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From YourSITE.com Technical Features This article will begin the long and arduous task of making the Protegé MP3 “better.” Each story in our series from here on will cover what the MP3 has stock, and compare that to the regular Protegé sedan, Protegé5 hatchback, and the turbocharged MazdaSpeed Protegé.
Shifting Matters The Protegé has a pretty decent manual transmission setup. That transmission carries over into the MP3, and with some other minor modifications into the MazdaSpeed Protegé (MSP). However, shifting the manual transmission can feel a little soggy at times. When in gear, the stock stick can still “move” around a little. In my car, I could put the shifter into first gear, and then with some more pressure, move the stick about 3/4” forward. I didn’t like that. I wanted a more solid feel when shifting. And thanks to a company called Kartboy (www.kartboy.com), that problem was solved. The stick shift in the Protegé has two metal rods running from the stick to the transmission. The first rod is attached directly to the stick itself on one end, and the other end goes into the transmission. The second rod is designed to cut down on vibration and such, so it is attached to the transmission case with a rubber bushing, and the other end is attached to the area surrounding and supporting the stick shift. Kartboy fixes the sloppiness by offering a polyurethane bushing that replaces the rubber one on the transmission case. It might not look like much, and it might not seem like it would make a big difference, but it does. Changing out this bushing is one the best things a Protegé owner can do to get a solid feel when shifting.
The MP3 and MSP also have a “short shifter” when compared to the standard Protegé sedan or wagon. The stick is physically shorter, however the length under the pivot point is the same. This basically gives the car a “shorter” throw when it comes to shifting. Since I was getting the shifter bushings, I figured I might as well get their short throw shifter as well. The Kartboy shifter is shorter on top than the MP3 shifter, and is slightly longer after the pivot point. The quality of the part is tremendous as well. It looked just like an OEM piece, only shorter. After installation, it took a little to get used to the throw as it was about 20% shorter than what I had with the stock MP3. I also had to get used to the new shift knob. The MP3 shifter has a different thread on it than the standard Protegé, so I had to opt for a shift knob as well since I wouldn’t be able to the keep the stock one.
I have driven several thousand miles with the shifter and bushings in, and I love the feel and the throw They work so seamlessly with the rest of the car that I have almost forgotten that the parts are even there. I definitely recommend the bushing from Kartboy if you have a third generation Protegé. They help the feel of every shift so it is definitely a worthwhile upgrade. I know that short shifters aren’t for everyone, so I can’t say that the Kartboy short shifter is a must buy. But I can say that if you are looking for one, get both the shifter and bushings from Kartboy. They make a great pair of items and Kartboy offers package deals when you order both. Plus, when Kartboy sends out your order, you get candy or cool little temporary tattoos; you can’t beat that! © Copyright 2003 by YourSITE.com |
