Iwanna928

My shifter had a lot of play in it when I bought the car. I mean a lot. If the car was in any gear I could move the shifter from side to side. The shifter eventually broke and the car is in 2nd.

I have done a search and it seems to be two possobilities. The coupling that has a very common wear problem underneath the car and also a problem in the shifter boot itself.

With the problem I have which one does it sound like?

Does anyone happen to know the part number for a 79 in regards to the pieces that need to be replaced under the car? I have a german wharehouse near by and if they have it I could get the part sooner and get her back on the road!

Stephen

mark kibort

pop the boot off the shifter and see if the linkage is broken. this will be obvious. This can be done by pulling the shifter and boot off the gear shift lever.

if not, see if the forward shift tube is loose. If so, the ball cup up front could be at fault and broken as the shaft mates to the ball cup itself. sometimes the rubber plastic boot in the ball cup gets so worn, that it doesnt hold the ball cup on the ball, then, that is an easy fix. new insert, or a still a new ball cup that screws on to the end of the front shifter shaft.

without taking the shifter boot off, you are only guessing.

mk

shmark

Two possibilities...well two worth contemplating. Front ball cup (search for it) has worn away and the front shift rod is now loose (minor possibility, the ball itself has broken). Or the rear shift coupler has broken - this one happened to me and I got stuck in 4th gear, which was enough to get me back home. Either way, replacing both parts plus the small bushings on the shift lever itself will completely transform the shifting.

Mike Frye

My money is on the forward shift ball cup. In an emergency you can get a large hose clamp (or two medium sized ones end-to-end) and pop the cup back onto the ball and tighten the clamps enough so it can't pop off.

Then as soon as possible get a new one. There is an insert that you can replace or you can get the stock replacement ball cup or else Carl at 928MS has a custom one that is also an option.

Not sure what the p/n is, but it's called the 'forward shift ball cup'. Not sure if the local place would have it, but good luck.


BTW- BTDT

Lopez

Like Mark says, taking the boot off is stupid-easy. Just gently pull it up. It goes back together quickly and easily too.

goffaramma

That's exactly what happened to me. It left me stranded in third gear at a gas station. After towing home, I drove around for about a week after popping the ball back into place and clamping it in there for a quick fix. Of course, I have a stock replacement now.

mark kibort

actually, you only need a vice grip to grab the rear shaft and rotate and push rear ward for 2nd or 4th, and pull forward for 3rd or 5th. I drove home from the track a couple of times with this front shaft failure. (ball cup and later the actual shaft broke) I even had a gear shift lever brake, but it was welded at the track, so didnt need the vice grips to get home.

mk

Iwanna928

Well I spoke to shawn and I took the boot off to see what was up. I was asked to check the rod that goes forward from the shifter, hold onto it and see if it was moving, it was not. Shawn believes it is the rear coupling.

Where is the forward shift ball cup? Should I be able to see it, to see if it is broken?

Thanks for the reply's

Stephen

dprantl

Do you have lots of play in the shifter when you move it forwards/backwards? When the bushings on the rear coupler fail, usually there is a lot of side-to-side play but not so much fore/aft play.

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

shmark

I fthe forward shift rod does not move front-to-back, then it sounds like you might have had the same failure I had. Bad bushings in the rear coupler will cause play but not failure. A broken or missing pin in the coupler will - the pin in mine went awol, totally gone, and the bushings looked fine. Jack up the rear end and look on top of the torque tube where it goes into the transmission. The shift rod and coupler are right there, possibly covered by a rubber boot. If you lost the pin, the shift rod and transmission input shaft will be disconnected. I installed a new coupler without too much trouble but others here have had lots of fun with it.

mark kibort

sounds like the rear coupler has the bolt loose. it doesnt effect front to rear movment as the bolt keeps that position via a key'ed shaft, but side to side is the clamping coupling function. if loose, that will make it feel like nothing is happening side to side.

hold everything, you said it is stuck in 2nd and the shifter is loose everywhere? when you look at the shaft and move the lever front to rear, what is moving? front shaft moving forwad or rearward? it shouldnt move at all, only slight rotation. rear shaft moving front to rear (it should move front to rear) If so, then your rear couplling is missing the coupler tightening bolt.

Iwanna928

I will get it jacked up tommorrow and see.

Always an adventure. Driving her in second isn't much fun!

Stephen

PorKen

When I drive that slow, you know it's hard to steer.
And I can't get my car out of second gear.
What used to take two hours now takes all day.
Huh - It took me 16 hours to get to L.A.!

my2000apb

what would i expect to pay at a decent shop to get both bushings replaced?

Iwanna928

Problem solved! The pin on the rear coupling had fallen off. My mechanic tried to use a pin from a 911 but it wasn't the same size. He made his own and it worked like a charm! He also changed the alternator belt and charged me 40 bucks for his time! I love this guy. It must have been real loose to fall off. The play in the shifter is gone and is much better to drive!

Thanks for all of your reply's and help.

I look forward to meeting you guy's one day so I can buy you all some beers!

Stephen