ACUITY Prototype 10th-gen Shifter - My review

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Halfway home. Taken two hours so far. This has not been easy for me, and although I anticipate reassembly being easier, without a video showing the parts I fear some clips and wires won’t be so easy to figure out (especially since I also have the console illumination wires).

 

[xcivicx]

its not easy for anyone the first time. after your done you'll tell yourself it wasn't that bad.
tip on the trim that goes up to the radio area----start at the top, don't completely snap in untill all aligned.

 

[Mugenkb1]

Can the OEM shift knob work with it?

 

[xcivicx]

It surely will/can. No extra stuff needed

 

[MuffinMcFluffin]

its not easy for anyone the first time. after your done you'll tell yourself it wasn't that bad.
tip on the trim that goes up to the radio area----start at the top, don't completely snap in untill all aligned.

Thanks. I put everything back together. I spent a long time trying to tweak my settings, then tried to work with the shift boot collar but it's not cooperating with my Raceseng shift knob, so I have to try and figure that out now.

I have two big concerns right now, though:

(1) My cigarette lighter socket isn't drawing power. I did notice when reconnecting everything that it didn't seem to want to "go in" as much as I had remembered, but since I couldn't take it out at that point either I assumed it was good. That means that either I broke something, or I have to disconnect a lot of shit again just to get back to that.

(2) The shifter "squeaks" going from second to third gear. I can't explain it and it's not an extremely loud squeak, but it's enough to be a concern. I think it's technically more about going from second to neutral, but it's only when it's on its way up to third gear that I hear it.

Anyway, this thing is pretty stiff. I know people said that it was, but I figured they also claim it as a good enough daily driver. I can live with it and I'm guessing that this is a break-in period, but I have to work out those aforementioned concerns that I have. These are musts. I am not excited about taking things apart again right now, but I think that I have to.

EDIT: Actually, looking at the video again, it does seem to have that slight "disconnected" look. So why isn't my power drawing out of this anymore? :/

 

[ACUITY]

Thanks. I put everything back together. I spent a long time trying to tweak my settings, then tried to work with the shift boot collar but it's not cooperating with my Raceseng shift knob, so I have to try and figure that out now.

I have two big concerns right now, though:

(1) My cigarette lighter socket isn't drawing power. I did notice when reconnecting everything that it didn't seem to want to "go in" as much as I had remembered, but since I couldn't take it out at that point either I assumed it was good. That means that either I broke something, or I have to disconnect a lot of shit again just to get back to that.

(2) The shifter "squeaks" going from second to third gear. I can't explain it and it's not an extremely loud squeak, but it's enough to be a concern. I think it's technically more about going from second to neutral, but it's only when it's on its way up to third gear that I hear it.

Anyway, this thing is pretty stiff. I know people said that it was, but I figured they also claim it as a good enough daily driver. I can live with it and I'm guessing that this is a break-in period, but I have to work out those aforementioned concerns that I have. These are musts. I am not excited about taking things apart again right now, but I think that I have to.

I noticed you mentioned needing a video during install. By chance, did you see the install video or console removal video on our Youtube (also linked to on our site in the install area).

Let me try to hit all of your notes below. Let me know if I miss anything. Happy to help.

Regarding the cigarette lighter socket, I'd pull the panel (you can do this without removing the top part of the console, don't worry) and recheck the connection. I've disassembled the shop test Si probably 50 times and have never had a clip not be able to go in fully yet, so I think this can be resolved. The 10 gens' console is pretty robust.

Regarding the noise from 2nd to 3rd, is it possible this is the noise of the centering spring sitting onto the perch it rests on? This happens during a 2/3 shift, and I'm wondering if this is the noise you're describing.

Regarding stiffness, there's definitely a brief break-in period. Normally it takes people a few days to adjust to the new feel, and in a few weeks, the bushings wear in nicely and the load levels out. If you have height set relatively low, consider raising it while you get used to the shifter. We normally recommend setting throw and gate spacing to 50% of the adjustment range and height at 50% or higher while you adjust to the new shifter.

~Russ

 

[MuffinMcFluffin]

I noticed you mentioned needing a video during install. By chance, did you see the install video or console removal video on our Youtube (also linked to on our site in the install area).

Let me try to hit all of your notes below. Let me know if I miss anything. Happy to help.

Regarding the cigarette lighter socket, I'd pull the panel (you can do this without removing the top part of the console, don't worry) and recheck the connection. I've disassembled the shop test Si probably 50 times and have never had a clip not be able to go in fully yet, so I think this can be resolved. The 10 gens' console is pretty robust.

Regarding the noise from 2nd to 3rd, is it possible this is the noise of the centering spring sitting onto the perch it rests on? This happens during a 2/3 shift, and I'm wondering if this is the noise you're describing.

Regarding stiffness, there's definitely a brief break-in period. Normally it takes people a few days to adjust to the new feel, and in a few weeks, the bushings wear in nicely and the load levels out. If you have height set relatively low, consider raising it while you get used to the shifter. We normally recommend setting throw and gate spacing to 50% of the adjustment range and height at 50% or higher while you adjust to the new shifter.

