DIY: CT Engineering Short Shifter Installation

BTRobertson · 02-21-2008, 10:45 PM

Formerly the CompTech Short Shifter, CT Engineering is the new face of this company making this short shifter for the 2007 Honda Civic Si. Below is a DIY recently performed on a 2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan with the newly updated CT Engineering Short Shifter, which now comes with 680 thread-lock to keep the screws from coming out.

So here goes:

Step 1: Tools

Nothing like a picture with the tools you'll need. Rather simple: 13mm or 1/2" open face wrench (used to pull the lever ball off the lever arm), the CTE-provided 680 locktite, short shifter itself, and the two screws (shown already screwed into the SS in picture 2 below):

Step 2: Crawl into the car and remove the shift boot housing (silver plastic piece) by pulling up gently on the boot until the piece snaps up. Be careful here, if you get too rough, you'll snap plastic! Slide that up and over the shift knob to keep it out of the way, then lift up on the black console piece below it (remove your loose change and any other object in the deep tray below the radio or it will go a-sailin'!). Once that pops up, tilt the silver shift boot trim piece sideways so it will fit between the black console piece. Set that black console piece aside:

Step 3: remove the shift cable connector from the blue plastic lever ball. There's a spring-loaded clip with two arms that go over the blue lever ball. You'll have to widen these two in opposite directions to unlatch the cable connector from the blue lever ball. GET A TOWEL AND SLIDE IT BENEATH ALL OF THIS BECAUSE RIGHT BELOW ALL OF THIS IS YOUR TRANNY AND IF YOU LOSE THIS SPRING CLIP OR THE BLUE BALL OR ANY OTHER SMALL PART, YOU'VE JUST CREATED MORE WORK FOR YOURSELF!!. What I did just in case was I got my telescoping magnet-headed screwdriver and kept it handy in case something did fall down, then at least I could fish the telescoping magnet down in there to pull something out. The towel beneath all this prevents it from happening in the first place, so heed my warning. The towel goes under the blue lever ball and the black cable connector in the picture below:

Step 4: remove the blue lever ball from the shift lever arm (MOST DIFFICULT STEP!). Why is it so difficult? Simple: this blue plastic lever ball is held onto the shift lever arm very tightly, allowing it to swivel in place with the grease inside while keeping it from popping off. As such, it's EXTREMELY difficult to pop this sucker off. You'll be tempted to use pliers to get this off - DON'T!! You could damage the plastic ball itself and then you're really up poop creek without a paddle. This is where the 13mm or 1/2" open face wrench comes into play. Per the picture below, position the wrench above the blue lever ball and pull downward - HARD - applying equal pressure to the ball (meaning don't lean it to one side or the other because you're fighting a losing battle there, in my opinion). Keep working at it; you'll sweat and curse a lot, but it'll come off.

Step 5: Install the blue lever ball onto the CTE SS. This is also kinda weird. The directions tell you to use a vice or you can use a C-clamp to snap the blue lever ball onto the SS. Remember how hard it was to remove? Well, getting it to snap on illustrates just how "on there" it really is. :) What I did was kneel down on the carpet in my basement, lay the ball on it, line up the SS with it, and press down with my weight. The loud SNAP tells you when it's on the right way. This is what it looks like once snapped on:

Step 6: install CTE SS onto the stock lever arm - USE THE TOWEL AGAIN because if you drop the SS down into the center, it's a PITA to get back out!. What I did was - after the towel was under everything and covering the hole - was slide the SS down under the lever arm, then shift into 4th gear; this lines the arm up with the hole on the SS, allowing it to slide into position. Make sure the SS is slid all the way up as far as it can go or else it will rub the plastic center console area, which isn't good.

Once this is done, put the 680 locktite compound on the two hex screws (2) and thread them into the CTE SS, tightening both soundly (you'll have to rotate the SS around a bit to gain access to the other screw since they oppose each other on the sides). Once again, I stress to use the towel underneath all this because those hex screws are small and if you drop those, kiss them goodbye!

Slide on lever arm using 4th gear:

Apply 680 compound:

Screw into place:

Step 7: re-connect the shift cable connector onto the blue lever ball, being careful to snap the clip into position (each spring clip arm will be over the blue lever ball, keeping firmly in place so it doesn't pop off the ball while you're shifting):

Enjoy your new shorter shifts:

Video of Short Shifter Vid - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

***maximus20895*** · 02-21-2008, 11:11 PM

lots of pics and well layed out. Thanks a ton

***k20z3 Koop*** · 02-22-2008, 12:12 AM

I don't even plan on doing this mod but rep anyway. GREAT write-up!

