Im new to this forum and I have a 1992 Plymouth Duster. Yeah i know its not a Dodge, or a muscle car, but Im quite sure its the same as a Dodge Shadow and since the Duster was once a muscle car, I decided to post here. Anyway, I was just wondering if theres a good short shifter out there for it. The stock shifter has way to much throw on it and too much free play in the stick while its in gear, you can wobble it side to side like its in neutral which is kind of annoying at times when Im at a light or something like that.

 

If your car has an A523 trans, which it should (reverse is under 5th gear), I hear that a Neon short throw shifter car be used with only little, if any, modifications. You could just take the easy way out and trim some length of the one that's in the car. New cables may be in you future as well.

 

Is the A523 trans the one for a 3.0l V6? And what type of minor mods are we talkin about here to get this to fit?

 

The A-523 is the 4cyl trans and the A-543 is the 6cyl trans. Both are identical except for the cases. The A-523 has a bell housing/case that fits only 4cyl's and the A-543 only fits the 6cyl's. The gear sets are the same. Either way they use the same shifter and cables, just a different motor set-up.

Check the link for the Neon/Shadow shifter conversion.
http://members.***.net/irocdaytona/neonstsinstall.htm

Hope this helps

 

Thanks Indy. What year Neon should I bet looking for when looking for a short shifter? Also, do you know the engines designation for the 3.0 V6?

 

Well I would guess 95 thru 99. At least that's what the site shows.

Not too sure about the engine designation's. I am not to knowledgeable when it comes to the 3.0L's. Please elaborate if you can so that I can learn!!!

 

Well grasshopper, its a 3.0 v6. made about 141hp and about 173tq. And has quite possibly the worst[:@] airbox i have ever seen before in my life...

 

I have a question about the A523. I recently picked up a 5spd '90 Shadow and noticed that while driving down a bumpy dirt road that the shifter had worked itself out of 2nd and into Neutral. I'm thinking the vibrations from the road caused this, yet one of my friends who's had a '91 competition Shadow thinks that the tranny's toast. Having only driven 3spd auto Valiants before this, I have no ideas, but I don't see why it could be the tranny. What should I do?

 

Before you rule that the trans is dead, I would consult a factory service manual and re-adjust the shifter cables as the manual shows. Allot of times cables get stretched a bit from use and being over 15y.o. they could probably use re-adjusting. The A523 is a good, strong trans. I would be very suppressed if it's toast....

 

I have a 93 dodge shadow 3.0L V6 5 speed, and your right about the shifter having too much play. I do not know of any short throw shifters for these cars, but Im a do it your self guy, and I did figure out a way to shorten the travel distance between shifting from gear to gear, from 7 inches to 3 inches. this only works if you have a non threaded shifter **** with two clips to hold it into place. I would be glad to tell you how to do it.