ForceReconTrojan

No I am not going to ask the obvious as I have read all the threads. But I am curious to people that have owned it since new, how did it shift the day you drove it off the lot?

I have a new clutch, pressure plate, cable and all the WEVO updates sans internal gate shifter and I would say that first gear is a mystery 70% of the time and I start in 2nd gear and go from there. When it does slot in 1st gear its perfect etc etc.

Downshifting is a learning process and one I am getting used to coming from other Porsches those habits are hard to break.

I spoke to California Motorsports and he thinks its the 1st gear synchro, I have 67k miles and obviously never replaced. But I was told even with that replaced I could have issues getting to first gear as he has fully rebuilt 915's and had the exact same issue. Spending 6, 7 or 8k and having the same issue would severely **** me off.

I can drive it fine as is but for a car that was 45k in 1986 this is perplexing on several levels.

Thanks for any insight.

ForceReconTrojan

Oh the high end estimate is me having it fully tore down and updated. I was quoted far less for just first gear.

race911

Can't believe anyone would do a clutch and not at least inspect everything associated with 1st and 2nd gear. Cheap? No. Necessary? Yes.

But back in the Olden Days I would get new '85-6 cars (even the dealer referred alignments to me), and no way, no how is a new 915 any problem transmission. Sure, the 2.4/2.7/SCs with miles go finicky. But that was mainly due to the 1st and 2nd dog teeth/sliders/bands getting beat to hell from owner abuse due to a misadjusted clutch.

GTgears

Roger is being conservative. If it is inside your gearbox CMS will find it and fix it. He just can't guarantee the function of the rest of your system.

ForceReconTrojan

Without knowing would one need to rip open the gearbox itself to inspect it? I ask only because the clutch was so bad that everything pointed to the clutch being the culprit. The 915's sloppiness was being attributed to the being a 915 hence the updating to WEVO. While its miles better this slowing into first gear is annoying but as I have read countless times here and elsewhere not a rare occurrence. I have been told that its most likely the first gear but until inspected nothing can be assured.

race911

You can't assess anything from the outside. Understand I haven't done a 915 box in about 20 years now, but all these band aid external products didn't exist back then. (Absent a short shift kit--factory or aftermarket.)

A 915 just plain works correctly if things inside aren't glitched. I've got the 2X salvage '80 Weissach in the backyard, and when it was sold back to me I couldn't believe how good it shifted. Was the first 915 I'd even driven around the block in at least 10 years. I did the trans + clutch when my then-girlfriend bought the car circa '95, and 30K miles + 17 years later it felt great.

rstarga

Mine shifts just as well as when new. They require an acquired touch, but are a very nice shifting box when right.

ForceReconTrojan

Thanks, as I suspected. I have a 944 turbo and it shifts amazing, a PDK Spyder and had a 993t which was fine as well. This car is teaching about driving all over again and while I enjoy it this first gear thing is perplexing. I have never had to double clutch before and have read its technique that should be mastered with he 915 as well.

I appreciate the insight. Thanks everyone.

Ed Hughes

A good 915 is going to feel a bit sloppy compared to other transmissions. But, they are great boxes. You can put all the new parts and gizmos on it that you can buy, but if you don't get the coupler adjusted right, all bets are off.

GTgears

You have read just enough to be dangerous. Everything pointed to the clutch. But while the car was continued to be driven with a bad clutch 1st gear got shredded.

I'm not trying to be insulting. I'm just reiterating that you need to go inside your gearbox if you want your problem to go away.

race911

Borg Warner synchros v. Porsche proprietary. Everyone coming lately to these cars has been brainwashed by a press that has to write something, anything. The cars/transaxles aren't snowflakes.

While the value of the cars now justifies spending money to fix them properly, consider the typical POS 10 year old I had to deal with in the mid-'80s. A car that was worth $7-8K, an owner who was wholly unfunded, and heavy pressure to get the trans fixed AND install a new clutch/flywheel for maybe $2500. We got it done, and the cars lived to run another 70-80-100K.

Mondrian

I am also looking to rebuild an SC engine as well as the 915 box, interestingly i found that there are more great engine builders than great 915 g/box builders - last quote I got from a very well known "performance" engine builder was $110/hr but a highly recommended "stock" g/box builder quoted me $125/hr! It also seems to me that while folk are happy to blow $20k on engine or bodywork or trick suspension & wheels, but when it comes down to 915 box they count pennies.

When I add all this up I get the feeling that there are a few unhappy 915 owners as they have not properly rebuilt or fine tuned their 915 so really keen to drive a properly sorted g/box.

tgil

Have an 80 Weissach with 52k miles, stock, and it shifts perfectly.
MY 84 Targa was causing me some shifting issues- mechanic discovered worn out couples. Replaced couplers, installed short shift kit, and all if good now. Also changed out engine and trans mounts with OEM parts which probably helped Targa as well.

tgil

Worn out Couplers. (sorry for mispelling).

mk85911

Re downshifting into first: I find that if I depress the clutch and pause for a second or two the shift into first is effortless and smooth. I believe this procedure allows the synchro to "catch up". If the pause doesn't smooth things out it may be a sign of a synchro problem possibly caused by forcing transmission into first gear too quickly.

I have owned my 911 for over 30 years and 112,000 miles and I have not noticed any change in transmission behavior. I also pause slightly on the up shift from first to second.