drive4show

I have a Skunk2 short shifter in hand. I have the required tools, ES bushings, and the instructions found in team-integra.net. So far, so good.

Trouble is, I'm stuck on step 1! I'm trying to remove the B-pipe; three self-locking nuts on the connection to the cat, and 2 bolts on the back end. [All stock on the exhaust.]

Checking my service manual, the 3 nuts are supposed to be at 25 ft-lbs, while the 2 bolts are 16 ft-lbs. Yeah, right.

I've squirted some 3-in-1 oil on there, to see if that helps lubricate things.

Also, I'm going to get a pipe to fit over my ratchet tool, to give me more torque.

Also, I'm waiting for my new jack to arrive, which will give me 5" more room than the el-cheapo 14" Walmart jack. Ideally, this gives me more room to swing with an impact driver, if it comes to that.

Any other helpful suggestions? If I can't get it to budge, hello speed shop and goodbye $85.

Finally, in the service manual, it says to replace the nuts, bolts, and gaskets on the B-pipe. Does anybody actually do this, or is it OK to reuse the stuff on the car? If new nuts and bolts, is this something I can get at Home Depot? What about the gasket?

Thanks for any help.....

teg_fan

I wouldn't even try taking the pipe off of the cat if I were you, those bolts are beyond me. What you should do is just dismount your exhaust where the cat meets the header, its ot hard at all, and where it meets the muffler, you can even leave the muffler on. To tell you the truth, both me and my friend did short shifter installs without removing the exhaust, you just have to rip apart that heat shield that blocks the shift lever.

LoneStarGSR

Yea....just remove the heat shield. It's MUCH easier! I've had my STR shifter out several times and all I ever did was remove the shield.

drive4show

Waiting for my low-min-height jack to arrive, so it may be a couple days before I tackle this project. Tired of driving on 2x10 before jacking up.

I dropped by Home Depot and reloaded: Liquid Wrench, 4lb hammer, breaker bar, and steel pipe.

Since I spent most of my time under the car with the B-pipe/cat self-locking nuts, I don't recall if there was a heat shield directly underneath the shifter. I remember that removing the B-pipe seemed like it would give complete access to the shifter hardware.

I will report back when I get back under the car....

Oh, this is a 4 door; I don't know if that changes the location of heat shields or anything.

Skelly_GSR

I did my short shifter with leaving my midpipe where it was. It wasnt too hard, but i wish i took the mid pipe out

mrbungle89

i did a skunk2 install with just removing the 2 rubber hangers on the exhaust below shifter. it will give you plenty of room. just push exhaust to the side when removing shifter

drive4show

I just received my new jack last night. Go to Harbor Freight and search for 47019 if you're interested in seeing this 110lb monster.

I like the idea of removing the rubber hangers. Thanks for the suggestion. Will try tonight.....:thumbup:

irish 'teg

try and heat the bolts that connect to the cat, when i had my greddy evo cat bak removed we took it off from the header and we tryed everything finally we took a torch and heated the bolts up and they came right off

drive4show

So the Skunk2 SS is in!

Here's what I ended up doing:

- 19" lift on new jack provided lots of room; I also lifted about 12" on the rear hook with the $20 Walmart jack. 3-ton jack stands on the front jack points, 2-ton jack stands on the rear jack points. Solid.

- removed exhaust rubber hangers near shifter - no help
- removed exhaust rubber hangers above muffler - no help
- used Liquid Wrench, breaker bar and 18" steel pipe on the three nuts between the B-pipe and the cat - success! (The third nut -- the one on top of the pipe -- was a real :madfawk: to get a socket on.) B-pipe dropped down to the ground, lots of room!

For those who did the install with the B-pipe in place, I am impressed and amazed.

Also installed ES bushings. Now I understand why they are called shifter stabilizer bushings, and not shifter bushings. It was a surprise that I needed to move 2 feet towards the front of the car to install the big round bushing.

Great appreciation for both how the shifter connects, as well as how the exhaust hangs. Glad to have done this myself, and not given $85 to my local speed shop.

Minor goofs during installation:
- inserted big round ES bushing backwards. I was working on my back, then crawled out from under the car to remove the old bushing and install the new one. Left and right changes when you're on your back!

- forgot to remove the metal spacers from the old rectangular rubber bushing (near the shifter). These spacers need to be inserted in the new ES bushing. Started tightening the bolts, and thought that things didn't look right, as the poly bushing got all squished. :doh:

- over-tightened the bolt that connects the shifter to the shift pipe. Lowered the car, and learned I couldn't really move the shifter forward and backward; sideways was fine, though! Raise the car, loosen the nut....

The only question I have now is about the Skunk2 knob. A nut came in the package. I guess I'm supposed to install the nut, and position the nut so that the shift knob tightens against the nut, while still remaining in the right orientation (for the shift image on the top of the shift knob).

Not sure if I'm supposed to tighten the nut against the shift knob.... Or maybe I'm supposed to use Loctite blue on both the nut and the shift knob. :dunno:

First impressions on the shifting: Yes, throw is shorter, which is nice. 4th to 5th is most noticeable. Shift knob is nice, although I had no issue with the stock knob. Less of a 'Wow!' factor than I was expecting, but I've only driven the car around the block.... maybe I'll change my mind after I drive this weekend.

Again, thanks to everybody for the suggestions! :cheers: