Hi. I've owned my three pedal 2006 430 about eight years now and have kept up the scheduled service. It has 19,000 miles. Lately, I'm having trouble getting into 1st from a stop-but only after the car is fully warm, maybe after 30 minutes of driving. Sometimes 2nd too, especially after high rpm shifting from 1st. After removing part of the console and peering down into the shifter, I see no outward sign of trouble. I did notice on the right hand cable, in the eyelet, there is what seems to be a white plastic seal. Mine is broken into a few pieces. The shifter is at the correct location in neutral and I'm using RL tranny fluid. Any Ideas what could be going on? maybe clutch? Maybe internal(hope not)? Thank you for any insight. Chris.
I know that on the 360 there is a plastic bushing that fails and replacing it with a Hill Engineering metal part solves a similar issue. However, I'm not sure if this applies to the 430.
Although the shifter is in the correct position, check for side to side free movement. If there is any, your shift bushing needs to be replaced. After replacement, you might need to have the shift cables adjusted. Although it fixed the shifting 90%, the cables were not set for the new bushing, hence the adjustment after replacement. Mine had the same symptoms and this fixed it. Now it shifts into first and second cold or hot nice and easy.
I had the same problem. The plastic bushing develops a hairline crack and the plastic tends to flex more when hot. It doesn't always crack on the top, sometimes one of the "legs" develops a crack, and you cannot visually see this from the top.
OK, if I'm understanding this correctly, I do seem to have free movement to the left, maybe about 3/8-1/2 inch, but it does return to the correct position. I'm reading free movement as very little or no resistance left and right. Chris.
Good to know. I guess removing the shifter for closer inspection is the logical thing at this point. JaguarDriver, SoftwareDrone, SCKOMS thanks for the input. Chris.
Check for oil contamination in the coolant or loss of coolant. When my heat exchanger failed I had some symptoms like described by OP
You're right down the road from me so feel free to come over if you want to do this. I have done this procedure over a dozen times (helping other people, etc.).
Bushing is split !!!! pretty easy to fix just watch it when you are pulling the cables, I broke the reverse lockout when I changed mine. Funny thing was the car went to dealer and they changed shift cable.
Mike - Is there a write-up about it somewhere? Mine is fine but I may just add it to my winter list...
OK, I'll check on that. I just had all the fluids changed by the dealer four weeks ago, but I'll check level and signs of oil contamination anyway. Thanks Greg. Mike, if I run in to problems, I may take you up on that offer. I've recv'd great advise from from everybody hear. Thank you. Chris.
Never ever like to hear of a felloe enthusiast having issues, but it does make a change to hear about a 3 pedal car having problems instead of the constant stream of F1 guys pulling their hair out!! Hope you get the issues sorted soon rather than later, and cheaply!! Good luck.
The side to side cable is the one effected by the shift bushing going bad. Easy enough to drive with the console off. The cable just pops off and you can make an adjustment and drive on. Do not make more than a half turn at a time as it is very sensitive. The results will be obvious and quickly seen.
I pulled the shifter out, cleaned and inspected the bushing but could not see any cracks. Once I removed the pin and slid the parts off, the bushing come off in pieces. Just goes to show you why the shifter must be must removed. I'll post back after new Hill part installed. Chris.
Great job! When I work on an assembly like that I take it completely apart and re-assemble it with care to be sure it works as designed. Our cars aren't brand new anymore, so make every part you touch look like it just left the factory.. I've treated every car I owned that way and it's worked out well. Im going to order that shifter part just because it's designed better than OEM and I can refurb the entire thing while apart..
I agree. Being proactive, when possible, is always a good Idea. I can't believe the factory would design and manufacture this part in plastic. I guess to save money maybe. Chris.
I have the same exact problem with my manual 2005 spider. Dealer took it back for 2 weeks, changed the bushings to the aluminum ones, same problem!! What do you guys recommend as my next step. Let me know how the 430 runs after you change the bushings.
Hi guys, I just sent Chris a message because I'm having exactly the same issues with my 2005 manual spider. I had the bushings changed but that didn't help. Don't really feel like having the dealer have the car again during prime east coast driving season. Any advise? How do you adjust the cables?
