I have an incredible amount of slop in my gear stick, while in gear. When i got my vehicle (2000 EM1), it had the infamous "bolt and nut" set up through the hole where the roll-pin is supposed to go. i immediatly replaced that with the correct part and from what i remember, i think it helped a lot with the play that was backwards and fowards. but still, i have too much play side to side. accompanying that problem, is the fact that i cannot reliably select 1st or 2nd gear (with motor off/on, clutch in or out). The actual gears arent bad, it doesnt grind or pop out ever, but i just feel like i cannot get the stick to move far enough left to grab them... i know the bushings in the area right below the shift lever (bottom circular collar peice, part of the actual "shift lever"), are complete junk. im working on replacing those. but i feel like its more than that... also the stabilizer bushings have been replaced. no luck.

i've searched the forums over and it seems either no one has the same issue, or theirs is solved by the stabilizer bushings or something stupidly simple, like that.

What im afraid of, is that the linkage peice (number #1) that actually comes OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION, is moving too much and causing me those issues. That peice i can see, does move, but only so slightly. It maybe moves a couple millimeters and thats it. nothing that SEEMS bad, but i really am not familiar with this type of linkage at all.

http://www.hondapartsnow.com/Page_Pr...1766%201470800

Im hoping thats not my issue, which would mean tearing apart the transmission/just getting a cheap used Integra LS one, or something like that.

Anyways, pardon my rambling, but im hoping you guys can shed a little light on this for me. Thank you for any help!!

-Jeff

 

Replace the bushings first, then report back. Your "slop" could be what is making it hard to find gears.

 

Well I should be more specific. When I'm under the car, I can select the gears by moving the bar back and forth a LITTLE bit easier, but still not very reliably (like I think it should be)
Should it be hard just because I don't have that extra "force" you would normally get by using the lever (physics)?
Or should it be just as easy as I think it might, from underneath the car?

 

it isnt very easy to find specific gears using just the linkage or a screwdriver in trans. always rule out problems with fixing the cheap, easy existing ones first. sounds like the previous owner was a bit of a hack, so it def. cant hurt

 

Is your shift linkage missing any parts or does anything look out of place. Please head over to any honda oem parts site and look at the shift linkage diagram. Also the bitch pin is a sinch, here's a hint: The rear muffler bolts.

 

I'm just afraid the linkage input shaft has too much play and is bad... it rotates maybe.. 5 degrees at most. I just don't know how percise it's supposed to be.

And nothing's missing. I've studied the diagrams plenty.

 

it is probably fine. you need to replace all of your bushings. you will fry synchros if you keep up the "grind em till you find em" sloppy shifter

 

haha! thats great. no i promise i wouldnt have driven it if it was grinding. nothing grinds except the occasional 5th gear, but im anxiously waiting till that goes so i can an LS trans and get them MPG's.

 

ls trans will make your b16 suck. use your fun b16 trans and swap an ls 5th in

 

yeah i just did a **** ton of research on it. looks like LS 5th gear will be the plan

But unfortinately for my current situation, time in the shop is veeeerrryy hard to come by. 60 hours of work per week, part time school, and a woman... so the car's getting neglected.
When i get a chance to get that stupid rusted bolt out of that u joint/collar peice (right bellow the shifter) then i can put in the new parts (pretty much everything in that section) and i hope to god that fixes my problem. I dont care if i have to replace the trans, but not now.. I just want to drive the car!!!

 

dont forget the bushing for the stabilizer part of the linkage closest to the trans

 

Yeah those are bright red and don't move at all, so I'm thinking they're new ES ones...
But that nut and bolt set up was in there a while too. Hope that didn't have a bad effect on the shift forks in the trans... gotta say, I'm pretty disgusted by the idiot I got the car from.

 

Pull back the #2 shift rod boot




and check the #13 oil seal. If it's worn real bad it will allow excess play on the transmission end. Especially side to side play.

 

http://www.hondapartsnow.com/Page_Pr...1766%201470800
yeah my phone won't let me see the pictures, but I have a feeling I knew what your talking about

#1 in the picture is what I'm referring to, and it seems to be solid as hell. The only thing that I'm thinking could be bad is the fact it rotates maybe... a couple degrees either way. Really not much. If that's normal, then I should be in the clear when I get all my parts in.
I just hate that NO thread has the same problem as I do, of not being able to select the far left gears (1 and 2)
3rd and 4th sometimes take a little try, and 5th and reverse are just fine. I'm just hoping its the socket/boot that the shift lever sits in, since that's torn up pretty good.
Not driving the car till its fixed.

 

#5,4,24....don't see why ppl didn't post them. they always get over looked mine had those loose then I got a K-tuned shifter and it came with them no more wiggle.

 

Yup, those are the parts I have. I'm waiting on 7, 8, and 11 in the mail to do at the same time. If these don't work... cars going to a tranny shop

 

Okay, so back in the garage.
Finally got the car finished last weekend, and brought her down off the jack stands and took her out for a good drive. Got about 30 miles in, and I have the same problems I had. Cannot select 1st or 2nd what so ever. Also have a hesitation into 4th, and almost blew the motor with a 2-3-2 shift, kicked me right into second when I went for 4th! Then when I'm sitting there trying for 1st, its as if it goes into the position, but doesn't actually grab a gear. Didn't know it could do that. I'm thinking my forks/selector are old and need replacement.
But also after a closer look, the driver side lower motor mount has no bolt in it (have one on the way) and the lower rear mount might need to be re done...

BUT, if I get under the car, I can push the bar into first and second with a little force. Anyone have any ideas? Cars going to the trans shop this week if the mount doesn't fix it.
Im thinking my