# B&M Shifter - modification needed.



## LS2FAST (Jul 22, 2005)

All ---

I installed the B&M ripper shifter and noticed a few things:

1.) Shifting did improve, however, I did not feel it was as smooth as others were describing.
2.) I started leaking a trace amount of tranny fluid after the B&M install.

I decided to remove to inspect and noticed a few things:

When the B&M shifter is installed it sits on top of the "base plate" from the previous shifter and once tightened will chrush the rubber gasket below the base plate (resulting in the oil seapage). This happens because the base plate uses a floating pin to prevent the "original" shifter from cruching the gasket.

My fix was to install a washer between the "base plate" and B&M shifter... after I RTV's all the pieces of course.

This did two things for me.... 1st it stopped the leak. 2nd and most importantly my shifting is like "butter" Oh soooo smooth now. It ends up that when tightening the B&M shifter on the base plate the shifter puts too much stress on the "arm" inside the tranny housing. The washers prevented that from happening.

Sorry for the short explanation.... I will elaborate if anyone needs further information.


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## YouHolden? (Jun 29, 2005)

Where should I check to make sure that mine is not leaking? This seems to have been a problem for several people, although I have no complaints about mine yet.


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## vmax (Mar 19, 2005)

LS2FAST said:


> All ---
> 
> I installed the B&M ripper shifter and noticed a few things:
> 
> ...



When you say "washer" do you mean a "shim"? What part did you use to accomplish this?


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## Nemisis (Nov 4, 2005)

I would also like to know about the washer or shim that you used? I will be installing mine in just a few days.


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## Groucho (Sep 11, 2004)

B&M has a retrofit kit for that gasket between the tranny adapter plate casting and the tranny housing....you need to call them and request it.

I, for one, and sick & tired of revising my B&M install...I couldn't get those damned forward bolts off to save my klife. I've been leaking fluid, but I don't have to free time to keep fecking with it.

_Aaaaauuuuuugggghhhh!_


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## LS2FAST (Jul 22, 2005)

ok..Rther than explain all this. I stole this thread from another web-site.... I wish I would of read this prior to my problem and fix...but it is good to know we discovered the same thing.
___________________________________________________________________________
The B&M shifter is held in by two larger hex head bolts and two smaller normal bolts. The larger bolts go through the B&M shifter, then the stock base and finaly screw into the transmission, right? Well sort of … here’s the order again with a bit more detail:

1) Larger hex head bolt
2) B&M shifter
3) Metal sleeve / washer
4) Rubber washer
5) Stock base
6) Infamous gasket (rips, tears, etc.)
7) Transmission

In stock form #1 contacts the top of #3. #3 then contacts #7. #4 allows #5 to “float” snugly against #6. When the bolt is tightened down, #3 prevents #5 from pressing #6 against #7 so hard that … you guessed it … #6 tears.

Now the fun part. Add #2 to the mix. Note that #3 is recessed into a hole in #5. Tighten the bolt. The bolt presses against #2 which presses against #5 which presses #6 against #7 much harder than before … bam … instant cut gasket.

If you repeat the above with the rubber gasket removed and RTV in it’s place the car won’t shift to boot!!!!!

My quick solution was to add two washers between #2 and #3 for each larger hex head bolt. This seems to have solved the problem. My only concern is that I messed with the thing for 3 hours. I hope that the silicon was pliable enough to not tear after being compressed and then lifted. I’ll drive it Wednesday morning and see. The stuff needs 24 hours to cure.


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