~Russ

Thanks for the quick reply! Yes, I followed the video closely. I just meant when it came to reassembly, since the video says "reinstall everything in reverse order" or something. Yet, the new shifter doesn't have clip ports for the wires to go into, so automatically it's not going to be reverse order. Things like that.

I'll see if I can pull that part out without taking everything else out, but since I'm going to find a remedy for the shift boot collar eventually, I know I'm going to be digging into it again someday.

As far as the "squeak," I don't know what it is specifically. Is that a sound that ever goes away, though?

 

[xcivicx]

Ditto on raising the knob, a little makes a big difference on effort.

 

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Thanks, but right now the knob height is on 3, the gate spacer is very high up (not right at the top but close), and the other thing is at 4 (forget what the other one is called). I don't have a problem with the stiffness, I was just saying that I was surprised how stiff it actually was.

Anyway, below is a video of what I'm talking about. Sadly, the iPhone doesn't really pick up the sound very well. Maybe I'll try and record it again tomorrow with better equipment and see if anyone can analyze it and say what I'm hearing, and if this can be remedied or if it takes care of itself down the road.





I guess I should just hint what you're going to listen for isn't simply just a "squeak," it's a high-pitched and louder clank in general. If you're sitting in the car, you can hear it clear as day. There is no guessing when you're actually in there.

By the way, I do also hear it downshifting from 5th to 4th.

EDIT: And for the bonus round, at the 2:00 mark... "roundabout."

 

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Oh, and ACUITY, several times I tried to pry out that center area that has the cigarette lighter with everything still in, and it wouldn't come out. Are you certain that everything doesn't have to come out for you to get to it? (like I know you obviously don't have to pull out the console, but I mean the climate control stuff can stay in too?)

It wasn't popping out at all, but the first time I did it when disassembling everything it was a cinch.

 

[boosted180sx]

the panel with the cig lighter, usb ports can be popped off at any time. I did it when i was installing a flex fuel gauge inside the car.

Try sliding a pick into the slit on the bottom right and pull it.

as for the squeaking, i have absolutely no noise on mine so i am not sure what you are hearing. I'll have to watch the video after work as i have no sound here.

 

[MuffinMcFluffin]

the panel with the cig lighter, usb ports can be popped off at any time. I did it when i was installing a flex fuel gauge inside the car.

Try sliding a pick into the slit on the bottom right and pull it.

Well, clearly that's what I did to install the shifter the first time. It just didn't pop out this last time, so I thought "Maybe I'll break it if I keep trying," and stopped after four attempts. I will certainly try it again though, as I'm glad you don't have to disassemble everything else.

as for the squeaking, i have absolutely no noise on mine so i am not sure what you are hearing. I'll have to watch the video after work as i have no sound here.

Well then that's not a "good sign" my way. Honestly though, I've had the thing sitting in my car for almost a month now, so maybe the cold got to it a little bit during that time. Not quite sure.

I'll be honest though, you likely won't hear it in the video. You'd have to know what to listen for. It is very pronounced in person.

 

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Okay, so I was able to pull the thing open. Strangely though, I can't plug the thing back into its socket! I'm forcing it, jimmying it, trying to press the tab, lots of different things. I went at it for ten minutes straight.

I think something is just overly... wrong here. Maybe it was plugged in all the way, maybe it broke, I have absolutely no idea. I need it though, because it's what powers my GPS navigator when I drive.

 

[ACUITY]

Okay, so I was able to pull the thing open. Strangely though, I can't plug the thing back into its socket! I'm forcing it, jimmying it, trying to press the tab, lots of different things. I went at it for ten minutes straight.

I think something is just overly... wrong here. Maybe it was plugged in all the way, maybe it broke, I have absolutely no idea. I need it though, because it's what powers my GPS navigator when I drive.

Regarding the noise, I wasn't able to detect a squeek in the video. I noticed the sound of the spring resting onto its hard stop (which is more pronounced if you let the shifter snap itself back to center, which is ok to do). Perhaps I'm missing something?

Regarding the 12vdc plug, I think you need to just take a closer look. The plug is not Honda's most elegant design and may take a bit more force to connect than you anticipate. I've never encountered an issue with that particular connection myself (and I've got probably 50 installs under my belt), and I'm not aware of anyone ever reporting an issue with any of the guys in customer service, so I'm not aware of any common failure modes or issues with this plug. If you have a voltmeter, it might be worth checking the inside of that outlet for 12vdc and ground continuity to be sure that the issue isn't with the item being plugged in.

Post pictures of the male and female sides of that 12vdc plug if you'd like, and we can tell you if it looks normal.

~Russ

 

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Okay, with some excessive force I was able to get it fitting and click. It works again! Thanks!

The last thing to resolve is the squeal sound. I’ll record again later today from a camera better than the iPhone one lol, and see if it picks it up. Though I understand to diagnose it properly I’ll likely have to open it up again, or at least take off the boot collar.

It’s not the actual thud snap back sound, it happens right before it as it’s centering, which is a bit more high-pitched and I only hear from 2nd to 3rd and 5th to 4th (which I completely understand has to go through center to get to). The frequency cuts right through my blasting music as well (or, at least at volume level 20).

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