Hey, it's been a while since I visited here.

I am building a K20A2 conversion for a Fiat X1/9 for an all-Fiat shop in Columbus, OH. I am working on shift linkage now, and would like to know if the housing on the transmission that contains the selector shafts can be removed as a whole unit without disturbing anything inside the transmission. I don't have the factory cable ends to use, so I will need to cut off the pins to which the original bushings mounted and drill and tap or weld for rod ends.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I just don't know what is under that housing and I want to ask before I move.

 

Yes you can easily remove the shift arm housing. Just put it in neutral first to align the forks.

 

Excellent! Thanks.

 

OK. Finally got down to doing this part of the job. I removed the four bolts that mount the housing to the case. The housing comes up a bit then runs into very solid interference. The unit is in neutral. Moving it this way and that doesn't seem to be able to free it from the transmission. Please advise.

 

You will need to remove the 8mm allen plug on the side of the shift housing.

 

Don't see an allen plug. There is a bar code and a number if it helps: XM25-1010131.

There are four 10mm bolts of two different lengths holding the housing in. There is also a switch of some sort held to the housing by three 10mm bolts. I have not removed this yet.

 

No need to remove the solenoid. See # 8 in the pic below

 

Figured it out. Didn't realize you meant that the plug was in the transmission housing. Thanks so much. The shifter mechanism is on the bench now.

 

And done! I actually kinda like cable shifters compared to linkage rods. Had to build a reversing shift linkage since the engine is behind the driver, but it all worked out fine.