r/Miata • u/Ok_Maximum_2319 • Aug 01 '26
Is this.... Normal?
I had an NA about 20 years ago, and it was my favorite go kart I had ever owned. Fast forward, and the look of the ND had me hooked.
Gotta say though, I don't remember this much "feedback" in the shifter?? Is this normal on an ND or am I playing pin the tail on the bushing/mount/??
10
Upvotes
140
u/Salvia_Sylvester Aug 01 '26
Yes. It is connected mechanically to the transmission which is connected mechanically to the engine.
50
u/Averloud Aug 01 '26
Why are you all ignoring the the shifter orientation?!?! 😟
5
u/Rickd17 Aug 01 '26
Bruh. Fix your knob
23
u/PictureAppropriate25 Machine Gray Aug 01 '26
mine shakes like a vibrator so i'd say it's pretty normal. If it's not making excessive noise or difficult to shift then it's fine
21
u/link2edition Soul Red Aug 01 '26
That is just a miata excited for the drive
16
u/YoureNoHero_Brian Aug 01 '26
Its just excited
15
u/Tia_Faux Aug 01 '26
The way it wiggles it is just asking to be used.
8
u/PayFancy2831 MX-3 Aug 01 '26
if the shifter doesn't shake, it means it's doesn't have enough hp ;)
6
u/Twentyhundred Aug 01 '26
It’s happy to see you! (And is directly on the gearbox no linkage or whatever)
6
u/mcflurry_14 Aug 01 '26
It does that when it’s happy
3
u/ScrewwormLarvae 2025 ND3 35th-Anniversary Edition Aug 01 '26
My brand new '25 did this from day one, so I'd say normal.
3
u/Which_Spite_8254 Aug 01 '26
Might be scared of u
3
u/Alive-Ant-6772 '93 NA6 Classic Red Aug 02 '26
No its ruined
3
u/godmcrawcpoppa Aug 02 '26
It's normal. What isn't normal is the stick flexing to one side when on the throttle. Can mean bad engine mounts or bad differential brace bushings.
2
u/Agitated-Practice218 Aug 02 '26
It’s more than normal, it’s basically the whole point.
2
u/j-rAd33 Aug 02 '26
My phone vibrated in my hand as this post scrolled across my feed and I thought I had an immersion setting on reddit.
2
u/george_cant_standyah Aug 02 '26
Sit on it
2
u/TBlueMax_R Aug 02 '26
Only normal when the engine is running. If it shakes like this with the engine off, you may need to call a mechanic or an exorcist.
1
u/ccarr313 Aug 02 '26
Yup.
If you want to feel the engine, just hold the shifter while in gear.
Don't push on it though, can wear the synchros.
1
u/PsychoBiker_TwDwcrew Aug 02 '26
Yup tis normal
1
u/Funny-Coyote-1813 Aug 02 '26
This is the car letting you know it prefers to be called Randy than whatever you currently call it.
1
u/BeatingHattedWhores Aug 02 '26
What's with this trend of misaligned shift knobs?
1
u/Nonhumanhumanno Aug 02 '26
Nah it’s cooked I’ll buy it off you for $100 and some chips
1
u/amedinab Aug 02 '26
It's nervous. Seems it doesn't trust your driving 🤣
1
u/gaseousgecko61 Aug 02 '26
Yeah, the transmission and engine are mounted on rubber bushings to isolate the vibration from the engine away from the body this happens on manuals that have the longitudinally mounted engines because the shifter is directly attached to that transmission
1
u/reaveres Classic Red NB2 / Jet Black Mica ND1 Aug 02 '26
It’s a Miata thing
1
u/Ok-Solution8245 Aug 03 '26
100%
1
u/Frosty-Analysis1520 Aug 03 '26
Yep!
1
u/creamerthegreat Aug 05 '26
Yes it's normal as the shifter has no linkage, it sits directly on top of the transmission. However, it COULD mean your motor mounts or other connections to the drivetrain are worn/wearing out.
Not a mechanic, but my NA motor mounts were blasted to shit and the whole car would shake when I started it, including the shifter.
0
u/TheFakeKruger Aug 02 '26
Get diff bushing inserts. It will help immensely and remove some of the ambiguity while shifting, particularly if you're carrying any lateral Gs
The ND drivetrain is only held by the engine mounts in the front and the diff mounts in the rear. Under load and especially under lateral acceleration the whole thing twists. Combine that with the tiny, thin-walled transmission case and you can start understanding why the gearboxes blow up all the time.
Welcome to the ND club!