What the hell is RTV sealant??? And what is that gunk in the middle of the shifter?

 

rtv sealant is something you'll need to install your pro 5.0. Go to your local autozone/napa/kragen's and ask for red RTV.

Take off old shifter, scrape off al that gunk (its old RTV). Put some new red RTV on, for it to seal the shifter. Then install the new shifter. Its pretty easy - and you'll LOVE the pro 5.0 compared to your old shifter - its a world of difference.

 

some people buy a gasket that you cut down to shape yourself to put between the shifter and trans, doing this is supposed to keep the vibration down.

 

What's the easiest way to make a gasket to put between the trans and the shifter?

 

Anyone??

 

Like what mineralwater said, it's gasket in a tube (ie. to make your own gaskets).
grease

There's different types of RTV, that have different heat, fluid, etc. ratings. I use the black rtv, just apply a 1/8" bead around the trans. mounting plate (after you clean it of course), slap the shifter on, and bolt it down. I would use thread locker on the bolts (shifter to trans., and where the stick bolts to the base of the shifter...the two hex bolts). These tend to loosen up, and can create some headaches.

Dave

 

Yeah, definately use some thread locker on the two hex bolts that hold the shifter stick to the base. Those two bolts backed out on my 97 SS and I was stuck in 6th gear driving thru a Wal-Mart parking lot.

 

Be sure and get the factory rubber boot cut to fit the new shifter. You want the rubber around the base and keep where that gunk(grease) is nice and clean.

 

make sure you use thread lock, my bolts backed out and I was trying to finger tighten them on I 95 @ 70 mph. my next purhcase
was thread lock. I used RTV around the base of the shifter and it worked fine.

 

Yeah, don't bother with a gasket between transmission and shifter. Just use RTV.

 

Given that Pro 5.0 sends you the shifter with the handle already attached makes me wonder why they don't put thread lock in themselves. It's a major safety problem. I haven't known a single person where the bolts haven't backed out and left them trying to fix it while still driving. Lukcly, when it happened to me I had JUST been to Sears and had a brand new 150 piece tool set in my trunk. Pulled over and shut the engine off (while in 4th gear the whole time), tightened it down, went to Kragen and bought some thread lock. No problems since then.

I agree with Bud. Making the gasket is a pain and just makes things messy. I made a gasket and ended up pulling it out and just used RTV.

 

you can look up my install page on http://go.to/trans-am