Manual Pedal Cluster in Auto Car?

[DaX]

*EDIT* Got the cluster in...see below for details with pictures ************************************ My daily driver is a 90 Civic DX [ED3]. I will be converting it to manual transmission this summer. I was thinking of doing it a little at a time if possible. I already have most of the components necessary. Does anyone know if I will be able to put the 5-speed pedal cluster in my car and drive around with that and my auto tranny for a few weeks? This would help out greatly, because I can knock out the hideous job of the pedal cluster swap some saturday and then wait a few weeks until I have more time to do the rest of the conversion. I know it's going to be weird having the clutch pedal just dangling, but I don't see why this wouldn't work. I'll be retaining the gas pedal that is already in my car and just putting it on the clutch/brake pedal assembly. TIA for the help. Modified by DaX at 9:36 AM 4/26/2005

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[kurinto]

I know that the dpfi throttle cables have different ends on them, so that could be a slight problem but I'm not sure.

[egricepatrol]

it would be safer to jus get all you need then do one giant conversion. i jus did one to my other 98 civic. ur gonna have to drill some evtra fitting holes for the shift linkage. but the pedal cluster is real easy to do. like a 45 min job. the pedal ends are a lil different. so jus wait until u are ready no need to rush

[vegaskurt]

You can do it, I drove around quite a while with three pedals on my auto. Throttle cable should line right up.

When I did my swap I did the pedals a few weeks in advance cause they are a pain to swap.

http://www.50mod.com/fourthgenhatch/auto2man.php

[Jays91DXhatch]

To make it easier you keep the gas pedal in the car, just take out the cotter pin and leave the stock pedal in there, put the manual assembly in minus the gas pedal and put the gas pedal back on and you're good to go.

[DaX]

I'm keeping the accelerator pedal from my auto pedal cluster and putting it on my manual pedal cluster...so there should be no issues there.

I think I'm going to put the pedals in on sunday. I know I'm going to have to drill holes for the shift linkage...that isn't an issue.

I pulled the pedals myself from a junk car, so I could get a feel for the level of difficulty. It shouldn't be THAT bad, but I want to give myself plenty of time. I also removed my center console to get a feel for the wiring. It should be a piece of cake.

Thanks for the link vegaskurt. BTW...that cable that goes from the intake to the tranny is the kickdown cable...when you floor it, it drops a gear lower for acceleration.

ANOTHER QUESTION...my auto axles should still work with the manual tranny...right?

[ne3ek]

Originally Posted by DaX

ANOTHER QUESTION...my auto axles should still work with the manual tranny...right?

yes

[DaX]

Thanks a ton.

[vegaskurt]

I put a 91 si manual in my 91 auto dx, the axels went in with no problem.

Kick down cable.. That makes sense, I went out and looked at it again and its attached to the throttle disk. Im letting it dangle till I go mpfi.

You should.... be able to use your throttle pedal. Just check the lengths. The assembly I got out of the 88 crx had a longer tip on the throttle pedal so the stoppers diddnt match up.. So I wasnt able to re use it. Instead, I have the throttle cable zip tied (flame away) to the crx pedal instead of using the spring clip. It works great, no issues.

[DaX]

Originally Posted by vegaskurt

I put a 91 si manual in my 91 auto dx, the axels went in with no problem.

Kick down cable.. That makes sense, I went out and looked at it again and its attached to the throttle disk. Im letting it dangle till I go mpfi.

You should.... be able to use your throttle pedal. Just check the lengths. The assembly I got out of the 88 crx had a longer tip on the throttle pedal so the stoppers diddnt match up.. So I wasnt able to re use it. Instead, I have the throttle cable zip tied (flame away) to the crx pedal instead of using the spring clip. It works great, no issues.

Thanks for all the info. I have a question about the mounts. I know I'll need the tranny mount from a manual. What about the back mount [the actual part with the rubber in it that bolts to the rear cross member]? What about the back mount bracket [the part that connects the mount to the engine/tranny]?


Modified by DaX at 10:56 AM 4/23/2005

[vegaskurt]

You need to drop the rear crossmember and unbolt the mount. Then move it over to the next set of holes (towards the passenger side). Then the part of the mount that actually connects to the tranny is different from the auto, so thats the part you will want to find. The auto one is straight, the manual has a curve in it.

Just realized the front mount might be different. I was only able to get one bolt to go in so I will be trying a manual front mount this weekend. I'll keep you posted.

[DaX]

Thanks. I'm going to go to the junkyard next week and try to get the front and top tranny mounts and the back bracket from a 5-spd DX. If a 92 Civic shift linkage will work, then all I'll need after that is a clutch [which I already have lined up for purchase].

Pedals might go in today. If I get them in, I'll post pictures.

Does anyone know if a shift linkage from a 92 Civic will work? I've already got one of those.

[kurinto]

I imagine it would work, you may have to shorten it. That's the best answer I can give.

