19Accord97

97 Accord lx

I pretty much have the whole swap complete. However, I am having a couple issues.

First, I don't have the left axle installed but the intermediate shaft is in the transmission. The right side (passenger) axle is installed in the transmission and hub. When I start the car, the intermediate shaft spins but the axle on the passenger side of the car does not. While running, I can shift into any gear without pressing the clutch in or the gas pedal but it doesn't actually engage in that gear. Obviously the car is on jack stands....not sure if that makes a difference.

I adjusted the clutch pedal my making the clutch master cylinder longer but that made no difference. There are only 3 threads left before there is no more rod.

I verified that the slave cylinder is pushing/moving the clutch fork.

I bled the clutch system by hooking up a oil can to the slave clyinder nipple and filled it with brake fluid. I did hear air bubbles coming out of the clutch master cylinder. After that method, I would push the clutch pedal all the way down and use a board to hold it there, then i would go and loosen the slave cylinder bleed valve, re-tighten it, remove the board, pull the clutch pedal off the floor, and repeat until solid streams came out of the slave cylinder.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Ive been working on this for a looooong time and just want to drive it.

NerfGunner420

you don't have lsd so only one tire would be spinning and im guessing the one with less load is working hence why only one axle is spinning. did you torque down the pressure plate? did you align the clutch with the clutch alignment tool

19Accord97

But the car is in neutral so I am at a total loss for that. Unless its because there is so little load that even in neutral it spins.

Yes, I torqued down the pressure plate to OEM specs which was 78lbs if I remember correctly. I used the alignment tool as well.

NerfGunner420

oh my bad missed the part where it spins in neutral. i thought very little load still made the tires spin even in neutral i think Wheels spin when in neutral and car off the ground. - Honda Civic Forum

NerfGunner420

https://honda-tech.com/tech-misc-15/...utral-2797004/

19Accord97

^ Thanks - that makes me feel better about that at least!

I still don't know why it wont go into gear. I don't have to force it to go into gear and there isn't any abnormal sound I don't think. I can hear the shifter cables moving the shift levers but nothing like gear grinding.

Instead of increasing the length of the clutch master cylinder rod, should I have shortened it?

19Accord97

Here is a picture I took during the install. Im not sure if this is helpful but I figured I would post it. When I get home ill see if I took anymore during the install.







Any thoughts on what the issue is? After work, I may try shortening the rod to see if that makes an difference. I am trying to avoid having it running to avoid any wear on the clutch/bearing, etc. Ill also try to push the shifter harder into each gear....maybe I wasn't pushing hard enough or something.

19Accord97

Any ideas?

Ive gotta get this thing done and out of the place where im working on it asap.

Im trying to think of what the issue could be and figured I would mention that I also removed the bracket that holds the two cables side by side and attatches them to the car (above the cat convertor) after they are covered in the reflective heat tape. Would this somehow make the cables too loose and not let them go into gear? When I get home ill go ahead and zip tie them together in a couple places and see if that changes anything. Im pretty sure that it goes into gear when the car is off though...........

19Accord97

I just shortened the rod and the only difference was that the speedometer registers a speed even though it is not in gear. when i try to put it in gear nothing happens.

Could this be a result of air in the system? It does look as though the slave cylinder may be pushing on the fork even when i open the bleeder valve. but hell, idk. im so confused and annoyed with this thing

chrisnick

Sounds like a linkage problem. Can you physically feel it go into gear? Which transmission did you use? Which shifter/cables? Which clutch kit?

19Accord97

Well, having only driven a couple manual vehicles years ago, I cant say for sure it goes into gear. However, when the vehicle is off, there is definitely the feel of a 5 speed plus reverse. But, it doesnt lock into gear or anything like that - I can easily put it in any gear without using the clutch whether the vehicle is on or off.

I used a transmission from a 96-97 Accord so there shouldn't be any issues there.

I bought some parts from another member who was going to do a 5spd swap and he said they were from a 5th gen Accord. Everything seemed pretty much right...is there a way to identify for sure?

Clutch Kit: Perfection 5331161 from Advance Auto
Flywheel: 15260050 from Advance
Master Cylinder: 19340170
Slave Cylinder: 19340343

I could only put slightly less than 2 quarts of Honda MTF in the tranny due to it being on jackstands.

Could air in the system be causing this? I am using a Stainless Steel line running directly from the clutch master cylinder to the slave cylinder. I used the same part that other people have used without any issues. I have heard that this could be the reason I can shift without having to press the clutch in.

