Bretech

I sometimes knick reverse by accident. Is there a fix for this? My gear lever seems to have a lot of play from left to right. I checked the shift coupler and it looks okay, I did notice that the tranny seems to be what has the play, because if I get under it and move the shifter, it will in return move the gear lever, in the cabin, precisely. Can I remove the gear lever and check things out or do I run a risk of ruining something??

Naitove

You can remove the shift without screwing anything up. There are several bushings which probable need replacing and which will clean up the slop. I was nicking reverse until I replaced them & had the coupler ajdusted. No more.

Peter Zimmermann

It's possible to have a good coupler, but not have the adjustment set correctly. I assume that this is a 915, and that you knick R while downshifting from 5th to 4th? It's also very possible that the bushing, called a ball cup, on the bottom end of the shift lever, has crumbled to dust - that's what can give you the left to right play. Taking the shift tower out on cars with a console is a little tricky, what year is your car?
Pete

porsche930dude

a gate shift kit is what you need seine makes them as well as other brands

Bretech

sorry about the misunderstanding. i have a 901 from a 1970 car. I usually knick R when I go from 1st to 2nd. is there a gate shift kit that will help?

Peter Zimmermann

Whoops! That changes everything, forget everything that I've already said! You don't need a gate shift, you need to disassemble your shifter and locate the problems. Actually, the ball cup bushing already mentioned still applies, but your shifter has a steel plate that you will probably find significant wear on. Do you have an old-timer in your area that can take a look at it for you?
Pete

SeattlePorsche

Could it not be that the shift fork for 1st (inside the tranny) is not adjusted properly. I don't know the anatomy of a 901 that well, other than that 1st and reverse are at the nose of the tranny together. Isn't it possible that the shift fork has 1st too close to the reverse idler gear? I know that in the 915 tranny which has 5th and reverse up in the nose, if the shift fork is not adjusted with enough clearance from the reverse idler, you can nick reverse. I was very cautious about setting this fork correctly. (I hope I did it right.)

Bretech

I did have an old timer look at it, but he was kinda stumped when he noticed that the slop was coming from the tranny. The plate that peter is talking about could have some wear. i was thinking about getting a modified 915 lever housing with a gate shift kit. Wht do u guys think about those?

C4 Pazzo

I recently dealt with a similar problem in my '70 911T. The shift rod bushing had completely disintegrated, introducing a ton of side-to-side play in the shifter. That led to wear on the side of the shifter stop plate. I replaced the bushing and the ball cup (though it actually looked ok) and the shifting improved. But it improved even more after I replaced the stop plate and the springs for the stop plate. The springs help to keep 2nd and 3rd separated from R and 1st. Good news is the parts are cheap.

Regarding your description of the shifter moving precisely when you move the transmission input shaft, I don't think that necessarily means the slop is coming from the transmission. Even without the shift rod bushing, the transmission input shaft still has a good connection with the shifter, particularly front to back.

Bretech

THANK YOU! I was diagnosong the problem today and everything you just typed is what I was thinking. You have confirmed what could be my whole problem. thanks. I will def be looking into all of this.

Peter Zimmermann

C 4 & Bretech: I would have considered the shift rod bushing but no mention was made of a very characteristic symptom of that failure - a distinct rattle from the tunnel during light to medium mid-range accel. C 4: Good post!
Pete

Bretech

thanks peter your statements aided my diagnosing skills too. This shifter businees is kinda new to me

C4 Pazzo

Bretech: Glad I could help.

Peter: I don't know enough about these cars to have noted a key symptom wasn't described. Thanks.

dbryant61

Bretech,

I posted the following on another thread:

"While we are on the 915 topic, I learned some interesting stuff this weekend. I rebuilt my motor and had my trans rebuilt (by REZOOM in Blountville, TN. Thanks Mark Finley!) over the winter. I had trouble at the track due to the short shift kit and improper shift coupler adjustment. After hours of work, we yanked the shifter with the short shift kit and installed an older shifter with full throw, and then did a proper adjustment to the coupler. It now shifts better than it ever has, although I need to make a tiny rotational adjustment to the coupler to get it to go into 1 and 2 a little easier (without upsetting 5-R).

So here is what I learned from a 31-year experienced 911 mechanic and a very experienced club racer: Dump the short shift kit. It fights with, and will eventually destroy a 915. The long throw takes some getting used to, but it is what the 915 prefers. The 915 likes the slower input caused by the long throw. Of course this recommendation is without considering the WEVO shifter. Many club racers swear by them, but that is $600 I am not ready to spend.

Don"

So, my question to you is do you have a short shift kit? We found that it was nearly impossible to eliminate the reverse nick and keep the other gear selection good at the same time. Much easier to adjust the coupler properly with a full-throw 915 shifter.

D

Bretech

Don, soryy about the delay but I just returned from a small vacation. To answer your Q, I do not have a SS nor do I have a 915, but I do get your point. I like SS setups but I dont feel the need for them. I'm a daily driver/cruiser kind of guy who knows that sometimes you gotta push a 911, and that's where I sometimes run into Problems. i think for now the best bet would be to refresh the shifer by replacing bushings, springs and having the proper adjustments.