I just swapped a B16A2 into my EK and am noticing that there is a lot of slop in the shifter. I thought that maybe I hadn't tightened the bolt at the shifter end enough or needed some spacers I was missing, but upon closer inspection the slop is coming from the joint where the shift lever goes into the tranny (closest to the bitch pin).

Seems the bushing in there is worn and/or gone now, but upon inspection it doesn't look like it's something that was meant to be taken apart, and is held together with some kind of pressed-in pin. Also the Honda parts catalogue doesn't list a seperate bushing for this end. Am I SOL and have to replace the whole linkage or am I missing something and I can just replace the bushing?

 

You probably need to replace the rear shifter bushing. If it has play, it'll look like the play is at the front joint.

 

I'm pretty certain on it being the front joint as I crawled under and grabbed the shaft right above the front joint and wiggled it and could see the slop in that joint. Also the rear bushings are only a few months old and had no slop when I used it with my D-series linkage the day before.

 

You can dismantle the front joint, but it was never intended to be serviced. I need to do this on my 96 EX, I was going to pick up a spare shift linkage next time I'm at the salvage yard - I thought I'd fix one before I take the old one out. There will be grinding involved, and a search for an appropiate sized bushing. I think there is a nylon bushing in there, but it wears out over time. I was thinking stainless steel or bronze...but I can't show you anything yet

 

OK, thanks, this is what I thought. I think it will be easier for me just to buy another linkage off someone locally and make sure this front joint is still tight, although your idea would be better in the long-run.

 

http://www.velocityshop.com/product/...ngine_514.html

Replace the bushings.

 

placing a solid bush like stainless or similar
will induce a Hell of a lot of noise from the box+motor
this will travel through the shifter n drive you mad