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5 speed shifter ball cup problems

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Old 04-02-2009, 03:39 PM
  #16  
mark kibort
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If I were you I would just get a long hose clamp and wrap it around the torque tube and ball cup shaft and synch it down (if the ball cup is still attached and in good shape) If the plastic incert is missing, it will be sloppy, but you might just be able to put another one in it if that is the case

Its a nasty little job, and you dont have to take off the torque tube, and can do the strap way, without doing any real work

mk

Originally Posted by LP928
Hello, some background first: I'm 15 and this is my first car, I turn 16 in a few weeks. The 928 has always been my favorite Porsche, so when I saw a 1979 Euro 5-speed in beautiful condition for $3500 I decided to buy it. I was aware of the maintenance but figured I'd do everything I could myself which is what I've done so far. Lastly, I am a safe driver, and I appreciate the car for its engineering and not to race around everywhere.

I recently bought the Precision Shifter Ball cup from Carl Fausett since the current one is so worn out it is not even contacting the surface of the ball its fits over. Replacing it seems impossible however. Do I have to remove the torque tube to replace it or is it easy enough to just remove the heat shields and work on it from under the car? Also are there any hints on how to remove the bolts that hold the heat shields in, they seem to have some sort of clip/nut that is supposed to not spin but justs spins when you turn the bolt, I can't seem to fit channel locks behind them to hold it. Do I have to grind them off?

any info. is well appreciated,

Kyle
Old 04-02-2009, 04:33 PM
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Mark, I think that ghetto fixes were ruled out when he bought the best solution available from Carl.

Sure it's a bit more hassle up front but IMHO it's a true fix-and-forget solution. I would rate your suggestion as more of a "bubblegum and baling wire and forget until it breaks completely" solution. You were the one who had the cup snap off of the threaded portion, right? IMHO that was caused by not fixing it right in the first place, resulting in the part clacking around until it broke.
Old 04-02-2009, 04:42 PM
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Mike Frye
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Originally Posted by SharkSkin
Mark, I think that ghetto fixes were ruled out when he bought the best solution available from Carl.

Sure it's a bit more hassle up front but IMHO it's a true fix-and-forget solution. I would rate your suggestion as more of a "bubblegum and baling wire and forget until it breaks completely" solution. You were the one who had the cup snap off of the threaded portion, right? IMHO that was caused by not fixing it right in the first place, resulting in the part clacking around until it broke.
Not true!!! My cup broke off of the threaded rod too (OK, so it was because I also didn't fix it properly the first time).

Mark's solution works if he's between heats at a racetrack, probably not what we want the next generation of 928 owners learning though.
Old 04-02-2009, 05:26 PM
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mine broke because i was pushing the leather gear shift **** repeatedly, and that weld is very very weak from the factory at the cup. It only broke once until i welded it correctly. The next time it broke was at the shaft, in front of the bearing near the shifter area. that has nothing to do with the ball cup. a stock ball cup was modified with the preventive weld, and is still in good shape.

If you already bought the new version, you have to do the full install. removing the exhuast or do it the way I did. I didnt have to remove the exhaust.

Originally Posted by SharkSkin
Mark, I think that ghetto fixes were ruled out when he bought the best solution available from Carl.

Sure it's a bit more hassle up front but IMHO it's a true fix-and-forget solution. I would rate your suggestion as more of a "bubblegum and baling wire and forget until it breaks completely" solution. You were the one who had the cup snap off of the threaded portion, right? IMHO that was caused by not fixing it right in the first place, resulting in the part clacking around until it broke.
Old 04-02-2009, 11:59 PM
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After removing the 30 yr old rusted exhaust bolts, I dropped the exhaust to get better access, that took me all day on and off. I was actually able to pull the shift rod down far enough to remove the old ball cup by sticking a screw driver through it and out the small hole on top of the ball cup. Then I made all the adjustments to the new piece so it would all go in smoothly only to find as I was trying to thread the new shifter ball cup the smaller OD thread was messed up so it would not allow it to thread, it would just jam. Since I have to be able to thread it all by hand I tried steel wool to clean it up but that didn't work. Tomorrow morning I am going to pick up a die (someone mentioned #8 thread?) to clean up the threads. Hopefully I will get it on the road this weekend, I am tired of seeing it on jack stands for the last two weeks.
Old 04-03-2009, 12:01 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by LP928
After removing the 30 yr old rusted exhaust bolts, I dropped the exhaust to get better access, that took me all day on and off. I was actually able to pull the shift rod down far enough to remove the old ball cup by sticking a screw driver through it and out the small hole on top of the ball cup. Then I made all the adjustments to the new piece so it would all go in smoothly only to find as I was trying to thread the new shifter ball cup the smaller OD thread was messed up so it would not allow it to thread, it would just jam. Since I have to be able to thread it all by hand I tried steel wool to clean it up but that didn't work. Tomorrow morning I am going to pick up a die (someone mentioned #8 thread?) to clean up the threads. Hopefully I will get it on the road this weekend, I am tired of seeing it on jack stands for the last two weeks.
Good thinking to use the screwdriver through the hole in the bottom.

