Since I have decided to swap my tranny from auto to manual. I found something helpful to all getting ready to try to take on the same task. From my other forum and thanks to OrangeAnimal this is a great step by step. Be the way this was done on a 98 Civic.
1. Go get these items You will need the trans I got mine from a wrecked 1999 Civic Ex D16Y8.
2. You can reuse your old axles.
3. You will need the starter for the Manual Trans.
4. You will need the clutch, pressure plate bolts, Flywheel and Flywheel Bolts. The ones from the flex plate are not long enough.
5. You will need the Shifter and all associated parts. This would be a good time to check and see if the bushing are worn and replace them. Also a good time to install a short shift shifter.
6. You will need the lines for the clutch system. The Master Cylinder and the Slave Cylinder and fluid resivor. Also there are brackets that hold the line on the firewall be sure to get them.
7. A quart of Brake Fluid. The small bottle is not enough you will find out why later.
8. You will need the front trans mount and the side trans mount.
9. You will need the brake pedal and the clutch pedal assm. You don't need the whole brake pedal assm. just the pedal.
10. I think that is about all the stuff you will need if I think of more I will add it.
Remove center console. Unplug all the crap you see there. You will now find that you cannot take the key out of the ignition once you have turned it on. The fix. take off the steering column cover. You will see on the bottom of the column a little white box with a very small connector going into on the left side. I tried to unplug it but it would not unplug. So I found that it is only held on by one screw remove that screw it should come off. Whe you take it off a small plunger will fall out. Leave that out and screw the box back on. Now you can turn the ignition off all the way and remove the key. So if you are still with me let's continue on. So you got the center console off? Good! let's take out the gear indicator plate. Remove the shifter knob. Then there are three screws holding that plate on. Slide plate off of the shifter. Now to the right of the shifter is the Neutral safety switch. Take it off. It's held on by 2 nuts. To the left of the shifter is the shift lock. Also held on by 2 nuts. Next the larger of the 2 connectors you unplugged will have to heavy gauge wires on it. They are Black one has a red stripe the other a green. You want to jump those together.
Now getting under the car. You need to get a few things loose before you lift the car. Remove the center caps off your front wheels. You need to loosen the axle nuts before you lift the car. Especially if you do not have a impact wrench. Once you have those loosened go ahead and lift the car. Make sure you get the car up about 20 inches in the front. If you don't you will end up not being able to slide the trans out from under the car. Ok now you are laying under the car thinking where do I start. First remove the downpipe from the the manifold and then unbolt it from the cat. Set it aside in a place out of the way. Now remove the braces that go from the engine to the trans. Next remove the dust shield. Now there is a cover over where the shift cable runs into the trans. 2 bolts hold it on. Remove it. Now there is a bolt holding the cable to the shift rod. Take it out then slide the cable off the shaft. Now slide alittle further back and remove the bracket holding the cable up. Now move alittle further back there are 2 nuts holding the cable in where it goes thru the floor. Take those off. Now just alittle further back and you will see four nuts holding the shifter assm. to the floor remove those.
Ok now get out from under the car. LOL. Get inside and lift out the shifter. On the cable you will see a metal coupler. It has a clip on it. Remove that clip and separate the cable from the shifter. Ok now throw that in you now growing pile of parts. Next part is kinda hard to do. There is a "pocket" where the cable came up thru. It has to be removed. It is spot welded to the floor. There are many ways to go about removing this part. I for one drilled out a few of the spot weld and then pushed it down and then bent it back and forth until it broke the rest of them off. Once you get that out of the way you are left with a hole in the floor. It needs to be covered. I covered mine by welding a piece of sheet metal on the floor but you could just use self tapping sheet metal screws. Also use some silicon to seal the gaps so that it is a air/water tight seal. While you have a drill handy now would be the time to drill out the holes that hold the shifter to the floorboard. You will notice just behind the hole the shifter goes thru there is 2 places for holes to be drilled. Using a 1/4 inch drill bit drill these in the very center of those spots on the floor. Ok now you will be ready to put the shifter in your car.
Next remove the original brake pedal it is NOT necessary to remove the entire assm. just the pedal. It's held on by a 14mm bolt and nut. There is also a spring that holds tension on it. It's kinda a pain in the ass to remove but get it off. Ok now take your new one and put it on.
Now on the firewall under the hood to the right (if you are in front of the car) there are some plastic plugs one large one and two smaller ones. Remove all three. If you had stereo wires running thru that plug they will have to be disconnected and rerouted. Now take your master cylinder and slide it thru the firewall. Now go back under the dash and take you clutch pedal assm. and slide it over the 2 studs take the 2 nuts and secure it. Now there is a bolt that holds it at the top this bolt MUST be in. Lastly put the pin in the actuation rod that holds it to the pedal and the cotter pin that holds it in. Now you have three pedals LOL.
