I've tried real hard to twist it off, I'm not going to break my shifter am I?

 

picture courtesy of http://www.zchickz.com

what are you using to twist it off?

this pic might help.

 

My hands, but it feels like the whole shifter is flexing. Is that normal. The thing is on tight.

 

You have to remove the boot and secure it with a wrench on the bottom and twist with another wrench from the top. Otherwise there is a very good chance you will damage your transmission. Search the forum, there are threads.

 

I tried the whole removing the boot thing, and it didn't work for me. In the end, I just resorted to using brute force. I wouldn't recommend what the guy did in the picture, because it will rip up your shift ****. Instead, use a big monkey wrench and place a thick piece of leather (work gloves worked nicely for me) between the wrench and the ****. What ever you do, don't use the clamping wrench, because the teeth on it will tear up the leather on the ****.

 

I ended up ripping my shift **** as I was trying to remove with the monkey wrench, but I wasn't going to be putting it back on so it didn't bother me that it was torn.

 

i havent tried to remove the shift ****, but i remember reading a few posts on this site in the past on this subject. people were damaging their ***** with the wrenches.

just a suggestion, but why dont you try those rubber strap wrenches like from sears? seems like that would do the trick. not sure if that would work, but seems like it would. also, no scratches from the teeth of the wrench.

 

An oil filter wrench. I don't think it has enough grip to loosen the **** from the struggles these people are describing.

 

Actually yes one of those Craftsman fabric (rubber? - whatever) wrenches is what the serivce manager ordered for all of the techs for the exact purpose of getting the shift ***** off damage free. Funny you mention that.

 

Finally got some time this morning and gave it a try. It was pretty simple to do using two sets of vice grips (one large one). I got the original **** off pretty quickly and in perfect condition. I wrapped it with a chammy.
Got the whole thing done in under 30 minutes and I was being super careful. I'm not particularly mechanically inclined -> if I can do it anyone can!

 

Perfect answer. I removed the boot and got a friend to clamp the linkage underneath the ****, then I just grabbed the **** with both hands and twisted. It came off with some effort.

 

1st attempt...Tried it by hand. No go.

2nd..Lifted the center console up, pushed rubber boot down, and applied vicegrips to the bar for backup while using a wrench on the ****. Also had a buddy helping me. The **** started breaking. No go.

3rd...Used a torch just under the ****...aah the wonderful smell of burning glue and plastic. I was hoping this would soften the lock-tite. Wrong. The threads are way up at the top of the ****. No go.

4th attempt...Now the **** isn't lookn so hot, so the hell with it. Either come loose or break. Well, it broke and pealed completely away from the metal part threaded onto the shaft. Then I used the torch on it, and it came off.

Geeze..And now I'm sure about the new **** because it sits higher than the stock. The throw is much longer. Maybe I'll get used to it.

Does anybody have a stock shift **** they would like to donate for my poor little Z?

 

What kind of **** did you put on ? The NISMO GT **** I just installed sits lower. I havent driven with it yet but my impression from sitting in the car and shifting was that it felt longer now. Might need to get a short shifter kit but alas I'll have to find an installer.