Here is a picture I just took of the slave cylinder:


Please note that tonight I adjusted the clutch pedal to be shorter (moved the adjustment towards the front of the car) in hopes of fixing the problem. The only difference it made is that when the car is running, the speedometer is registering roughly 10 mph. When I had the pedal adjusted the opposite way, nothing would register on the speedometer.

chrisnick

That's all really odd. Something's not installed properly. I'd uninstall everything then reinstall it all. I had zero issues when I did my F23A1 swap and replaced the clutch/PP/throwout bearing. Are the cables on the correct spots on the shift mechanism on the transmission? That bracket you removed NEEDS to be there, otherwise, there's no tension on the cables for them to properly select the gears.

19Accord97

Yes, the bracket on the transmission is being used correctly with the C clips as well as OEM Honda cotter pins/washers for the shift cables.

The bracket above the cat convertor is removed because the manual cable bracket did not line up with it. I guess I will drop the heat shield again and see if I can attach the bracket to the cables.

If I remove the inspecation plate/cover on the bottom of the transmission could I be able to look through that and make sure everything is installed right?

accordturb96

I did this swap and it was flawless. Must be something simple. The biggest issue is making sure the shift cables are routed under the intake plenum and over the rear mount if I remember right. I left the auto mount back there with my swap and it works fine. The manual one will line up differently

chrisnick

Highlighted in bold is the bracket I thought you were talking about. I'm not sure which bracket you're talking about above the catalytic convertor, but if it's on a manual transmission car from the factory, it's safe to assume it's essential.

It's gotta be something simple that we're all missing.

19Accord97

Tonight, I unhooked the master cylinder pushrod from the clutch pedal. I then used a prybar and compressed the slave cylinder towards the drivers side which is opposite of what pushing in the clutch pedal does. I tried it in neutral and with it "in a gear" and while I was compressing the slaver cylinder I was still able to reach around and rotate the halfshaft. I don't understand how this is possible......

This is BEYOND frustrating since I am pretty much done but still can't drive the thing Please, any suggestion or thought I will try to do! I APPRECIATE your help!

I believe that is how I routed my cables. Is there any sort of adjustment that could be wrong on the shifter assembly itself inside the vehicle? I'll go snap a couple pictures of the cables and post them.

Nope, I have that done and judging by a picture in the DIY auto-manual swap guide I have the correct cables in the correct spot on the bracket.


Ugh, sorry I couldn't turn them when I uploaded them from my phone.

Looking throught the flywheel cover...probably doesnt show anything useful


Looking at the shifter cables from the passenger side of the vehicle. COming out of the heat shield on the left and going over the crossmember/power steering on the right.


COming from the crossmember and going over the rear auto mount under the intake to get to the shifter cable bracket mounted on the trans




You can see the 1 cable somewhat coming through.


Underneath the shift boot inside the car.

NerfGunner420

do you hear the actual gears changing inside the transmission case if you have someone change gears inside the car?

19Accord97

I feel pretty stupid, but when I shift into different gears I definitely hear clinking but im not sure if its the actual gears in the transmission or just the forks that the shifter cables are connected to. I'll put my phone under the transmission tonight and record myself changing gears.

accordturb96

are the shifter cables inside the cab under the shifter secured correctly with the clips?I believe there is a spot underneath the car where theyre supposed to bolt into as well via a clamp like device and bolt

v4lu3s

So you have not actually put both axles in and the car on the ground yet? Almost every Honda and Nissan I have owned would often have slight wheel movement in the air in neutral with the engine running. I would test with both axles in, wheels on ground, and then make sure it starts, cycles through gears and acts normal

NerfGunner420

its not going into gear

19Accord97

All of the C clips are being used correctly and securing the cables. However, the bracket underneath the car is not being used. I can seem to get it to line up with the bolt holes, its very very close but its like the bracket hits the metal and wont let me secure it down.


No, I have not but they shouldn't be able to move if it was in gear I believe.

accordturb96

re read what you said. Did you mean they shouldnt move in youre not in gear? ok so we can cross off cables as an issue. I would complete the build before you worry too much about the wheels spinning. Have you tried both axles with wheels on the ground and out of gear? That would be an issue if you were out of gear and on the ground and they wanted to spin. But you may be jumping to conclusions

19Accord97

It is an assumption since I am new to manuals. But I was thinking that if the car is in the air and it is in a gear, then I shouldnt be able to spin the tire with almost no effort.

accordturb96

well with the limited slip diff you will be able to move them. So a simple test would be to have a friend hold the other wheel while you spin yours. They wont budge when one is held.