jerro95

Hello everyone, I need your help trying to figure out what is causing a clicking sound on my shifter. Oddly enough I now know how replicate it, but I don't know why it is making the click.

From neutral to 1st I don't get the click. 1st -> 2nd, no click. However,
from 2nd -> 3rd, if I shift it with a little bit more force, I feel it get into gear all the way. When I shift it into 4th from 3rd, it feels like the shifter hits something, then makes a distinct click, then goes into 4th. This only happens when I shift out of an odd number gear.

Sometimes, when I am in third and I hit the "wall", I can put the car in neutral, but when you look at the shifter itself, it looks like it's higher, or closer to the odd numbered gears, than usual. When I pull the shifter toward the true center of the of the center console, I hear a click, and it goes smack dab in the middle.

Does anyone know what is wrong? I don't hear any grinding, but I do know that you're not supposed to hear a click when you're shifting. I'll probably post a video soon, so that you guys know what I'm talking about, Thanks!!!

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

my guess is shifter bushings going bad, but you can stop at any trnasmission shop to confirm your suspicions - you always can get a quote and get walk away

since your post is not an DIY article, I moved it to the correct section

jerro95

Hey thanks for moving it for me! In order fix this problem, it is for sure not a DIY type of job?

ezone

I can DIY it, and I don't even know what the problem is yet. IDK about you.



BTW what year is your car?

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

an DIY that merits being in the DIY section is a member that posts how they did solve the problem, with complete instructions, not somebody asking how to solve the problem

it's just that a DIY section is meaningless if there are thousands of posts just asking how, and you can't find any posts actually explaining how

this the reason we clean-up that section

jerro95

My model year is a 2002 Civic LX. Sorry for the late response.

ezone

So is the shifter real stiff, difficult to move?


Give this a read, should link to a PDF of a TSB that might address your problem:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...KReldwTfzyVv6A

In addition to the description in the link, I've seen the pivot ball split apart within the housing causing it to jam up

jerro95

I actually found another thread that has you in it and somewhere in that thread the guy's pivot ball has a split. When I removed the center console I believe the ball had a clean split as well. I thought nothing of this because the split was clean as though they are supposed to be two halves that come together. Is the ball supposed to be in two halves, or is it supposed to be one piece with a noticeable seam? Becuase the ball is split, is that the why when I shift out of odd numbered gears, there's an audible and tactile click?

Here's the link to the other post that I saw you in:
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/3...-problems.html

ezone

It's been several years since I saw a bad one, and I didn't really ever pay close attention to a new one....

IIRC the ball does have a parting line if you just look at it, when it's in good condition it is one piece (IDK if it's two halves glued together, or just molded that way).....but when it went bad it broke open along that parting line.
Sometimes a bad one would still shift somewhat ok if you did it slow and easy, and it sometimes took some force to make a bad one open up and jam in the housing

Also, over the last 5+ years I've made like 26,000+ posts in this forum alone so you can probably find my ramblings (and rants and raves) just about everywhere in here. I get a kick out of finding my posts and pics in google searches now LOL

jerro95

Haha, that's how I found your other posts. If I were to just change the shifter, or install a short shifter, do you think this problem would go away?

ezone

Have you taken yours apart far enough to see if it is really your problem yet?

Well, the TSB in the link has you replacing the shifter assembly ("change lever sub-assembly") which is the entire unit that's bolted to the floor.

Item #1 in this catalog picture, and Majestic wants about $60 for it (USD $90 MSRP):


I'm not familiar with any aftermarket offerings. If a short shifter is just a shorter stick, would that address a broken pivot ball and housing?