FA5SI · 02-23-2008, 04:23 AM

wow awesome DIY!!!!

02civicsi · 02-23-2008, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k20z3 Koop

I don't even plan on doing this mod but rep anyway. GREAT write-up!

Why not?

Great write up & repped.

habitat · 02-23-2008, 06:35 PM

Great DIY, well documented and huge high quality photos! Rep

***Phalanx*** · 03-14-2008, 05:32 PM

Im gonna be doing this shortly... but does this just install right onto the stock shifter? i dont know how t explain it. basically, i thought this piece replaced something that is stock... but in your DIY, you never show the removal of the stock piece. so, my question is... does this replace the stock piece, or mount onto the stock piece?

BTRobertson · 03-14-2008, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalanx

Im gonna be doing this shortly... but does this just install right onto the stock shifter? i dont know how t explain it. basically, i thought this piece replaced something that is stock... but in your DIY, you never show the removal of the stock piece. so, my question is... does this replace the stock piece, or mount onto the stock piece?

The Short Shifter goes OVER the stock piece once you remove the shifter cable (black), spring (again, be careful with it or you'll lose it), and blue cap (once again, be careful or it'll snap off quickly and fly around the car a few times before landing directly down in your tranny).

Just fit the SS right over that gold-looking stock piece after you remove the cable bushing and blue cap. Then refit.

***Phalanx*** · 03-14-2008, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTRobertson

The Short Shifter goes OVER the stock piece once you remove the shifter cable (black), spring (again, be careful with it or you'll lose it), and blue cap (once again, be careful or it'll snap off quickly and fly around the car a few times before landing directly down in your tranny).

Just fit the SS right over that gold-looking stock piece after you remove the cable bushing and blue cap. Then refit.

Thanks. I actually just decided to go and take a look at it right after i posted. i had the whole thing installed in under 10 mins. Nice writeup

BTRobertson · 03-15-2008, 03:21 PM

Thanks man, good job. Do you like it?

I love it.

02civicsi · 03-15-2008, 05:07 PM

It's only an adapter but when the Mugen Si shortshifter finally comes out then I will be happy with my gear selector.

pd0019 · 03-15-2008, 05:37 PM

i wonder why they changed the design and didnt include the shifter ball removal plate like the old version did...was the old way with the two screws flawed? i have the old one and its been fine soo far.

anyways nice DIY!

netz · 03-16-2008, 04:06 AM

Great write-up.

Si_Jeff · 03-16-2008, 04:12 PM

I have a problem guys, I broke the blue cap, do you guys know where I can get the cap? I checked honda oem parts list and I think I have to buy the whole shifter assembly

BTRobertson · 03-16-2008, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Si_Jeff

I have a problem guys, I broke the blue cap, do you guys know where I can get the cap? I checked honda oem parts list and I think I have to buy the whole shifter assembly

I sent you a PM Jeff...not sure if you have to buy the whole assembly for one blue cap, but I'm not sure how Honda does it, sadly. Sorry to hear man. I usually hear about peeps losing the blue cap down in the center console/tranny area, but never breaking it. I probably know exactly how you did it, too, as I nearly broke mine. If you try to pop the cap off by putting too much pressure on one side so it's cock-eyed (i.e. one side is way low and you're trying to use that one side as leverage to pop the other one off), it puts enormous strain on the one side. Too bad you didn't see my DIY first, but hopefully you found/can find the part for cheap somewhere, if not at your dealer.

White Knight · 07-12-2008, 11:34 AM

I need some help. I am in the middle of this install and im stuck. I have put the new SS on the OEM lever and screwed on. when I re apply the shift cable connector, it seems I have no gears to go into. I also don't have the free side-to-side movement as if in neutral. does anyone have any advice???

BTRobertson · 07-14-2008, 11:23 AM

Hmmm, no sure man, sorry. The only thing I can really think of is to check your links beneath your intake (engine bay). Right under your intake there's a set of cotter pins that hold your tranny links in place from the gear box. Make sure you didn't pop one of those off. If you didn't, then you did something inside the gear box itself. The OEM shifter works just like the CT SS does - there are two ball joints that connect to the shifter cables. The side one doesn't change and I never had to mess with it during this install, but the rear one does change because that's the one that hooks to the new shifter unit.

