EH9 Build - 5MT swap update

The long awaited #eh9build update!

Sad to say since I got my FA5 I have been neglecting my poor EH9. With the weather as nice as it has been and now that I've been getting these gaps in my schedule that people are calling "free time" I decided to pull the EH9 back in the shop, get her in the air, and finish the 5MT swap.

2.5 Ton stands in the rear and 3 Ton stands in the front - able to work comfortably under the car 

Fellow SA club member Jarred [@ildsem1] ran with me to go pick up a used, OE EG sedan shift linkage with about 150K miles. The sedan linkage was required as I planned this to be a "no cut install" - meaning that I will not be cutting holes in center column to mount the linkage, just drilling two small 5/16ths mounting holes. If anything I will be adding sheet metal to the floor to seal up the 4AT shifter hole.

OEM EG Sedan Shift linkage and shifter

The hardware on the undercarriage of this 22 year old car is surprisingly forgiving. With the exception of the CV axle nuts there was nothing frozen or gave me any real trouble on both the donor car or the EH9. The longest part of both the removal and installation was the bitch pin.

5MT shift linkage mounted

The best part about a No Cut Install is that everything fits and looks like stock. I could not have asked for a better install - everything lined up perfect. Because Honda was the true originator of plug and play the chassis was marked exactly where I needed to drill the two 5/16ths holes to install the rear linkage mount. 30 seconds on the drill then 30 seconds on the spanner and the linkage was mounted.

Test fitting the 4AT shifter plastics

Another reason I wanted to do a No Cut Install - the above image is a test fit of the stock 4AT shifter plastics. They have not been modded at all, just removed from the vehicle. If I had the shift boot You would not know that this trans had been swapped.

The finished product - OE-looking 5MT swap (minus the shift boot)

I had two shifters - one OE and one aftermarket short throw. The short throw was beaten to shit and had a shitty shift knob stuck on the shifter with LocTite by the previous owner (I didn't ask why). Since the bushing on the OE shifter were eaten up I got a no-name short throw shifter that came with a knockoff Skunk2 knob. 

Dual bend short throw with Skunk2-style knob (can't find the shift boot)

For a $30 shifter I was actually impressed that it came with NSK bearings. The shift knob however is total shit - the size is correct however it weighs like 3 grams. The linkage also has a bit of slop in it so I've got Energy Suspension bushings and a Skunk2 5 speed shift knob on the ToDo list.

Demo of how short the throw is 

I don't think I've driven a car with a throw this short. Need to fill the trans with fluid, get the exhaust sorted, and then it's track time. Need to get some baseline runs in so that I can start tuning. Another item crossed off the EH9 Build ToDO list! Totally looking forward to bangin' gears at the track!

Special thanks to Phil Walker and my SA brothers Phil Johnson [@chevrollac] & Jarred [@ildsem1] for stopping by the shop and lending a hand! If you are not already be sure to follow us on Instagram! 

Stay tuned, we're just getting started!

Matt @ HYPR Garage
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// #eh9build
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