bob b

Drove an '85 today and was told by the salesman that Porsches of that vintage don't have syncros in low and don't put it back in low until completely stopped. Is that the truth and what year did Porsche make tha change? It also won't cancel the turn signal in either direction or hold the trunk lid open. otherwise it seems to be sound with no leaks or other issues. Also the a/c blows warm but he has a later compressor he's going to throw in, what else would it need to blow cold air. Thanks in advance, Bob

GMS

HA HA HA HA..you are joking??? 911 models with worn trans, shift linkage, out-of-adjustment or worn clutches will give shifter issues.

Check for service records and books but as it appears to be used-car lot car, don't expect to find them.

Get a Carfax

ANY USED CAR NEEDS A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION by a shop or technician with relevant Porsche experience.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

GMS is right about transmission issues. Those cars have syncros on all forward gears but if things are worn, it won't shift very well at all.

A qualified and competent PPI is imperative and I would not put 100% faith in a Carfax as they are not always complete.

jakeflyer

You may be dealing with people who know little about the 911, or they may be less than honest. Find someone in your area that you can talk to--either thru here or Porsche Club of America. Of all the things I have tinkered with, boats, airplanes, cars, etc. I have found the best breed of cat in Porsche people. There are a few bad examples, however, you need to find some of the good guys. They are there.

Edgy01

Of course there are synchros in the lowest gear(s). What probably happened is that they are trashed. I used to routinely downshift to 1st from 2nd but always managed to do it without forcing it. The secret is matching tranny and engine speeds. They're giving you a line because the last thing you want to do is to have to dig into a 915 tranny these days. Even when I sold my cars with 915 trannys with over 100,000 miles they were in great shape. I would doubt that guy seriously! Move on.

Canceling turn signals is a relatively easy fix,--one part and 30 minutes of time. The hood shocks are also easy,--two parts and 30-45 minutes, depending upon your dexterity.

rnln

yes and no,

Yes it does have syncro but most are worn. Many people, include me, on this board won't be able to put into first while moving.

wrong

wrong too, but only cost a little for a new shock as any other car.

well, I struggle myself every summer to get some "cool" air. Yes, I got some "cool" air but there are summers I had to be at teh shop for recharge more than 3 times. Depend how lucky you are.

Good luck.

Dan,
Can you teach me how to match engine speed and tranny rpm, safely? I had a situation I had to do that since the slave cylinder went bad. I wished I learned this before hand.

Dan in Florida

No carrera owner I know downshifts to first when the car is moving. That includes racers, who know something about heel & toe. What's the point? Second gear in both the 915 and the G50 are extremely low and more than adequate for acceleration from low speeds. Sychro or not, most of these transmissions are more than 20 years old and have had at least one rebuild. You're only inviting trouble if you make a habit of downshifting to first in a carrera when still moving.

911Dave

All the gears are synchromesh and first gear usually wears out first. When that happens, it becomes extremely difficult to shift into first while the car is moving. However, with new synchros you can do it when under about 10 mph. In stop and go traffic this is sometimes desirable, but not a big deal.

As for the turn signal cancellation, most likely the previous owner of the car put an after market steering wheel on it and didn't replace the plastic ring with the nub that cancels the signals. This is a common mistake.

The lid supports wear out pretty quickly and it's an easy, cheap fix to replace them.

As for the A/C not blowing cold, there are a lot of reasons why it might not. It may simply need a recharge, or it may need new hoses, or a new compressor, or new everything. Even when brand new, it wasn't very good. Good A/C in a 911 didn't show up until 1990 and later models.