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Reversing the manual shift gate

7K views 39 replies 27 participants last post by  Theelvis 
#1 ·
Has anyone tried to see if it is possible to reverse the manual shift control, so when you pull back, it shifts up in gears instead of down? It drives me crazy when I "accidentally" stab the throttle and have to fight g-forces to shift gears..
 
#3 ·
That has been discussed here before. No one has come up with a solution.

I looked at the wiring diagram to see if I could figure something out. It is not just a simple switch. This is not your grandpa's wiring. It is all serial communications. It could probably be done by modifying the ECU. Good luck with that.

I wish there was a choice. If I remember correctly it is only BMW and mazda that get it right.
 
#6 ·
That's too bad, I've been meaning to look at this because it would be nice to have them the other way around. When I first got the car I shifted backwards a couple times but I'm used to it now I guess, still wish I could switch it though.
 
#4 ·
not really, my bmw had the same manual shift, it makes more sense for the up down shift and down upshift like you guys say, but its kinda for idiots who think up is up shifting and down is down shifting. i have sense got used to this shift pattern and its ok for me.

the same thing for sport bikes, who ever thought it was a good idea to make sport bikes shift up by pulling up the shifter with your foot. thats why moto gp shifting is the other way. but i have been riding sport bikes for like 4 or 5 years now and will my brain is set in the "stupid" way of doing things
 
#5 ·
BMW switched mid stream, my 2001 and before cars had shifting like on the G8, sometime after 2001, BMW switched to be the reverse of the G8 (it may have been 2002 or 2003), and that was strange, because you would get in the same body style car, and if it was before or after the cut off date, it would work one way or the other....
 
#7 ·
Has anyone tried to create a paddle shifter arrangement for the G8? I'd kill for that. Had it on my M3 and really loved it...
 
#8 ·
I could never figure that out. The Mazda 3 we rented in California had the reverse shift. It was the most unnatural thing I've ever experienced. Maybe because I was coming from a G6 and G8 that make you shift forward for an upshift? It just seems more obvious to shift towards the car to go to the next gear.
 
#9 ·
Back should be up-shift.
Forward should be down-shift.

In a racing scenario, it feels much better that way. BUt like some have said, i believe strongly that it is the way it is on our cars to help with the stupidity of the average american driver.

"Move the thingy up for up-shift, dur durp":damnyou:
 
#13 ·
Of all the stereotypes, dumb drivers doesn't belong to America.
 
#18 ·
Have you ever driven a car with a sequential shifter? It would be very clear.
 
#14 ·
I took my shifter apart to see what i can do....there are three wires black, blue and green that are connected to this tiny circuit board. From there it goes into the male connector just under it.

Im gonna guess if I switch the green and blue wire that should do it, figuring black is the ground...

I'll post and update this weekend. I'm pretty sure it's just a matter of switching the wires.

I too prefer the the opposite shift pattern as opposed the the current. I like to tap down to up shift...
 
#15 ·
Give it a shot, but I'm pretty sure there is circuitry in the shifter and switching the wires will only disable it.
 
#16 ·
Maybe U be right, i took another look at it and I can't see what the little circuit board is reading....or what purpose it serves. Motion sensor maybe? I need to completely disassemble the shifter to see what the handle is attached to (internally).

I'll take some pictures and post as well...

just an FYI, I thought the shifter drive letters (P-N-D) and the + - were LED's, as in the instrument cluster...nope, 2 miniature bulbs light the entire assembly....
 
#17 ·
Ok, got it..little booger it was a bee-yatch, but i found it. The tiny circuit board is a micro switch forward/reverse. When you slide your shifter over, it enables a small arm to slide over as well, engaging the micro switch. I'm confident that switching the wires will work...but..before i say anymore, let me mess with it this weekend. I got my (no name mentioned) front and rear bushing that i want to install first..... :)
 
#22 ·
I'm finding it hard to believe that people actually have time and energy to argue (on the internet ferkrissake) and call each other names over which way you "should" move the lever to change gears.

I would prefer to move the lever back to upshift. Prefer. (See, it's a preference) So if there's an easy way to do it I'll probably change mine.
 
