MK8 - Pumaspeed quick shift

[robbyvrs]

Has anyone fitted a quick shift kit from Pumaspeed?

I ordered 1 yesterday and having seen some fitting guides on youtube it looks easy enough (hmm?) but it would be helpful to know which setting to use - 15% - 25% - 35%

https://pumaspeed.co.uk/product-Pumaspeed-Fiesta-Mk8-10l-Quickshifter_17980.jsp

[Eric Bloodaxe]

15 hours ago, robbyvrs said:

Has anyone fitted a quick shift kit from Pumaspeed?

Wondered about one of these for mine - see thread. In the end  don't go for it as I didn't think it would solve my issue. The change has actually improved a bit with time and I can live with it.

 

[BlueMike2021]

Considering one of these for my 1.0, just to improve the driving experience...anyone got any opinions?

[robbyvrs]

I've sold the Fiesta but can say the quickshifter on 25% transformed the car - gear changes were more precise and a lot closer together

[Eric Bloodaxe]

So, as mentioned elsewhere, after dithering about for ages, got round to fitting one of these.

Put my order in late Saturday night, arrived yesterday morning, so very good service there.

Bright sunny morning today, so thought I'd get the job done. Followed the instructions on the Pumaspeed video, all fairly straightforward. They removed the airbox but it's not actually in the way, so I didn't bother. I've fitted an engine cover on my car so had to pull that off. Bit of a fiddle to get the Allen screws in while holding the parts in place, but just need to go patiently. Still accomplished the instal in around 30 minutes.

Being a middle of the road sort of chap I set the shifter to the middle 25 setting as @robbyvrs suggested above - alternatives are 15 and 35.

Results:  not sure what to expect, but thoughts after 20 miles or so - on first driving it seemed pretty normal, throw is reduced, obviously, but the change felt a lot more positive. Previously I found I occasionally hit the wrong gear as the change was pretty vague - that didn't happen once this morning and it felt more in keeping with the nature of the car.

The shifter does nothing to the "weight" of the change as far as I can see, so while mine was fairly stiff and vague before, it's now fairly stiff but positive. In fact it felt very similar to the change on a Mini Cooper S I test drove a while back.

@BlueMike2021 - I think you ordered one at the same time - interested to hear what you think.

[BlueMike2021]

Yup, ordered mine on Saturday too and have been watching it going all around the ***** country on the DHL tracker! (It went Leeds-East Midlands Airport-London Heathrow-East Midlands Airport-Newcastle!) So, I'm a day behind you for delivery.

Bright and crisp here today too, so with the part out for delivery as I write and the car not going anywhere, I've just popped things apart so the shifter can go straight on when it arrives later, or tomorrow if it turns up too late.

I'm leaning towards the 25% setting as well, but have been re-watching the various videos and reading everything I can find while I wait for the delivery just to gauge lots of opinions. I have had no issues with my gear change at all, but am interested because of everyone saying that it just feels 'better'.

I'm thinking that I'll likely use a little dab of Loctite on the screws...

I'll get back to you!

[Eric Bloodaxe]

1 hour ago, BlueMike2021 said:

have been watching it going all around the ***** country on the DHL tracker! (It went Leeds-East Midlands Airport-London Heathrow-East Midlands Airport-Newcastle!) 

Lol, I must be on a direct route! Years ago I used to live a short distance from Pumaspeed so could have walked round there and picked one up then!😀 

You never know what to expect with deliveries - I've had small items in massive cardboard boxes but this was in a padded envelope that would easily go through a letterbox!

[Scottyghia]

35 all day long. Tried all three and this is the best, feels very sharp. 

[Eric Bloodaxe]

18 minutes ago, Scottyghia said:

35 all day long. Tried all three and this is the best, feels very sharp. 

Going to see how I get on for now but might give it a try. Presume you can manage to relocate the ball without removing the whole thing again? - it's a bit tight down there.

[BlueMike2021]

Right, it arrived, just in time for there still to be enough light for me to fit it.

First impressions- I'm not sure what I paid £6.95 for on delivery from Pumaspeed given that it was just in a small envelope within a post bag, with no instructions, paperwork, business card, free sweetie, or anything such as you get from CEUK, for example! I guess I paid for the extraneous flights to then and back from London...

