This may be well-known but I'll post anyway. If you notice that your shift lever is almost too hot to touch and the console is so warm you're worried about it warping or melting, you might have a torn shifter boot. Mine was in decent shape when installed but eventually cracked and tore. With the warm weather the air coming up through a fairly small hole, after passing by the exhaust pipe and anti-resonator, was overheating everything in the vicinity.

Also, for anyone looking for a JY alternative to the S30 boot, a 1985 300ZX boot will work if you punch new screw holes in it ( I had one that came with a $20 transmission). It actually works better than stock, the stock one rubbed on the console at the top. The body style for 1985 ran from 1984 to 1989.

You might have a fire going in the transmission tunnel, better look. The shift lever will get hot anyway if it's that hot because it's a metal heatsink. The boot only keeps out toxic gas and hot air. I've never had a shift lever too hot to touch even with a torn boot.

Just reporting a before and after (the hole), and a back to before. The heat was real, and of large quantity.

Posting for anyone who might have a similar issue. No issue, no reason to do anything.

For the record, my 1976 car is lowered about an inch and missing its splash pan. Maybe that affects air flow through the tunnel. For those who like a puzzle.

Edited July 10, 201311 yr by Zed Head