Just got Kartboy short shifter and bushings installed. I absolutely love how it feels, but when I drove it off the lot, I noticed a rattleing noise, almost like constant break squealing only when I accelerate and decelerate (without stepping on the clutch). When I step on the clutch whether the car is moving or not, the sound disappears. It's not from my HKS intake because the intake makes more of a "hissing" sound. The guy that installed it for me was a very very nice guy and was very helpful, but I live too far from him. He says it's probably the heatshield around the by the short shifter. I believe him, but I am a newbie with messing with things, especially under the car. Any ideas or recommendations are welcome! Thanks
I want to get rid of the rattleing noise before the Protege meet this Sunday at Hollywood Park close to Los Angeles, it's my first me and I am stoked!!!

 

The shifter sticks out the bottom of the car farther than the stock one does...and if its actually a RATTLE you are hearing...I would be willing to bet that MAYBE your buddy didn't bend down the heat shield and its hitting the shifter....just put your car up on jackstands or ramps...scoot under there and look....do ine of two things....you can either get a stack of washers and remove the two long screws that holds the front of the heat shield and put the stack of washers UNDER the heat shield to space it farther away from the shifter and its linkage....OR take a big screw driver with you and just bend it down in the front to make the clearance.....either way....its an easy fix.

 

im thinking the heatsheild is a problem too, i cut a "U" shaped peice out of the front and i have no rattles (i had to bend the **** outta it to get it off though)

 

That was exactly what he told me, to bend the heatshield more. I will try that maybe later on today or on the weekend. I am curious... if the short shifter is hitting the heatshield, why isn't it a constant rattling? Why does it rattle only during acceleration of deceleration? Thanks again for your input and happy holidays!! I'm anxious for this sunday because I'm going to Inglewoods AutoX...(my first Protege meet). I think I am infactuated with my p 5!!

 

Sean
i'm still not convinced its the shifter. i planned on going up to the LA race this weekend but i had a major job come in the shop this week, so i'll be stuck there once again.
there will be a good friend of mine Rich{Cruzer} in a silver Pro with a Kartboy Sticker on the Tint Strip. Find him and he can take a look at it for you.

The heatshield was moved down a bit but i might not have moved it enough, another possiblity is the aftermarket exhaust you have on there is hitting the heatshild now. there is a small window under there where it will clear everything.
worst case take the GF back to Lajolla and stop by the shop

thanks and good luck this weekend.
Tom@kartboy.com