Moving on. The fun part. Under the hood. Take off whatever you have for a air intake. Then Start unplugging all electrical connections to the tranny. You can leave the starter on and just unplug the wires from it. You will also unplug the o2 sensors and the dizzy cause they are all routed in the same loom. This makes it easier to get the wires out of your way. Once you have everything unplugged check again. I spent about 30 mins doing this part when you are done the wires can be laid back out of the way.
Now get back under the car. Get a good sized oil drain bucket. Drain the tranny. Let it drain while we go to the next step. Get a 12 point 10 mm socket and loosen the torque convertor bolts. There are 8 of them. now chances are you can put the drain plug in and remove the pan from under the car.
Remove both wheels and then remove both axles. Next disconnect the trans cooler lines. Now that you have those out of the way start removing the bolt on the trans that is near the left side where the axle goes in. It's the only bolt that goes thru from the back. Also the bolts from the rear mount should be removed. By this time you should have everything outta of the way and disconnected under the car.
Now get something to support the trans. I used a floor jack and a 2x4 block. Also find something to support the engine while the trans is out. I used a cinder block stood on it's end and another 2x4 block. It won't touch when you first put it under there but don't worry cause in the next step it will. Jack the jack up till it just starts to slightly push on the trans. Make sure you jack doesn't leak down. Now remove the bolts from the tranny that hold the passenger side mounting bracket onto it. Do this SLOWLY. Keep checking to see if the engine is touching the support you are using. When you get to that point and the bolts are removed go ahead and remove the bracket from the mount on the frame. You will NOT be reusing this bracket you will have to use the one that goes with the manual tranny.
Got that outta the way now remove the front tranny mount. You will not be reusing this mount. You have to use the the one for a manual trans. Continue removing anything holding the trans on. Make sure you have it supported. Once you have all the bolts and lines and wires removed slowly start to scoot the trans away from the engine. Do your best to keep it on the jack and not let the torque converter fall out. Once you have the space needed lower it to the floor and slide that POS outta the way.
Now is a good time to take a look around and pick things up clean the floor and make sure you have not damaged anything.
Remove flexplate. Even if you do not have a impact wrench you CAN get it off. Take your socket and a ratchet preferably 1/2 drive and a good size hammer hit the end of the ratchet to break the bolts loose. You will NOT be reusing these bolts they are too short to use with the Flywheel.
Ok grab your flywheel and the Bolts for it and Check or replace the pilot bearing. I recommend that you replace this especially if this is going to be a Turbo car. It comes with most Clutch Kits. Now align the flywheel and start the bolts on BY HAND until snug to the flywheel. Then tighten to spec in a criss cross pattern.
Ok once you have that on install the clutch. I didn't need a clutch disc alignment tool but I suggest using one. It makes the tranny easier to stab onto the clutch. The rest of the tranny install is pretty much in the reverse of the removal of the auto tranny. Until we reach the clutch lines and shifter.
If you like me didn't remove the shifter linkage and stabalizer bar from the tranny then you can slide under the car get a friend to help you and raise the shifter in thru the hole in the floor. Check and make sure your holes are drilled correctly and then bolt the mount in to place.
The clutch lines I used were stock from a EX model and my car and most cars should already have most of the mounts on the car. It's pretty easy to figure out where they go but if you need a picture let me know I can take one. Once you got it all mounted up you are ready to bleed the clutch line. This part is a bitch. I am not going to lie about it it took me quite sometime to get a good pedal. You will need to fill the resivor with fluid leave the cap off then open the bleeder on the slave cylinder. You may get lucky and the gravity will help the fluid through the lines. Leave it open for about 5 min. to see if this will work. If fluid does start dripping from the bleeder close it and go press the pedal once to the floor and let up do this SLOWLY. Ifd it didn't work time to get your friend to help. Bleed it the same way you would brakes. It may take sometime but it will get there. If you have tried and tried and are tired of trying then do this. I got a Mity Vac Vacuum Pump kit from the auto parts store it worked great completely worth the 35 bucks since I didn't have to listen to anyone complain about pressing the clutch pedal over and over. Once you get it bled you are getting close to completion.
Re install the axles and wheels and everything else you had to remove like the center console and set it back on the ground. Lastly check the oil in the tranny. It takes 10/30 or 10/40 motor oil. You may want to completely drain it and put in fresh oil. It should take about 1 and half quarts if empty.
Let see if it shifts. Check before you start the engine to make sure you can get it in every gear. If you can then start it up and get it the hell outta the garage and go drive it around. Go around the block once or twice and then come back and check for any leaks or loose parts.
Done deal you have a manual tranny.
If you have questions and need answers let me know I will be happy to help. I can also send pictures of what things should look like.
Also want to mention that not all cars from all years will be alike in every aspect. I accept no liability from anyone that uses this information. Although I believe it to be true and correct I cannot be responsible for personal injury or damage to vehicle.
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