01 Civic 210k miles.

Shifting is only stiff left to right. Up and down is perfectly fine.

I've already sprayed white lithium lube into the shift assembly. Used to help but not anymore.

Car is getting old.

There is a crack in the shift ball. But I'm worried it's really the shift linkage cables that are going.

If it's the shift linkage cables, I might junk the car. If it's the shift assembly, I might get one of those Revo short shifter assemblies?

Thoughts on what's the culprit?

Update: I ended up removing the linkage from the shifter assembly. Shift assembly felt free and normal. The shifter cable was very hard to move in and out.
Are these shifter cables hard to replace?

 

Lube the cables

 

I'll give that a shot tomorrow. Not sure why I didn't think of that.

I'll also try lubing the shifter bushings in the engine bay and see if that helps.

Might end up ordering the cables tomorrow if that doesn't work. Be nice to get another year out of this rig.

 

"If it's the shift linkage cables, I might junk the car."
I wouldn't do that. I saw a loose set of those at the pull it yard and bought them to resell. I can't remember now but they were really cheap to buy and sold for maybe 50 bucks or something like that. Plus buyer paid the shipping. You can find the cars half way disassembled usually and it shouldn't require too much effort to take them home with you.

 

Spaced on changing the MTF. Going to do this first now this weekend. Hasn't ever been done I reckon.

 

That’s a good idea, just do a drain and fill, don’t flush it.

Do 2 or 3 more while you’re doing your next 2 or 3 oil changes.

 

Yeah, they're only $100 new so I'll just go with that if I need too.
My shifter linkage bushings were fused to the bracket they rested against. New aluminum bushings coming from Torque Solutions Friday. Also changed the MTF with OEM fluid.
I'll post results.

 

Are you thinking an auto trans? OP has a manual.

 

No, I'm thinking that flushing out debris that may be left over/stuck in the gears/synchros/shift collars.

With how long he's gone and how notchy and stiff he's talking I'd go so far as to take it apart and clean out all the gears individually and change the synchros.

 

I don't think it's notchy, just the shifter was stiff to move left and right.
I think it was the shifting cable bushing that was literally fused to the bracket it was pressed against that did that. Just waiting on the new bushings because I can't get the old one back on to really test out. I'll report back this weekend

 

Update

The shifter linkage cables were so shot. Took forever to get off because the rubber fused with the bracket they rested against, and the metal sleeve on the bushings rusted to the locating pin.

New Aluminum Bushings are now MUCH better. It's still stiffer shifting to the right than the left for some reason. But regardless it's at least acceptable. Might be the cables that are starting to bind? I know the actual shifter assembly is pretty banged up too so I can't tell what it really is.

I'll rock it as is for now. No sense buying a new shifter cable assembly and shifter assembly for this thing.