Porsche Newbie

Havent driven any other SC ever..or G50 tranny car.. I notice sometimes, not every single time, but more often than not, shifting from first to second sometimes I have to give it a pretty good "pull" to get it down in there (even after pregnant pause).. into thrid seems pretty easy but sometimes I guess I fail to get it all the way engaged cuz it will pop out.. sitting still at a stop light, shifting into first, sometimes, again, inconsistent, feels like it doesnt wanna go all the way in..so what I do is pull the shift down into second (clucth in of course) and then it seems to go into first after that..

What's teh deal here? Synchros? How much of this is "normal" for the 915..I know it has it's quirks.. just not sure which ones are the usual..

If it is syncros how much $$ are we talking here?

THANKS!

SeattlePorsche

Maybe the coupler in the tunnel is not set right. Maybe new shift bushings would help? Both are cheap fixes. Since it isn't grinding, but just having to need a good pull to get it into gear, I bet it's not the tranny.

2002M3Drew

Sounds like normal 1-2 915 shift to me. Even under the best of circumstances, there is a pause bnetween the 1/2 shift. You just pull down with normal effort until it drops into gear...you don't want to increase effort. If you manhandle it and therefore shift it before the synchros are lined up, you will wear the tranny prematurely. Some use different methods, such are double clutching between the gears. I find a slower 1-2 shift without double clutching works best. If, on the other hand, you wait a second or two and you still have to pull down hard or it won't go in, I would check the couplers.

Porsche Newbie

How do you check or adjust(?) said coupler?

emac

Rob
That is the nature of the beast. You adjust by removing a plate between and behing the seats. Look at the coupler if it is worn replace but be sure to mark with a felt pen the position of the joint before removing. Put her back by lining up everything. I really think everything is good. After I replaced my coupler I still have the issue with secong. I notice it more often when I try to shift into second too soon.

Ernie 81 SC

SeattlePorsche

It's in Wayne's 101 projects book. I've never done it but will need to soon. The tranny itself is shifted by a shift rod that protrudes into the tunnel. Shifting is via turning the shift rod left and right, and by pulling in and pushing out. Your shift handle does all this for you by sending a rod through the tunnel and connecting to the tranny shift rod via a coupler. A certain degree of slop is necessary, and that is where the pliable bushings on the coupler come into play. If you want to see the coupler, remove 4 screws and pull off the center tunnel plate adjacent to the rear seats. Then pull the rubber cover backwards (towards the front end of the car) and you will see the coupler. You would need an allen wrench to loosen the cone screw. Make sure you push the allen wrench as far down into the screw as you can or you will strip the allen head.

If I were you I would consider exposing the coupler, then going to your mechanic and have him look at it. It would take five seconds for him to adjust it. I am pretty newbie too, so what I don't know is what to look for if the coupler is not adjusted properly. Hope that helps ya.

srf506

Probably a pretty normal "synchro lag" causing the shift to be a little harder than normal. Porsche gearboxes were never meant to be "speed shifted" like a typical AMerican tranny can be. Double-clutching or heal-toeing helps some. You just have to be patient and precise in shifting.

Porsche Newbie

Sounds good and thanks all.. I'll pregnant pause a bit more.. doesnt sound like anything too major at this point.. whew.

Edward

Hi Rob,

915s are interesting creatures: incredibly sturdy for continual track use (when used properly), but not to be shifted like a "regular" tranny. The best thing you can do to determine whether yours is "normal" is to have a *trusted* wrench.

Edward

SeattlePorsche

I don't think it is normal for his tranny to pop out of gear.

Edward

Hi Rob,

915s are interesting creatures: incredibly sturdy for continual track use (when used properly), but not to be shifted like a "regular" tranny. The best thing you can do to determine whether yours is "normal" is to have a *trusted* wrench look it over as you have no real frame of reference. It "can" very well be a mis-adjusted linkage as others have mentioned. Or possibly a misadjusted clutch that's not fully disengaging. An experienced (and honest!!) mech will tell you what's up. Hope this helps

Edward

Porsche Newbie

Hey James, not sure its actually popping out.. it just may not have actually been *in* gear to begin with.. I may take mine to a local Porsche guy Nort Northam who drives, sells and races 911's here..I bet he could give me a good feel for it..

Sean F

Every 915 has a personality, you just need to get to know it. You'll find there is a rythm that you can get in that really helps. Use a rubbery wrist when you shift.

I found that replacing the coupler and transmission mounts with the WEVO products helped quite a bit. Rebuilding the transmission helped even more

JV911

when i first got my 911 (with rebuilt 915) i had that problem occasionally...once i got used to the nuances of the 915 it, or i rather, stopped doing it

1/2 and 5/4 were tricky shifts when i was a noob

Daniel Dudley

Rob, I think you are right, you should take it to a guru, and see how he feels it shifts. I do not agree about the longer pause though. There is a moment betwwen shifting too fast and pausing too long when the shifter will go into gear easily. Hold the shift **** with the tips of your fingers, push in the clutch, and pull the lever quickly but gently into second gear, until you feel the resistance of the syncros. At the proper moment, when all speeds match, the shifter will want to go into second, and will slip in. This is a learned reflex, and takes practice. You will not be straining the syncros unless you force it. Using the syncros to feel the pause can help you to time your shift when you are shfting at lower or higher revs than you normally use, and can make you a smoother driver.

If you were describing any rythmic vibration coming from the shifter, I would say that would be a classic symptom of poor syncros, a grinding vibration like a tik tik tik tik tik, often with no sound or real grinding - yet. I didn't get that from your post.

Take it to a guru, go for a ride from him, and if everything is good, watch how he shifts, and ask for pointers. If you are aware that revs must be matched while downshifting, be aware that it also helps an upshift. That is what the pause is for. LOL