• Shift Knob Changes

I have a quick easy way to improve shifting on 91 model 240's. This may apply to other models. The stock shift knob on my 91 240 is very heavy(for a shift knob). The excess weight of the knob made shifting a task. When I changed my shift knob, for ergonomic and visual purposes, I found that the lighter shift knob helped to make shifting quickly much easier. You may find that after you change your shift knob, the boot looks completely unmatched to the knob since the top is flat. I used a  Momo Tall Anotomic knob, and left out the screw on cover. I then cut the stick about 3/4 inch. This gave the same throw as stock, as the Momo knob is higher. This does not cause any problems as the Momo knob is held in place by allen screws at the base of the knob. The trick to making the knob look like it's supposed to be there is to slip the boot  over the bottom of the knob. The problem is that the top of the boot has a plastic frame. You can take out the boot assembly, and modify it to fit over the base of the knob. If you turn the shift boot inside out, you will see the plastic frame(looks like a small donut), and the boot is attached to it with a retaining ring. Remove the retaining ring, and then remove the plastic frame. Now take a small round file and begin to file the inside of the frame. It is a slow and lengthy process as you need to keep checking to see if it will fit over the bottom of the knob. When it fits just around the bottom of the knob(you shouln't have to squeeze it in), then reassemble the boot assembly. Try to fit the base of the knob into the hole in the boot. It should be quite snug. If you can't fit it in, you may have to do some more filing. If everything is okay, you should be able to put it all together in the car. Keep in mind this may only work with some of the Momo knobs. I don't know if there are others that are similar to this.  Tips: If you are using a knob that uses screws at the base of the knob to hold it in, use some loctite on the screws. They tend to come loose and it will feel like something is wrong with your shifter assembly.

Chano
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Another Suggestion

here is another tip for making the shifter boot meet up with the knob.

1st. look at the shifter lever. you will notice a skinny portion and a fat portion. the ring built into the boot rests on the fat portion.
2nd. go to an auto parts/hardware store and purchase a piece of rubber tubing that will fit over the skinny portion but not the fat portion.
3rd. cut it to a length that will fit over the skinny portion to allow the ring built into the boot to rest on top of end of the tube (get the idea)? :-)
4th. reinstall everything and have fun!

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Also

Hey, I've got an even cheaper, cheesier way of bringing the shift boot up to the shift knob. I've got a Razo aluminum knob, but this will work with all knobs. 1st, find some plastic grommets just wide enough to fit over the shifter. 2nd, get some rubber bands and wrap them around the grommet and shifter until it's real tight. 3rd, pull the shift boot over the grommet and replace the shift knob. That's it. Cheap, simple.

alvin
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Another

The stock shift knob is weighted for a reason. changing the knob usually results in grinding 3rd when speed shifting. i suggest using the stock knob on raceing days and aftermarket on those days you will not be speed shifting.

ken
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In reply to Ken's comment that removing the shift knob "usually results in grinding 3rd when speed shifting," this comment is not entirely correct. The grinding is forever present, the weighted shift knob was purposely used to mask this problem. If your car has some gear clash on cold days, try taking offt he weighted knob, you will now notice that this clash has suddenly become grinding of the gears. This was the purpose of the weighted shift knob as many people have gear clash problems, in old and new 240's, but mostly higher mileage 240's (meaning greater than only 50k miles). A weighted knob can do wonders to numb the feel in a notchy/poor shifting transmission, especially in a transmission that doesn't have the numbing effects of all the cables or linkages found in FWD transmissions.

How do I remove the shifter knob on my 240sx? Its very, VERY tight.

Well. I dont know about other years but my 1990 240sx shifter knob was a b***h to get off. Most shifter knobs screw off with a little force. But no matter how hard I tried with my hands the thing wouldnt budge. So I had to take a towel, (or a thick rag) and wrap it around the knob, get a pair or plyers and unscrew it that way. (the towel/rag is so you dont mess up the shifter knob. And helps get more grip too.) I found this out when I called the Nissan Dealership and the technician there said he had to do this for his 89 240, so I did it. And it worked.

Steve Phillips
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