What is causing our MR2’s shift linkage to keep binding?

It would be nice if we could shift our MR2’s gears, right?

In the last update on our 2GR V6-swapped 1991 Toyota MR2, we left things hanging a bit after we installed the shift linkage and rebuilt the transmission bell crank. We had smooth actuation of the cables, but the linkage seemed to be binding.

Once we removed the linkage, though, we could easily shift the transmission by hand using the bell crank. The bushing that we had manufactured out of acetal plastic was doing its job, but something in the system was still binding, not letting the shifter easily articulate back and forth.

Well, after taking some measurements, it turns out the fix was pretty simple–something we hadn't anticipated, although we should have.

Although we installed new shifter cables from MR2Heaven, our bind persisted. We’d used these cables before and they worked just fine for us, so we assumed everything was okay and the problem was elsewhere.

Turns out there was an issue with the cables, but not exactly a defect.

See, the V6 engine is actually shorter than the original four-cylinder engine.

The Frankenstein Motorworks engine and transmission mounts account for some of this difference, but after the V6 swap, the transmission still ends up sitting slightly closer to the passenger side of the car than it did before.

As a result, the original shifter cable that controls actuation in the fore-and-aft plane is now slightly too long–and that was the source of our bind.

The MR2 Heaven cables have adjustable ends to account for some deviation, but even with our adjustment maxed out, the cable was still a bit generous.

We solved the issue with a cutoff wheel. Shortening the cable by about half an inch solved the issue. The stick now falls right into the center of the pattern and engages all five gears and reverse without any binding.

We were all ready to button up the console when we realized the entire shifter box was a horrific mess and there was no way we could accept that rusty abomination in the car.

So we removed the shifter box from the car–all it takes is four bolts once you remove the cables–and set about cleaning things.

The shifter and centering spring remove from the bottom of the shifter plate with a couple bolts, and once they’re off, cleaning is a snap. We bead-blasted the shifter plate and treated it to a coat of black powder coat from our Eastwood Hotcoat gun. Aesthetics were improved considerably.

The bushings that mounted the shifter plate were also getting a bit dry-rotted–the car is nearly 33 years old, after all–so we also treated it to a set of aluminum shifter plate bushings from MR2Heaven.

Our MR2's old bushings (left) next to the new aluminum pieces (right) from MR2Heaven.

While we were clicking around on MR2Heaven's website, we went ahead and ordered a few more inexpensive upgrades for the shifter box, including a shifter drop plate–a simple spacer that lowers the pivot point of the shift lever and puts the cable connections in better alignment–and an adjustable shift lever featuring multiple attachment points replicating several popular aftermarket and OEM shifters. Its various holes can deliver super-short throws to the slightly shorter configuration that came from the factory starting in 1993.

The shifter drop plate from MR2Heaven.

The adjustable shift lever (top) compared to the OEM one (bottom).

The complete kit, including the lever, base bushings and drop plate, runs only $150, so we figured it was a reasonable upgrade while we had everything in pieces.

Of these mods, we feel like the drop plate offers the most bang for the buck. Having slightly shorter shifts is nice–although we never hated the original throw of the stock lever–but the drop plate just puts everything in the right place and makes even the original shifter feel like it’s in a better spot to do its job.

We topped the reassembled, cleaned and freshly greased shifter box with a new shift knob, turned from the final piece of scrap acetal that we turned the bell crank bushing from. Now the shifting action begins and ends with the same piece of plastic, so hopefully that means good shifting mojo going forward.

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