stealth

86.5

There's no resistance/spring when pushing the shifter to the left. Can get it into the other 4 gears. Based on what I can see about the exterior shift linkage, I assume the broken linkage (or sheared pin, or loosened screw) must be inside the transmission case (and therefore requiring an annoying and potentially impractical, in my case, number of simoleons to have repaired)?

Last time I drove it, shifting into first felt awkward right near the end of the drive, but I believe I managed to park it in 1st as usual. The next time I went to drive, I think I ran it in neutral for a half-minute after starting it, then things were buggered as they are now and I had no reverse or 1st.

Two immobilized 928s with unusual failures and difficult-to-access fixes that require extended periods on jack stands...may just break my spirit (there's a point where the pleasure doesn't offset the pain)...

dprantl

There is a possibility that your problem is caused by disintegrated bushings in the rear shift coupler. Get under the car just forward of the transmission, pull back the rubber boot on the coupler (if it's still there) and inspect it.

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

stealth

Those bushings were on a to-do list, and I guess you're right-- I hadn't thought about a partial-failure mode for that coupler. Certainly worth a check! Thanks!

Alan

I never park my car in gear - first or otherwise - in first you are continually stressing the spring ...

The spring is in the transmission - I wouldn't want to drive my car with that spring gone, or even the centering spring - I rely on both of them for positioning

Alan

Jfrahm

Yes, before I replaced the coupler bushings I could hardly get into 1 or R without taking the console off.

Mrmerlin

if the couplers are good then try re centering the shifter by loosening the 13mm pinch bolt on the shifter shaft,
they can sometime be loose enough to slip and cause misalignment issues

granprixweiss928

in a similar situation...with an 81 5speed. I can get in to all gears, but I have no resistance to the right ( from neutral) when moving the lever. to the left i have tension. sometimes getting into gear the last 1/2 or so of lever travel ( front to back) is difficult, which makes for slow shifting, especially 1st to 2nd. What does this mean?

granprixweiss928

could one of these selector arm springs be broken?

Vilhuer

Thats older design. '85-95 has totally different setup which is known weak point.

GregBBRD

And no longer available....

stealth

One of my "spare" jack stands is missing the pin to raise it, so I couldn't get it off the ground enough to get myself where I could see, but from feel, it seems that the coupler bushings may've "half failed" affecting the movement in one direction but not the other (yet...I assume that's imminent so will minimize shifter movement). I'll order some and drive it in 2nd to a nearby shop with a lift for a hopefully-quick replacement. Thanks, everyone, will close the loop after attempted repair.

WallyP

If you can't shift at all, driving in third is better - but your description sounds as if you could shift in the upper four speeds.

stealth

Replacing the rear shift coupler bushings fixed the issue, I guess only one had yet disintegrated. Also got a fresh change of tranny fluid while I was at it, for 4.5 hours of non-Porsche-priced labor by my local mechanic. Thanks again!