Just check your connections and make sure you've got everything tightened down. If you still have issues, try putting the OEM one back on and see what happens.

02-21-2008, 10:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
BTRobertson Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Age: 31 Posts: 629 B.T. Robertson iTrader: 0 / 0%	DIY: CT Engineering Short Shifter Installation Formerly the CompTech Short Shifter, CT Engineering is the new face of this company making this short shifter for the 2007 Honda Civic Si. Below is a DIY recently performed on a 2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan with the newly updated CT Engineering Short Shifter, which now comes with 680 thread-lock to keep the screws from coming out. So here goes: Step 1: Tools Nothing like a picture with the tools you'll need. Rather simple: 13mm or 1/2" open face wrench (used to pull the lever ball off the lever arm), the CTE-provided 680 locktite, short shifter itself, and the two screws (shown already screwed into the SS in picture 2 below): Step 2: Crawl into the car and remove the shift boot housing (silver plastic piece) by pulling up gently on the boot until the piece snaps up. Be careful here, if you get too rough, you'll snap plastic! Slide that up and over the shift knob to keep it out of the way, then lift up on the black console piece below it (remove your loose change and any other object in the deep tray below the radio or it will go a-sailin'!). Once that pops up, tilt the silver shift boot trim piece sideways so it will fit between the black console piece. Set that black console piece aside: Step 3: remove the shift cable connector from the blue plastic lever ball. There's a spring-loaded clip with two arms that go over the blue lever ball. You'll have to widen these two in opposite directions to unlatch the cable connector from the blue lever ball. GET A TOWEL AND SLIDE IT BENEATH ALL OF THIS BECAUSE RIGHT BELOW ALL OF THIS IS YOUR TRANNY AND IF YOU LOSE THIS SPRING CLIP OR THE BLUE BALL OR ANY OTHER SMALL PART, YOU'VE JUST CREATED MORE WORK FOR YOURSELF!!. What I did just in case was I got my telescoping magnet-headed screwdriver and kept it handy in case something did fall down, then at least I could fish the telescoping magnet down in there to pull something out. The towel beneath all this prevents it from happening in the first place, so heed my warning. The towel goes under the blue lever ball and the black cable connector in the picture below: Step 4: remove the blue lever ball from the shift lever arm (MOST DIFFICULT STEP!). Why is it so difficult? Simple: this blue plastic lever ball is held onto the shift lever arm very tightly, allowing it to swivel in place with the grease inside while keeping it from popping off. As such, it's EXTREMELY difficult to pop this sucker off. You'll be tempted to use pliers to get this off - DON'T!! You could damage the plastic ball itself and then you're really up poop creek without a paddle. This is where the 13mm or 1/2" open face wrench comes into play. Per the picture below, position the wrench above the blue lever ball and pull downward - HARD - applying equal pressure to the ball (meaning don't lean it to one side or the other because you're fighting a losing battle there, in my opinion). Keep working at it; you'll sweat and curse a lot, but it'll come off. Step 5: Install the blue lever ball onto the CTE SS. This is also kinda weird. The directions tell you to use a vice or you can use a C-clamp to snap the blue lever ball onto the SS. Remember how hard it was to remove? Well, getting it to snap on illustrates just how "on there" it really is. :) What I did was kneel down on the carpet in my basement, lay the ball on it, line up the SS with it, and press down with my weight. The loud SNAP tells you when it's on the right way. This is what it looks like once snapped on: Step 6: install CTE SS onto the stock lever arm - USE THE TOWEL AGAIN because if you drop the SS down into the center, it's a PITA to get back out!. What I did was - after the towel was under everything and covering the hole - was slide the SS down under the lever arm, then shift into 4th gear; this lines the arm up with the hole on the SS, allowing it to slide into position. Make sure the SS is slid all the way up as far as it can go or else it will rub the plastic center console area, which isn't good. Once this is done, put the 680 locktite compound on the two hex screws (2) and thread them into the CTE SS, tightening both soundly (you'll have to rotate the SS around a bit to gain access to the other screw since they oppose each other on the sides). Once again, I stress to use the towel underneath all this because those hex screws are small and if you drop those, kiss them goodbye! Slide on lever arm using 4th gear: Apply 680 compound: Screw into place: Step 7: re-connect the shift cable connector onto the blue lever ball, being careful to snap the clip into position (each spring clip arm will be over the blue lever ball, keeping firmly in place so it doesn't pop off the ball while you're shifting): Enjoy your new shorter shifts: Video of Short Shifter Vid - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

