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Well, I installed my B&M short shifter... And you know the retaining ring? Well, I couldn't get it back on, it seemed too smalll, so i said f--- it, and just drove it, i shifted from 3rd to 2nd and punched it, and the shifter fell threw the floor, is this because the springs not on it? Anyone help me out?

anyone?

Yes, as you have experienced, the spring is supposed to hold the shifter in place.

heh, how the f--- do i fit it back in??? any help?? the spring looks physically too small now...

The spring has to go in a certian way.. It will fit in one way but not another. Regardless, it shouldent have fallen through the floor.. the spring only keeps it from coming up not down. If it fell down then you probally need a new shifter base, I cant remember the name of it right now but its that rectangular part with a rod attching to your transmission that the shifter goes into. There are these rubber mounts inside that and they give out after a while. When I put in my pacesetter short shifter I had it in and it fell through the floor even before I got a chance to out it back togethor. Had to go to mazda and dish out around 100 bucks for a new base. Check and see if that is your problem or not.

won't fit with the B&M. you might have to cut the spring some or just get a U-clip that fits the shifter.

And if it falls through the floor, you can either buy an entire new shift linkage from mazda for $280, or drill a hole through your floor pan & the shifter to hold the thing up.

After having a short shifter for awhile, its more prone to wear out the rubber retaining things that hold the entire linkage up. Eventually they'll give way and the thing will fall through the floor. Its common on all of the FWD mazda's i've encountered.