Wind/Road Noise Coming From Shifter???

[Stein]

I thought the road noise from my Subaru was bad enough without this, but recently have had a new source of it: my shifter. I pulled off the interior trim piece that goes around my shifter and I narrowed the noise down to being some sort of opening from my shifter to the outside world.

The noise changes when my shifter is in different gears. For instance, fourth and second gear make the worst noise, whereas first/third/fifth all make the sound a bit deeper/lower. When driving, I can stick my hand over the hole where the shifter itself goes down out of the cabin and it sounds like a kind of like seashell, so this hole is the problem area. I feel like maybe something that seals it fell off of the car. Is there a part like this? The sound gets very loud when going 30/35 and higher, especially when in fourth gear (because of the position of the shifter, not the gear itself). What the hell did I do to "break" my car this time?

Lastly, what other information do you guys need? Would a picture be helpful?

Thanks for your troubles guys, and sorry if this is another stupid question like my battery thread.

 

[Ryan]

I get that with my Suby Dude short shifter... I've gotten used to it by now.

 

[Stein]

NASIOC may have come through and suggests that I tore a rubber boot that is on the shifter.

Does anybody know what I'm talking about?

I don't know how to check though. It looks too hard to get at from the inside, but its probably easier than going in from under the car. I don't know if I can remove that plastic piece surrounding the shifter by myself. I'll give it a try tomorrow between homework.

 

[Mark]

my sti was a bit noisy and even cold at times. i would leave it be. i've driven jeeps where you can see the road move through it.

 

[GClark]

You probably need a new battery.

 

[IBratmanI]

^LOL. Nate, are you allowed to look at your shifter assembly?

 

[Stein]

Well I have my interior open right now, so I think that's a yes...

In the morning (when its light and a bit warmer) I'm going to be taking it out to look for that rubber boot.

 

[IBratmanI]

If you find a rip in that boot, it's gonna be a real pain to replace it. You will most likely have to take apart some of the shifter to put a new boot on. I would just deal with it!!

 

[Chris]

Since that isn't overly essential for anything besides keeping noise out. I'd probably wrap electrical tape around it. Both because I'm cheap, and because it would be a heck of a lot easier...

 

[Stein]

It may have just slipped down, and I may be able to just put it back in place (and secure it with electrical tape

). I got 5 of the 6 bolts out of that metal piece around the shifter, but my screwdriver ran out of batteries halfway through the last one (and I couldn't get it with an old fashioned screwdriver because its rusted in and I'm weaksauce).

 

[IBratmanI]

Mostly the weak part I'm sure. LOL j/k

Yeah those can be a ***** sometimes

 

[Chris]

Try some PB blaster on the more stuck screws. It does wonders. Whenever I'm working on my car I use PB blaster and just assume that it is going to be seized up...

 

[IBratmanI]

^+100. That stuff is awesome!! I think we used it when I did you're brakes

 

[Chris]

^+100. That stuff is awesome!! I think we used it when I did you're brakes

Yes we did! And that's when I became addicted to it!

 

[Stein]

Lobstah used tons of PB blaster on Ryan's suspension

. I'll have to pick some up sometime (when I have cash that is

).

 

[IBratmanI]

Oh that's right, didn't I have you pick up a can. Yeah it's great!! I never go without it. And it only costs a few bucks

 

[Chris]

Yea, I got a can from NAPA, something like $2.50.

It lives in my car along with a bunch of other tools. Never know when something is going to break...

 

[IBratmanI]

^Exactly!!