DIY - CompTech Short Shift Installation (lots of pics, step by step instructions)

[Jacek]

Approximate Installation Time: 1h 30m, from start to finish. add time if you are not accustomed to using tools

Parts List:

• 14mm Wrench
• Flat Head screwdriver
• Drill
• 1/4" drill bit
• Philips Screwdriver
• 4mm allen wrench
• (and ofcourse)CompTech Short Shift Kit

The following instructions include the dismantelling of the center console and the installation of the CompTech Short Shift Kit.

WARNING: Use caution and delicate handling when removing and storing plastic pieces removed durring installation and reassembly, damage may result in visible damage.

Instructions:

1) Start by removing the forward console, the one contaning the cigarette lighter. Do this by pulling the top part of the panel out by your finger nails and then inserting a screwdriver in the space you make and prying the panel out. This can by quite hard, just keep trying. After you get the top part, pull away with your fingers and insert the screwdriver on the sides and keep prying till you get the whole thing out. There are a LOT of clips on this panel for some reason. Once you get it pulled out, unhook the cigarrete lighter from behind by just pulling it off. Refer to images below:


(I have circles all the clips on the following image, the image is a back view of the panel)


2) Now remove the shift knob. To do this, take a 14mm wrench and screw the bottom bolt CLOCKWISE, ie down the shaft while holding the shift knob. This will lossen the shift knob and allow you to unscrew it by hand, and then you unscrew the nut under the shift knob by hand.



3) Now remove the partial center pannel. The piece that surounds the shift knob, and the pannel right under the hand brake. It is best to have the handbreak in the set position for this. There are 6 clips on the panel, just use the flat head screwdriver to pry it off. Pry Upwards. Following is a picture of the underside of that pannel.



4) The Comptech instructions tell us to remove the cup holder in the front by pulling it up. But I will omit this as it is NOT necessary...This is how the center panel should look now:



5) Now, there are 2 screws on the front part of the center panel (philips) you need to unscrew. I have circled them on the following picture.



6) Next, unscrew the 2 screws (one on each side) at the rear end of the panel (by the passenger cup holder). I have circled them on the following picture.



7) Ok, now we are ready to pry again. Pry the sides at the front of the central panel outwards. As shown in the following picture. Do this on both sides, there is a clip there it can by hard but keep pulling till you feel the clip release.



8) Ok, you should now be able to pull the center panel out by pulling it up and back. Once you get it pulled out a little, unplug the rear cigarrete lighter and then pull the entire console out.



9) You should be looking like this now:



10) Now you must detach the shifters. Do this by removing the cotten pins, it's basically a piece of thick metal wire that goes through the rod and bends around it to keep it in place. Bend it straight and pull it out. Do this for both pins on each rod attachment. (NOTE: save the pin and cotton pin from the lower shift arm, the one which is not directly connected to the shifter. You will be reusing it)



I have circled both pins on the following image


It should now look like this:


11) Now take a shop rag and cover the shift boot, you will be drilling in the next step and you don't want metal fillings falling into the lubricated shift boot.



Following is what SHOULD come with your CompTech Short Shift Kit:


12) Place the shift adjuster on the shifter. Refer to below image, you want the adjuster with 3 holes not the one with 2. Hold the adjuster in place with one hand and use it as a guide to drill the hole for the holding bolt. Again refer to image for what I mean. You will need to do this from the passenger side of the vehicle. Use the 1/4" drill bit.



13) Remove the shop rags and shavings from drilling, then install the shift arm to the new knob you installed. Use the new pin and cotton pin that came with the Short Shift Kit to hold the arm in place.




14) Now install the last shift adjuster that came with your Short Shift kit on the second control arm. USE THE BOLT AND NUT that came with the kit to attach it to original arm, then use the previous pin and cotton pin you removed to attach the arm (the one going towards the engine) to the new arm. (NOTE: the bolt and nut were VERY difficult to get to fit, I eventually had to just push really hard and screw it in, put the nut on once I had the bolt through enough and line up the bolt, there are 2 flattened parts that MUST fit in place, and pull the bolt threw by screwing in the nut). Refer to following image to see what it should look like after installed:



15) FINALLY, now reinstall all the panneling in the reverse order you took them off. Remember to screw the 4 screws in on the main panel, and also remember to plug in the cigarette lighters.


Questions/Comments: Please post them here I'll reply to them as soon as I am able.

[Pippin]

Wow that looks cool. What does the short shift do exactly though?

[TireMeltingRSX]

I have a fucking question... how do you like it???

[Jacek]

the short shift reduces your gear shifts by 30%...ie don't have to move the shifter as far to get from gear to gear.

And I haven't driven it yet TMRSX, I painted my calipers right after I put that on...so have to wait 24h before I can drive...tommorrow I'll know.

[autoxCLS]

Well done! I've copied this to our DIY section and would like to post it in our DIY app.

[Jacek]

I've driven it now, only about 15 miles total. But the shifting is much better, the gears being noticably closer together and I can throw the shifts at least in half the time it took me previously. They are still not as close as I would like, but definately a large improvement over stock.

[C25A1guy]

definetly warrents a link in the index sticky! NICE WORK!

[QKSLVER03]

Nice work Jacek, I have been thinking about getting this thing , I just couldn't find anybody that had it installed to comment about it. I'm glad you like it. Also what about your vehicle warranty???

[saturnine]

how much did you pay for it?

[Jacek]

Driss: It shouldn't void any part of your warranty, since it affects nothing. It just changes the distance you have to throw the shift knob, forward/back and left/right to get in gear. Ok, it MIGHT void the warrenty on your shift boot, but the chances of that F'ing up are nill to zero. Should be good for at least 250k miles.

Bitter: It was $69, bought it from http://www.kingmotorsports.com/produ...22&vehicle=RSX

[Jacek]

Oh, and note that the picture on King Motor Sports is DIFFERENT from what you actually get. Check my instructions, halfway through I posted a picture of what actually came with the kit.

[QKSLVER03]

Thank you for the warranty info Jacek.

[Jacek]

About the pictures, sorry guys they are lost in limbo. I've checked every PC/Laptop I have and they aren't on there

[n0s_speed]

[Jacek]

what do you want me to do? buy a new RSX and re-do it so I can get the pics again...well too bad, they don't sell em anymore =p