Hang in there, you'll get it.
Old 04-03-2009, 10:55 AM
  #22  
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make sure to use some loctite on the securing nut that screws i9nto the cup housing blue will work, it is a bit of a pain to add this part from under the car but once its done you will be Good to go, add some grease to the ball so it wont corrode.
Make sure that you have full left / right travel on the shifter, that may take a bit to do.
You will probably have to disconnect the front shift rod from the shifter so it can be turned onto the new part. once its adjusted lock the threaded bolt to the rod then install the front rod into the shifter try not to pull on the front shift rod as it is passing through a bushing , sometimes it easier to remove this bracket (2 10mm nuts)
Old 04-03-2009, 11:10 AM
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I finally got it on, installing it actually only took me about 45min at most. I adjusted the ball cup as close as possible outside the car while still being able to install it over the ball. Once I got that done I made a custom 17mm wrench(just took a grinder a cut it short-about 3 inches total length) that made it extremely easy to tighten the big nut that clamps on the ball, since the wrench fit right up over the torque tube. My only problem now is reconnecting the old shifter, (I would love to get a short shifter but that would take to long and I need to drive it this weekend). I can't get the old shifter over both of the two rods it connects to. Could I have done something wrong?
Old 04-03-2009, 11:44 AM
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The ball cup may not be adjusted properly. Its not as easy as it seems, getting it on is only half the battle. Getting it to a point where the shifter is sitting perfectly straight up with unrestrictive movement into every gear is the tough part.

When we installed mine (yeah I needed help!) we noted that the shifter needed to be connected so the ball cup could be aligned properly. It took three or four tries before we found the right combination.
Old 04-03-2009, 12:36 PM
  #25  
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I just put the cup on the ball, but hold it there to make sure the shifter is straight up. centered is also important, as if it is off ,left to right, you could torque the tube and it might break as it did with mine.

after it is sitting straight up, then you press it on for its final step and tighten, making sure it is straight left to right.

mk


Originally Posted by Marine Blue
The ball cup may not be adjusted properly. Its not as easy as it seems, getting it on is only half the battle. Getting it to a point where the shifter is sitting perfectly straight up with unrestrictive movement into every gear is the tough part.

When we installed mine (yeah I needed help!) we noted that the shifter needed to be connected so the ball cup could be aligned properly. It took three or four tries before we found the right combination.
Old 04-03-2009, 12:41 PM
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I re-adjusted the shifter, it was sitting way to far back before. Correct me if I'm wrong but is the shifter supposed to sit a slight bit back in neutral? i'll wait for a response before I move on. It seems to shift ok but the forward shifts are shorter than the rearward shifts I think I need to move the neutral position forward slightly. It only takes 5 min to adjust with the cut off wrench, it fits in there perfectly.
Old 04-03-2009, 01:37 PM
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Re-adjusted for the last time and it works great! The improvement is phenomenal. My last problem is getting the shifter fully on. I think on an older post I read about snap tying (Marine Blue's?) the spring together since the spring is stopping the shifter from sliding all the way on. Thanks for all the help, I don't think I could have done it without your input. Will try to post pictures of my car later.
Old 04-03-2009, 01:52 PM
  #28  
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Welcome aboard and great job!
Glenn
Old 04-03-2009, 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted by LP928
Re-adjusted for the last time and it works great! The improvement is phenomenal. My last problem is getting the shifter fully on. I think on an older post I read about snap tying (Marine Blue's?) the spring together since the spring is stopping the shifter from sliding all the way on. Thanks for all the help, I don't think I could have done it without your input. Will try to post pictures of my car later.
Wait until you switch to the short shifter. The gates will be incredibly easy to find and it be Notchy and direct. Nice job!
Old 04-03-2009, 02:25 PM
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Done. Shifter installed, I left out the springs didn't see much of a purpose for them anyway. ( I didn't actually have the shifter fully installed on my last post) Shifts great nice and crisp. one question: Does anyone have an idea for how much a custom Y-pipe for a 79 would cost? It wouldn't be a true Y-pipe since I'd have a muffler welded on to it. The stock one I took off looks real restrictive I'd like to open it up a bit. I all ready have an RMB in the back. While its off I figured what the heck, might as well get a price.

Thanks


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