[DaX]

The pedal cluster is in the car. It took me about 3 hours beginning to end, a good chunk of which was spent looking for the hidden bolt. Here's the steps I took:


This is the manual pedal cluster sans accelerator pedal that I pulled from an 88 Civic Wagon in my local junkyard. The reason I didn't get the accelerator pedal is because I'm going to keep the one that is already in my car so I don't have to go buy a different accelerator cable. Notice on the cluster there are a total of SEVEN bolts/nuts that hold it on [all marked in red] - four for the brake booster, two for the studs on the firewall, and one bolt that bolts the top of the cluster bracket to the car - this last one is often refered to as the 'hidden' bolt, as you have to pull some of your air ducting to get to this.


Take out your driver's seat, which is held in with four 12mm bolts...don't forget to unplug the electric connection going to the seatbelt unit before you pull the seat out. You're going to need all the room you can get. Please excuse the crude 'shop light,' which if my mother saw me using, she would kill me. I did the pedal cluster swap away from my shop with nice drop lights, air compressors, etc.


Drop your fuse access panel and remove the steel knee bolster. It is held on by four 10mm bolts. This is what it should look like after you do that.


Next you're going to need to remove the steering column cover. There are three phillips head screws on the bottom of the column that hold the bottom part of the cover on [marked in red].


There is a large metal ring that hold the top and bottom halves of the steering column cover together. This metal ring is located immediately behind the steering wheel. Use a small flathead to work this metal ring off, then the two halves should just snap apart and come off the column.


This is how your column should look without the cover on.


Before the steering column can be dropped, you have to clear a bunch of electrical wires that run underneath it. First, there are three plugs that attach to the combination switch on the steering column [the combination switch is the electronic device that has your blinkers, lights, and windshield switches on it]. Unplug these then route the wires out of the way from under the steering column.


Next, there is a large electrical connector directly under the steering column that needs to come apart.


There is a connector directly above the under-dash fuse panel that needs to be undone so that this wire can get out of the way of the column. The red area is where the other side of the connector is [sorry, my camera doesn't always take the best shots].


There is also a connector that plugs onto the under-dash fuse panel that needs to be unplugged. The place it plugs into is highlighted in red.


The last wire to get out of the way is the radio antenna. Just pull it out of the back of your stereo head unit. Now all your wires are cleared and you're ready to drop the steering column.


To drop the steering column, find this bracket under the dash and remove the two 12mm bolts highlighted in red.


The steering column's u-joint boot needs to be loosened. There are two metal rings that snap onto the plastic boot that you need to pull off. Now the boot can be split and allow a little better range of motion for the steering column once you drop it.


Highlighted in red are the two 12mm nuts and two 12mm bolts that need to be removed to finally lower the steering column. You're going to need a deep well socket to get the 12mm nuts off. Be sure to either hold it yourself or have a friend hold the steering column as you remove these last four fasteners...the column will drop once they are removed. Lower the column gently to your floorboard.


Steering column in the floorboard. I used a piece of string to tie my steering column to the automatic shifter so that it was kind of out of my way.


Go ahead and pull out this piece of ducting so that you can access all the fasteners holding the cluster in. There is one phillips head screw that holds the ducting in, and then you just have to pull it out. This is what it looks like once it's pulled out. Getting the ducting back in is a little tricky, but it surely isn't impossible.


Next step is disconnecting the brake booster from the brake pedal. There is a cotter pin and a metal pin that hold the booster to the pedal...remove these and the pedal will come loose.


A 12mm socket [short and deep well] on a u-joint with a 12" extention are your best bet for getting at the bolts & nuts that hold the pedal cluster in your car. Go ahead and remove the five nuts and one bolt that hold the automatic cluster in the car.


Here is a shot of the hidden bolt.
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Automatic pedal cluster removed. Don't forget to disconnect the throttle cable before you start yanking on your cluster! Also don't forget to unplug the electrical connection on your brake switch.


This is where the throttle cable connects to the pedal. This is different from the accelerator pedal that comes with the manual cluster. Unless you want to buy a new throttle cable, you'll need to use the accelerator pedal from the auto cluster. Simply remove a cotter pin and the pedal comes right off. Transfer it to the manual pedal cluster. If your manual pedal cluster doesn't already have a brake switch, transfer the brake switch from the automatic cluster.


Installation is reverse of removal. Here's the money shot...everything back together...three pedals under the dash, and an automatic shifter in the background.


Modified by DaX at 8:02 AM 11/5/2007

[DaX]

I also just posted this on the knowledge base....just search for 'pedals'

[vegaskurt]

Good job man, your one step closer to being manual. Now get some pedal pads for those pedals.

[DaX]

Originally Posted by vegaskurt

Good job man, your one step closer to being manual. Now get some pedal pads for those pedals.

I'll be ripping the brand new pedal pads off my EH2 this weekend.

[Jobobsmith]

hey i was wondering if u thought that a 16 year old could do this and i was wondering about how much you spent on all the parts you had to buy to change out your transmissions

[DCRB]

wow back from the dead! any one that is mechanically inclined can do this. i haven't personally done it but the hardest part looks to be just awkwardness. good job on searching, but good luck on getting a response from him.