal on metal, or metal on thick plastic, anyway. It's almost like I now have a gated shifter, and the shifter shaft is hitting the end of the gate. In a way, I LIKE it...I am so used to NOT knowing when I am in a gear, that it is great to hit that "stop" and KNOW that I am in gear before letting up on the clutch, but I find it hard to believe that this is correct, mainly because there is no corresponding "banging stop" for 2nd, 4th, and 6th.

Those of you with B&Ms...can you give me some tips on adjusting this? Am I right in thinking that I should eliminate the banging stops? And will getting over and up for reverse always be a lot more difficult? Thanks!