ditch68

My 1965 912 (with 1969 911T engine) is giving me fits.

I just replaced all the shift bushings with the Pelican kit (hats off to them, great customer service and pricing).

My coupling ring bushings were 75% disintigrated, only one side had anything near a full bushing, but it was completely shattered. The other side...gone.

The shifter ball cup bushing was essentially a pile of goo in the rod end cup. I got it out with a flattip screwdriver and a can of carb cleaner. The ring guide bushing on the rod bracket, well, I'm not sure it was ever there.

Cripes, it was a horror show. I can't believe the car shifted at all...which it didn't in the end. I lost 3rd and 5th, and sometimes 1st gear.

So, I replaced everything, and I just CAN NOT get the linkage adjusted. I followed the Pelican Tech article(s) to the letter, and searched pages of posts. I tried the standard "clockwise coupling, left shifter at neutral and 90° " method, and the "select a gear, loosen, wiggle, and tighten" method. The former produced better results.

I adjust, shift in place, start car, shift into all gears, then test drive. Invariably I have been frustrated to some degree. Well, very frustrated.

Every attempt is different, some better, some worse. Every time, I am more careful, and think, "It HAS to work this time". But some consistencies seem to prevail:

1) Reverse no longer requires the "push down" on the stick to engage, thereby making the 1-2 shift precarious, to say the least. It worked fine with the thrashed bushings...in fact, it was somewhat hard to find, as it should be...

2) 2nd and 4th are always easy, or possibly just a bit tight. But I get them every time.

3) No third or fifth at all - OR, I can get third with SOME adjustment attempts, but it requires holding the lever back. Or it pops out of both 3rd and 5th. 5th, forget it.

In any event, I need help before I begin smashing the car with a fire axe.

Thank you.

Jeff

rusnak

Did you say that you replaced the coupler as well? It sounds like the rod is indexed too far toward first if you lost fifth. Maybe if you shift the tranny into 2nd gear to start with, then loosen the coupler, put the gearshift against the second gear stop, and push it all the way forward where you know second is. Then tighten up the coupler. Fifth should now work, as well as first. If not, then you know the gearshift lever needs to go back more inside the coupler.

C4 Pazzo

Make sure the set screw for the coupler is fully mated to the transmission shaft. It sounds like you might be following the 915 instructions, which are the mirror image of the 901. That is, with the transmission in neutral, and the lower shaft of the shifter perpindicular to the shift rod, lean the shifter all the way to the right (in the 4/5 plane) and rotate the loose coupler the opposite direction.

Also, check the base plate of the shifter (the part that the shift rod levers against) for wear that might have occured with the shift ring bushing missing. This can make selecting
reverse and first more difficult. I think Stoddards still carries replacements.

Are both springs properly seated? Sounds like they might be worn out. Replacements also are available.

ditch68

I tried the method of putting the car in gear and adjusting from there - in second, specifically. I still have no 3rd or 5th.

I replaced all the bushings, (ball cup, rod guide bracket, and coupler left and right), but not the coupler. It was fine. No wear or damage, despite metal to metal contact on the driver's side. I cleaned some mild flash on the bushing side with a file, but nothing serious.

I am getting worried the shifter is trashed. I have heard the adjustment process is tedious, but geez...I regularly adjust the entire flight control track for helicopters, and it is not this bad - maladjustments compound with multiple adjustment points. My car has ONE. WTF? Well, it can't be that bad.

Just getting worried about a bent shift fork or some such thing.

Aaarrrrgh.

Jeff

ditch68

Oh, geez. C4 Pazzo, you may be my saviour. We posted at the same time.

I have been indeed following the 915 instruction, it would appear. I think.

I will try the OPPOSITE orientation, I guess.

Thank you SO much. I'll report directly.

Jeff

rusnak

Ha! I just realized that my 901 experience is with my 914-6, as in the tranny and motor are mounted reversed in the chassis from the 911. So it's the opposite. Doh!

ditch68

Well, here is where I am now-

I finally got the adjustment to the point where I had all gears but third. I gave up, and saw my mechanic. A 911 guy with no lack of knowledge.

Well, all we could do is get all the gears to work but third. It pops out, no matter what. If I hold the shifter back hard, it still pops out and grinds. No adjustment helps, front/back, or left/right.

My mechanic says it is internal, the detent won't engage, and I am screwed.

But the thing is, when the bushings were thrashed, I had third. 5th was hard to find, but it worked, somewhat predictably anyway.

Now, no matter what, no third. That is unacceptable. Yeah, I can drive it by doing 2 - 4 shifts, but I need to resolve this. It is VERY frustrating.

What is the typical cause of a popping third gear? If it is internal to the transaxle, can I remedy it without a complete transaxle rebuild? I know the VW teansaxle has a "hockey stick" and front end which can be problematic, and accessed with the trans in the car.

Everything else functions perfectly - and so did third prior to this week.

HELP!

Jeff

theiceman

Pete is our 915 expert and i am sure he could answer this in 2 secs ......

ditch68

Anyone?

The shifter? Or am I in deeper? Is there a "hockey stick" rod like a VW type 1 trans?

Anything I can check in the nose cone without gutting the tranny?

Jeff

theiceman

Pete Just answered a trans question on the other thread try PMing him as I am sure he just hasn't seen this one