Shift rod seal replacement

[AZmike]

Has anyone replaced the shift rod seal? Mine looks like it's leaking and I'll have the tranny off since I'm replacing my real main seal so it's a good time to take care of that. The factory manual shows how to rebuild the whole tranny, but not how hard it is to just replace the shift rod seal.

How bad a job is it? Do I need any special tools?

Thanks

[RCracer]

I asked the same question yesturday
http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?threadid=7780

and didnt get a single answer. I have the seal/boot/gator and the pin that holds the end the linkage bolts through but the pin is tight. (It has a srung clip over the pin)
I dont want to strip the tranny just to change the rubber seal!

I an going to try and use chain link seperator to press the pin out.
Anyone any other ideas???????

[PhydeauX]

Thats cause I was away ;). To replace that damn seal you have to take the whole tranny apart. No way around it, it's a bitch. If you have the style with the pin, must be a euro thing, then it's easier if you can get the damn thing out.

andy

[AZmike]

AERODECKUK I thought that's what you might have been referring to, but I didn't know what a 'gator' was so I figured it had to be something else.

PhydeauX do I need any special tools? Is replacing the seal something I could do mywself using the Honda manual? I'm pretty mechanically inclined, I've just never tackled anything so complex before. As long as I'm leaving the Accord guts in it, is it pretty easy?

Maybe I'll replace the rear main seal for now and pull the tranny out again when I have more time to work.

[PhydeauX]

Hey if you're going to do it then you might as well get some integra guts to go in. Why not if you're going to go through the work you might as well gain something more then a stoped leak.

You have to take everything out. You can get the rod out with out haveing to take anything else out beside the shift mechanisim. But you'll never get the damn ball back in with out taking the diff out, which means you have to take the shafts out. If you're mechanicaly inclined give it a shot. Its like a jigsaw puzzle. If you're not going to be replaceing the bearings then all you need are basic hand tools.

andy

[AZmike]

Ok, my tranny is out now.....finally Tommorow I hope to get the seal and dust cover for the shift rod. Which seals do I also need to get since I'll be pulling the tranny apart? I read that some of the tranny work requires a 5 mm punch and snap ring pliers. Will I need either of these tools just to change out the rod seal?

Thanks

[PhydeauX]

You'll need the punch, not the snap ring pliers unless you plan to change the bearings. Make sure you have some permatex to seal it back up with. You might want to get a seal and gasket kit from honda and do all your seals while you have it out. Don't use the gaskets, just the seals. Permatex is better then a gasket for this.

andy

[AZmike]

Thanks for the advice Andy. I called around some before taking the tranny apart myself and they want $250 to change out the $5 seal. The parts guy at the dealer said that it would need to be reshimmed if I cracked the case open. I've never read anything about that here. Did you have to bother with that, or did you just fit it back together and it worked fine?

I'd love to replace that seal while the transmission is out since it's such a pain in the ass to do it, but I don't want to risk needing to spend $200+ to have someone else finish the job if it goes wrong. Is replacing the seal worth all this trouble? It wasn't a bad leak, just annoying how my car leaves a little mess everywhere I park.

I'm planning to stick with the Accord guts since I use the car on the highway more than anything and I like getting 35+ mi/gal consistently.

[PhydeauX]

I didn't bother with any shimming, nor did anyone I talked to about this mention it. I checked the mesh when I swaped the gears for the tegs and everything looked fine. If you're worried about it check the mesh before you put it back in the car. Just look for a how to on building a domestic rear, you'll find all the info you need there.

andy

[AZmike]

Did you replace the spring pins or do you go ahead and reuse the old ones? I'm about to go to the dealer and was curious. Thanks again.

[PhydeauX]

Old ones should be fine.

andy

[AZmike]

Okay, now the new seal is in and all the shafts and linkages are reassembled. Some of the gears don't line up (off 1/16" or so), but I'll work on that tomorrow. Then just the housing, the 5th gear bits and the other cover and i'm ready to go. I'll keep you posted.

[PhydeauX]

You probably put something back upside down when you reassembled the shafts.

andy

[AZmike]

I didn't disassemble the shafts. I pulled them both out, set them down, did the seal and dropped them back in. ONe of the snycons slid apart, but I got it to seat all the way back together. Both forth gears are perfectly aligned. Wouldn't these gears be off if I missed something on the shaft? The third and second on the countershaft and thrid and second on the mainshaft are 1 - 2 mm off. Did Honda do this on purpose to make sure the wrong gears never mesh? Once it's under load will it straighten out because of the axial force created by the helical gears? Everything spins ok and the case fits fine over the top. I think the picture (6.177b)on p172 of the Haynes manual looks the same, but it's hard to tell since it's so small and in black and white.

Also, isn't the thickness on the case seal important enough that I should use the Honda gaset rather than the silicone sealant?

:bow:

[AZmike]

Ok, I posted a pic of the mesh on a site Yahoo threw together for me:

www.geocites.com/mikescheapwebsite/junk.html

It's much bigger if you download it.

I double checked and nothing is missing off the ends and all the geasr are turned the right way. No washers seem to be missing.

Also, is there any trick to getting the shifter linkage shaft seated faster? It seems to take forever to get that thing all the way into the hole.

[PhydeauX]

Do you mean when getting it to slide into the hole in the top half of the case. Put it in 3rd (pull the shift rod out) and its alot easier to put the case back on. Just use the permatex to seal it. It works fine.

andy