Ok, first the items that have been replaced:

1 - OEM Shift Linkage
1 - OEM Bitch Pin
1 - Energy Suspension Shifter Stabilizer Bushing Set
1 - OEM Shifter Ball Seat - (P/# 54110-SH3-003)

This is an OEM shifter as well.

When just sitting in any gear the shifter will have a good amount of play from side to side, enough that it just feels sloppy. When attaching the shift linkage to the shifter, I am able to replicate the free play. What gives, what can still be allowing the movement?

 

on my car it is the coupling near the front, by the transmission. it looks kind of like a u-joint and has some smaller rubber bushings and a bolt.
if you can get underneath and try moving your linkage, you will find the weakest link

 

Zrickety, the weakest link appears to be the link between the shifter and the stabilizer. The Shift linkage itself does not generate the free play at the U-Joint. Thanks for the ideas anyhew

 

Its the white bushing that holds the ball of the shifter that sits in the boot.

 

you can replace your bushings for the stabilizer and shifter rod with Energy suspension ones. I did it and my shifter feels a lot more solid!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by goforbroke &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Its the white bushing that holds the ball of the shifter that sits in the boot.</TD></TR></TABLE>Replaced<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B16CRXT &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you can replace your bushings for the stabilizer and shifter rod with Energy suspension ones. I did it and my shifter feels a lot more solid!</TD></TR></TABLE>Replaced twice actually, the road life seems to be about 2/3 years of heat.

Come on, raise the men and think!

 

i'm telling you, if you feel it at the gear shift, you should feel it down below. try rotating the linkage as you wiggle it, something must be loose.

if the linkage is solid, it's a problem in the transmission
if i was nearby i would diagnose it for you

 

Theirs only but so many bushings you can replace with the shifter. I don't see their being a problem down by the transmission end.
A close friend of mine spent like $60 at honda replacing all his shifter bushings and the sloppy shifter feel your talking about went away. Low and hold he only needed to replace that white bushing I mentioned.

 

worn shift forks in the trans possibly??? just an idea i dont really know how valid of one but its always a possibility depending on age and mileage of trans.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1kleenef &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">worn shift forks in the trans possibly??? just an idea i dont really know how valid of one but its always a possibility depending on age and mileage of trans.</TD></TR></TABLE> Nope, have had the transmission open within the past year and they checked out within spec. I am thinking of just switching out the whole OEM assembly for something using ball bearings

 

My shifter used to be sloppy as hell. There were a few problems that solved it. The two large bushings that are typically replaced with energy bushings have not been touched. The first problem was that there was some play where the linkage was cut and then sleeved to reattach it. It wasn't much play but made a huge difference above. The second thing that I did was buy a shifter rebuild kit from the stealership. I think it was about $35 which is a ripoff but it provides about every part that can wear in your shifter. After I used this kit to rebuild it, there is zero play and the distance from 1st to 5th is less than 2". You could probably also look up what the kit contains, see what you haven't replaced yet and go from there.

 

All in black have been replaced, except for the item with the question mark. I'm not really sure what that even is as I just slide 5 into the shifter and thread through once 4 and 3 are in place. Is that the missing link, 13?

 

This has been annoying me on my 4-dr as well. I'm POSITIVE the issue is not inside the transmission. I have at least two inches of side-to-side play at the top of the stock shifter in any gear.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by zrickety &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if you can get underneath and try moving your linkage, you will find the weakest link </TD></TR></TABLE>

First reply says it all.

Go underneath and get your hands dirty. Might have to take the #13 area apart to see what the problem is. I wouldn't hesitate to replace all that stuff even if it's just to rule that area out.

 

i believe that 13 is the teflon/ plasitc or whatever sleeve that goes in the hole in the bottom of the shifter for the o rings to ride on, however if the o rings wear out, the groves in the raised areas on the metal bushing can wear groves into the sleeve. i have had this problem, and done vitually every thing you have to solve it with no luck. i simply replaced the sleeve with a new one and put ne o-rings on the bushing, and my slop was gone. the sleeve fits so snug, and flush in there that sometimes its hard to see it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 2point2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

First reply says it all.

Go underneath and get your hands dirty. Might have to take the #13 area apart to see what the problem is. I wouldn't hesitate to replace all that stuff even if it's just to rule that area out.</TD></TR></TABLE> Just got back out from under there. Imagine this:

When in gear, the shifter does not have any free play front (firewall) to back (trunk). There is still about two inches of play from door to door though. When under the car, with the shifter connected at the linkage, I can shake it door to door with no excess play at the actual shift linkage u-joint but no back and forth movement. It feels like all the play is coming from the shifter mounting location, but with the seat just recently changed I am thinking with the degradation of number 12 that it is allowing excess movement.

Make sense?

 

oops, upon closer inspectin of the diagram, i think 13 is the groved metal bushing that the o-rings go on, and num 5 is the sleeve i was talking about.

 

Maybe you can do a dorm room shifter build thread.



Modified by gringo7718 at 12:17 AM 9/12/2008

 

#8 and #12 gets my vote, I recently replaced my shifter with a B&M short shifter and used the Energy bushing kit on it and still had that same free play (while in gear) you are talking about. So I pulled it all out again, grabbed a couple of parts from my parts car (#6,7,8, and 12), and now the free plays is almost non existent .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gringo7718 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Maybe you can do a dorm room shifter build thread.



Modified by gringo7718 at 12:17 AM 9/12/2008</TD></TR></TABLE> That engine is still coming along, I just need to update that thread

Ok, so I'm going to order a new #12, 5, and 13. That will make it OFFICIALLY every last thing on the assembly. And if I still have play, well, there is always therapy.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dr_latino999 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Zrickety, the weakest link appears to be the link between the shifter and the stabilizer. The Shift linkage itself does not generate the free play at the U-Joint. Thanks for the ideas anyhew </TD></TR></TABLE>

the U joint is almost always the likely candidate for slopy shifter. especially side to side.

you cant replace it. you can drill it out and have a new brass bushing pressed in. or buy those nifty aftermarket u joints and weld it on.

 

a while back someone said they use tie rod jounts to replace the u jount

 

On my 97 Civic the shifter is loose from side to side. Turned out to be the bottom bushings/o-rings on the lever were worn out. #13 in the pics. Look under neath and have some one move the shifter look where the play is.

 

Had the same problem, %100 item 13 and like 25 and stuff. It comes as a kit from honda (i think like 45) its the lower shifter bushings, one metal piece, (4) o-rings and 2 bushings. Took me about 1 hour to replace. The bolt was zinc plated and i had no problems removing it.

The car shifts like it was brand new.

 

dont forget to get numero 5 if the orings wore out, the metal bushing will have worn groves into it, and make replacing everything else pointless. i had like 2.5 inches of side to side play and 0 front to back on my sedan, and replacing num 5 and 25 fixed it and it felt good as new.