I just put back my engine and while it was out I did that 8mm ball thing, to keep second gear from ever popping out. While my second gear never popped out to begin with, right now I do not seem to be able to shift into any gears.
Car is still not fully assembled and clutch is empty, so technically I only put in the motor and connected linkages, still about 40% of the assembly and bleeding work ahead. Please see my pics and tell me if I need to remove this whole jazz, or is it normal for gearbox to not shift without clutch release.
Ball is exactly 8mm from top of the plug.

 

Your messing with us, right?

 

Afraid not, but I can pull it just like I put it in, in about one minute.
This is plug from top of gearbox, above shifter levers.

 

when you say clutch is empty, assume you mean the hydraulic side...with the clutch assembled in the car and no way to release the transaxle from the engine(clutch-action) the shifting will be difficult or not possible to get some gears, mechanical interference...if the clutch is still out of the car, then you have issues...

 

Its a 8mm ball. you need to drop it inside then put the spring on top. You need a new cap bolt now as you drilled it? to JB weld a ball bearing you ground down.



^^I that order^^

 

Hydraulics is empty, but usually on a non moving gearbox I can still shift into some gears.
My question was about the ball mod itself, did I do it right?

 

Thank you. I was not sure about the order, since never so a picture.
I am thinking if it is designed to increase spring preload by 8mm, then order should not matter. I do have extra cap anyways.
The width of the well seemed a little too large for the ball to stay centered, that is why i did 10mm ball and what you see above.

 

The detent's range of motion almost has it touching the bottom of the cap bolt/screw. I may have one, that is not a part you can buy. There is no part number available.

 

So you are saying that with the ball in, there is not way shifter will work? How is it that many others shift successfully with that mod.
Regardless, my second gear was fine, so I'll probably pull that whole thing and cover my drill dimple with a dime.

 

You were right gentlemen, ball had to drop inside the gear stopper thingie.
Regardless, that plus bolt is identical to BMW 6HP26 transmission drain plug, plus BMW has nice rubber o-ring seal, so no need to mess with thread sealing.

 

I'm a bit late here but I went down this road recently.

Giving that the detent spring only sticks out of the sleeve 10.00mm Using a 8-10.00mm ball will surly put it into a bind and making it very hard or impossible to shift.

That being said I bought a shift arrester kit from California motorsports and they supplied a detent shim about 3.50mm thick to put on the spring between the cap. Very noticeable difference from stock feels nice and firm going through all gears and fixed that stupid 2nd gear pop out issue too! Hope this helps!

 

that is really good info to know. doesn't theirs resemble some kind of brass knuckles shank combo? lol it looks serious, and whatever it is? it's really good to know it "works".

 

Haha Yes. Its has a w shape profile to it.
Heres a link to the part. http://californiamotorsports.net/col...shift-arrester

When I held the old part next to theirs I can see they changed the profile of the shift arrester. They say this allows it to throw all the way into 2nd gear. Which I havent had a 2nd gear pop out since.

 

I shimmed mine off the bottom with inverted 4mm bolt and thick rubber o-ring, totaling about 4mm spacing. Shifting is a lot crisper, but most importantly new clutch feels amazing, pedal is honda civic light and grab is perfect, wow!

So far I think car is running perfect and all the work and expense well paid off.