Quick shifting in a Z24

I just bought a 97 Z24 about 2 months ago and this is the first cable shifted manual transmission that i've ever owned. I've noticed that it's hard to make a quick shift, it seems kind of notchy. I owned a 99 zx-2 (fords equivilent to the Z24, manual shift linkage) and noticed that I could shift it much quicker. So my question is, is this normal for these cars, or do I have a problem? Next question: Do these cables require lube/maintainance? Thanks in advance for imput.:grinno:

from my own experience, i have owned my 5 speed 1998 cavalier since 2004 and it has shifted like dogshit the entire time ive owned it, i had to replace the shift cables once shortly after buying the car and that didnt improve anything one bit, as far as maintenence on the cables...... theres nothing you can do, they just go bad and need replaced, but a cavalier shifting like complete crap is nothing new

does a quick throw shifter help? anyone know who makes them for z24? It's too bad they don't have a linkage type shifter, but I guess the engineers like the cables better because they don't trasmit as much vibration:banghead: .

pretty sure you could fab something up with linkages if you wanted to get real creative, would just take alot of thinking, time and maybe money.

A B&M short throw improves everything all around. Its like night and day b/w the stock shifter.

Thanks, I don't think I'll go as far as fabbing anything since theres not actually a "problem" just more of an annoyance. I will look into the B&M shifter though.

And here I thought I just sucked at driving my car... mine shifts like ass so i guess it's not just me

is there any difference in the 95-99 and the 00-05 shifters??

is there any difference in the 95-99 and the 00-05 shifters??

00-05 has a reverse lockout and the housing is completely different than the 95-99.

Hey just wanted to give you guys an update. I started noticing a whining noise in 1st and 2nd, at first I thought that a cv was going out so I checked them all twice and they were all good an tight. Then I went to Reno (about 2.5 hour drive) and about 1.5 hours into the drive the speedo started jumping around and then just dropped to 0 the rest of the way. It also did the same thing on the way home. So I stated thinking that all this had to be more than just coincidence. I put it up on jackstands and looked and noticed a drip on the pass. side axle shaft seal, so I changed it out refilled the tranny (it only had about 1 quart in it when I started) and this has helped smooth out the shifting some, but its still not great. now today I just noticed a power steering leak:banghead: , hope I've worked all the bugs out now!

Don't you love cavis? When one things goes it takes everything else down with it.

Don't you love cavis? When one things goes it takes everything else down with it.

Its all about maintenance with em. Treat em well, and they'll do the same to you. I give all my vehicles a good once over ever 6 mos of the year, check fluids, do required flushes, filters, run synthetic everything.

I do good maintainance on my vehicles, but I just got it in Jan. so who knows how it was taken care of before me. It seems to run good though, it has 115000 miles and it comped out at about 210 PSI. Hope after I fix this it'll be all good!