#23 ·
I like the shifting configuration the way it is, but I don't like sliding it away from me to shift. I prefer my GF's Nissan where it slides towards the driver. Also I don't like the shifting action either, much too slow to shift between the gears. Upshift and count to 2 and it might have shifted by then, lol.
 
#25 ·
It sure would be nice if they could tweak out the manual delay with the TCM code.
 
#30 ·
Zim,

Any luck with the wiring?
 
#32 ·
You know, I'm a mechanical retard. It can take me days to fix something a mechanic takes hours. I can drop a bolt down into an engine an take 45 min to find it and get it out. But I love electronic stuff. I've learned how to reach wiring schematics just by coming up with fun stuff looking the shop manuals for other cars.

I've always thought about switching the + and - shifting, and also having the car go into sport mode when you come out of N down into D, and having it go into "normal" (non sport) mode when you shift over. One thing I HATE is driving the car in sport mode and then having to go into reverse and the shifter down into "upshift" when you think you're going through N to get to R because you forgot you were in sport mode.

I was worried there was a circuit in the shifter that sent some kind of pulse signal/language to the trasmission like the GLAM (whatever thats called) way the radio/HVAC/onstar/XM all talk to each other.

Anyhoo. Book 4 chapter 17 is transmission. Page 426 shows the mechanical arm going to the transmission only moves from D N R P. That means once you've moved the level to D, going from sport to normal and + and - are all electronic signals, the arm doesnt physically move when you move the shifter anymore.... thats good.

Page 288 shows the BCM gets two wires from the shifter level circuit. Thats not good. Only way to send that many signals through two wires is with a signal. Not a simple 4 wire setup. But the circuit diagram also shows 4 simple switches on top of the circuit. One switch each for "auto" "select" "+" "-". This makes me think there should be simple mechanical switches that open/close and tell the circuit which way the level is sitting. However, I cant find anything in the manual about how to take apart the shifter mechanism and fix/service anything. That makes me think its not a serviceable part and just gets replaced.

The "shifter control assembly removal procedure" (page 424) shows how to replace the whole unit. It shows how (after removing the shift rod linkage under the car) you unplug the circuit board at the bottom and remove 4 bolts. However, in the picture, it shows 4 wires coming down from the shifter to the circuit board. This isnt a circuit diagram, its just the picture to show you were the 4 bolts are to remove the whole thing so you can swap in a whole new unit.

So guessing from the picture, you MIGHT be able to take the unit apart, swap the wires for the physical switches, so that when the go the circuit board the circuit thinks your shifter is in a different place then where it really is (swapping + and -, or swapping "normal" with "sport").

If my G8 wasnt my daily driver and not under warranty, I might be inclined to remove mine and mess with it. But is is, so I'm not. If I had a junkyard shifter in my hands, I love to see if I could do it and then swap it into my car and see if it works. Do I want to swap my controls around enough to buy a junkyard shifter? Nah.

Here is some logic tho: You basically have 4 yes or no switches. DRIVE SPORT + and -. One will always be yes while the other 3 are no. From the factory you would be DRIVE yes and be in normal mode. SPORT yes and be in sport mode. SPORT yes, then quickly + yes or - yes as you shift up and down, then you'd be in sport manual mode. Swapping + and - should be logically ok, but if you swapped SPORT and DRIVE, then you'd be DRIVE when you move the level to the right, and after you manually shift to + and -, the car will think you're back in DRIVE and not SPORT. So you manual shift ability might not work if you switched SPORT and DRIVE. Or maybe it would?

Anyone have a junk shift assembly handy and feel like taking it apart?
 
#33 ·
DON'T SWAP THE WIRES! This post is a little late but i want to let the newbies know that swapping the wires fry's the little electronic switches that shift into 4th, 5th and 6th. You will still get 1st, 2nd and 3rd though. I'm in the process of getting an Aussie shifter that shifts exactly like a sequential shifter, pull to go up gears and push to go downgears. Also, i will try to find a circuit board repair shop to get mine repaired and ask if they can change the signals to correct the shifting.
 
#34 ·
You will need to modify a Holden selector if you do use one, Holden do not have nanny switches on the selector, you can pull the auto out of park anytime you want with non of the locks fitted to the G8,
You will need to fit the micro switches as per the member in the first thread
 
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