Anyway, the part itself looked nicely made; I received a silver one rather than the black I had ordered, but I actually think this was better in the end, for seeing what I was doing with it. First thing I did was tighten the nipple pin into the top block with some Locktite, at the 25% position. I'm fairly handy so getting the block on and the first screws started in situ was fine; I put thread locker on the screws too, and did each of them up a bit at a time in sequence. The third screw was a bit harder to get on, being partly under the battery box, no matter where I put the selector. The block felt nice and solid when in place and the selector fitting clipped back on to the new nipple with no bother and felt secure. I gave it all a few wiggles up and down the box, and then put the airbox back in. (Personally I couldn't have managed the fitting with it in situ)

I headed out for a quick test drive; first impressions were positive, though perhaps not as 'transformative' as many have said. Admittedly, I was only able to do 30 with quick bursts to 40 on the brief route I took, and I couldn't get up and down the box a lot. Overall it felt more positive, and of course the throw is shorter, and while I didn't dislike it, it didn't blow me away either. However, on the last stretch near home I was able to accelerate harder and move up through the gears more quickly, and I liked how that felt. So, the jury is mostly positive but still out until I can do a better test drive. I already don't think that I would want to make things any shorter, though I'm confident that I could do that with the block in situ. For now I'll drive it on 25% and see how I get on.      

[MarksST]

Could you have driven there and back to collect it for £6.95? Did you need a business card seeing as you already know who you bought it from?, is a free packet of haribo needed?

[BlueMike2021]

LOL, no, of course not, I'm just noting the impression made by one supplier compared to another.

[Eric Bloodaxe]

7 hours ago, BlueMike2021 said:

 I received a silver one rather than the black I had ordered

 I forgot to mention that I received a blue one rather than the silver I ordered! Can't really see it buried down there anyway.

[Scottyghia]

There is a noticable difference between 25 and 35. 

It can be changed without removing the part as it simply unscrews from the top. 

[BlueMike2021]

Having had a better drive this morning, at the moment I don't think I would want my gear selections any closer together; the shifter enables me to get through them more quickly if wanted, and overall makes things feel more 'positive'; but I think this is far enough for me and at the very least, I want to get properly used to the new arrangement before I fiddle with it any further and confuse myself!

@Eric Bloodaxe, let us know how you continue to get on, and if you try the higher % setting.

[Eric Bloodaxe]

1 hour ago, BlueMike2021 said:

 

@Eric Bloodaxe, let us know how you continue to get on, and if you try the higher % setting.

No, I don't think I'll be doing that.

The shifter shortens the throw but (on my car at least) requires more effort to change gear. It's ok when "getting a move on" but I've been driving round a lot this morning on shopping duties in traffic requiring lots of gear changing and it was (literally) a bit of a pain. (I don't have normal sensation in my left hand so appreciate that may not be the case for everyone).

Seriously wondering now whether (for me) this is an overall improvement - may decide to revert to standard. 

[BlueMike2021]

Interesting! Yes, 'more effort' rings true for me too, though I've yet to drive it for any real length of time.

Must admit I do have the thought that ok, the throw is now shorter...but so what?

Let's keep each other posted!

[Scottyghia]

I strongly advise trying 35 as 15, 25 didn't feel that great. 

[BlueMike2021]

Could you expand a bit on how they didn't feel that great?

I wouldn't want much of a shorter throw than it is now on 25%- I'm an (almost!) 50-year old plodder- most of the time- so I don't need to be up and down the box like Lewis Sennamacher. Besides that ability to change gear X times faster, I'm not getting much from this; in fact I would say first is a little harder to get in, and I can't feel if it is in reverse at all.

Overall, I think I was sold on 'wow' and instead got 'meh'.

 

[Scottyghia]

15 was barely and change

25 was shorter but still had a bit of the sloppy feel of 15

35 is crisp and short, feels very similar to the box in the Focus. 

Everyones has differing views on what's best, but I firmly believe this small £40 bit of machined metal has transformed the car. 

 

 

[BlueMike2021]

Thanks for your input, it's appreciated, but I've decided it's not for me and have put it on eBay, so if anyone wants one at a bargain price..! 😉

[Eric Bloodaxe]

11 minutes ago, Scottyghia said:

Everyones has differing views on what's best, but I firmly believe this small £40 bit of machined metal has transformed the car. 

 

Absolutely. And individual cars of the same model can vary of course. 

As I mentioned in the earlier thread, I was not very hopeful that this mod would address my particular issues but felt it was well  worth a try for the modest cost involved.

Sorry to be a pest, but you didn't specifically mention the effort needed at the various settings. My previous experience with these sort of things is that shorter throw is often achieved at the cost of greater effort (which didn't used to be a problem before I knackered my hand!😀). So I'm thinking if I find 25 hard work, wouldn't 35 be more so?

[Scottyghia]

Too be honest I didn't really notice the effert needed changing much at all. 

Any change would be exaggerated with and pysical problems which only you can determine. 

[Eric Bloodaxe]

On 11/18/2021 at 11:28 AM, Eric Bloodaxe said:

may decide to revert to standard. 

And have done. Found it more of a faff to remove than instal for some reason.

Funny thing - the standard change now feels better than it did before. Throw is obviously the same, but the change action just feels easier, somehow. Got me wondering if something wasn't quite right and pulling it apart and reassembling a couple of times has sorted it? Hmmm........

 

[BlueMike2021]

I don't think my standard change feels any different now I've gone back to it, but it felt more right for me- as if I'd come back to where I should be.