My Urea grease is on it's way. Going to do this next week sometime. Hopefully this cures my notchy second gear.

 

Just finished tonight. I had changed the trans oil (Honda MTF) on the weekend a couple days ago. The new oil definitely helped, made all shifts including reverse much smoother. After shifter regrease I'd say it feels another 10-20% silkier. Overall the combination of trans oil and regrease makes shifts more precise, I don't feel like I have to concentrate on getting to 5 or 6 anymore. Reverse was definitely the worst before, I had to really search for it. Now its a smooth push down over and back in one sweeping motion.

I must emphasize that getting the plastic boot retainer out was a pain. I didn't break any of the four tabs thankfully. I used a dental tool to hook the ring and pull up while pressing on the tab with a screw-driver. Also, as Saki mentions, "the hardest part of the project" was getting those three 10mm bolts back in the shifter plate. I'm not sure if a magnetic 10 mm nut driver would help as I don't have one, but I kept dropping the bolt and the plate want to just move every which way but the right way so lining up the holes was a royal PITA.

Thanks for the awesome write-up Saki

 

I did this over the past weekend and it definitely made a difference. I had no issues with the plastic retaining ring (using a screwdriver it came out without breaking a thing quite easily) and since there was a bit of grease on my socket that held the bolts in so I could screw them back in one at a time. I would just smear a bit of the urea grease on the head of the bolt or the socket and it will be much easier, plus it wipes right off and protects the metal!

Now I just need to do the MTF change this weekend and it should shift smooth as silk

 

^^LOL...thats the difference between a noob (me) and a more experienced DIY'er. I never thought to use grease to hold the bolt

One other annoyance was needing a longer socket extension. My basic craftsman kit came with a 3", I think a 6" would have given me a little more clearance...I've been meaning to pick up an extension kit from Harbor Freight.

 

I just finished. Shifting is much much smoother and easier now. And my 1st and 2nd throws aren't as notchy. I managed to get the ring out without breaking a tab. Stuck a small flathead screw driver between the rubber boot and the white ring from behind, right where the arrows are. I just stuck it down in there, and lifted/pryed upwards. No broken tabs.

Thanks for the DIY write up.

 

I did this about a month ago. It was not difficult to do at all, and it made a BIG difference.

 

I also recommend while your doing this DIY to also replace the nylon pivot cover which goes at the bottom of the shifter its cheap to replace and it improved my shifting better than just regreasing the shift assembly, if you do the regrease plus the new nylon pivot cover you should feel a noticeable improvement in shift feel and precision, I know I did!

 

This thread helps a lot. Thanks.

 

Do you know, off-hand what the price is for that shifter with the reinforced ball?

Regarding reinstalling those three bolts, I've taken it all out and stuffed it back on doin a clutch change. Never thought to re-grease it, tho! lol

Anyway, use needle nose pliers to insert the bolds while using a 2nd pair to keep the boot outta your way. While holding the boot, install the bolt, then lay the pliers down and go back in with the 10 mm socket and at least a 6 inch extension (I use a 12"er) and start spinning. Do the front left bolt 1st. Seems to help. An vvvvWALLA! Easyness.

 

wow. didnt think I needed to do this. Much smoother, and reverse too.