02-21-2008, 11:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
*maximus20895* VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Age: 19 Posts: 1,483 Max iTrader: 0 / 0%	lots of pics and well layed out. Thanks a ton __________________ P2R TBS/TBGs / Fujita SRI / Skunk2 10th Anv. Knob/Radiator Cap StrutKing DP Cover / JDM Dipstick / Cleared Head/Tails / Auger Boot My Car Build Thread - Amilia

03-14-2008, 05:32 PM	#7 (permalink)
*Phalanx* 1337 h4xZ0r Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Danvers, MA Age: 24 Posts: 10,152 MASShole iTrader: 29 / 100%	Im gonna be doing this shortly... but does this just install right onto the stock shifter? i dont know how t explain it. basically, i thought this piece replaced something that is stock... but in your DIY, you never show the removal of the stock piece. so, my question is... does this replace the stock piece, or mount onto the stock piece? __________________ I can be an asshole and Im not afraid to voice my opinion(s). If you cant handle it, block my posts. In/Around NorthEastern MA? come to our weekly meet & greet! "A car never breaks. It presents us with opportunities to upgrade."

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02-22-2008, 12:12 AM	#3 (permalink)
*k20z3 Koop* Grab her face Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mass Posts: 1,720 Keith iTrader: 4 / 100%	I don't even plan on doing this mod but rep anyway. GREAT write-up!

02-23-2008, 04:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
FA5SI Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: SoCal Age: 20 Posts: 922 iTrader: 10 / 100%	wow awesome DIY!!!!

02-23-2008, 06:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
habitat Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: NorCal Age: 23 Posts: 2,120 iTrader: 1 / 100%	Great DIY, well documented and huge high quality photos! Rep

03-15-2008, 03:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
BTRobertson Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Age: 31 Posts: 629 B.T. Robertson iTrader: 0 / 0%	Thanks man, good job. Do you like it? I love it.

03-15-2008, 05:07 PM	#11 (permalink)
02civicsi Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Longwood, FL Posts: 6,481 I am the Juggernaut!!! iTrader: 17 / 100%	It's only an adapter but when the Mugen Si shortshifter finally comes out then I will be happy with my gear selector.

03-15-2008, 05:37 PM	#12 (permalink)
pd0019 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: SoCal Age: 21 Posts: 308 iTrader: 2 / 100%	i wonder why they changed the design and didnt include the shifter ball removal plate like the old version did...was the old way with the two screws flawed? i have the old one and its been fine soo far. anyways nice DIY!

03-16-2008, 04:06 AM	#13 (permalink)
netz Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 13 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Great write-up.

03-16-2008, 04:12 PM	#14 (permalink)
Si_Jeff Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NY Posts: 595 iTrader: 2 / 100%	I have a problem guys, I broke the blue cap, do you guys know where I can get the cap? I checked honda oem parts list and I think I have to buy the whole shifter assembly

07-12-2008, 11:34 AM	#16 (permalink)
White Knight Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: ATX Posts: 98 John iTrader: 0 / 0%	I need some help. I am in the middle of this install and im stuck. I have put the new SS on the OEM lever and screwed on. when I re apply the shift cable connector, it seems I have no gears to go into. I also don't have the free side-to-side movement as if in neutral. does anyone have any advice???

07-14-2008, 11:23 AM	#17 (permalink)
BTRobertson Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Age: 31 Posts: 629 B.T. Robertson iTrader: 0 / 0%	Hmmm, no sure man, sorry. The only thing I can really think of is to check your links beneath your intake (engine bay). Right under your intake there's a set of cotter pins that hold your tranny links in place from the gear box. Make sure you didn't pop one of those off. If you didn't, then you did something inside the gear box itself. The OEM shifter works just like the CT SS does - there are two ball joints that connect to the shifter cables. The side one doesn't change and I never had to mess with it during this install, but the rear one does change because that's the one that hooks to the new shifter unit. Just check your connections and make sure you've got everything tightened down. If you still have issues, try putting the OEM one back on and see what happens.