adame993

JB - when I got the car, the shifter was totally limp - clearly not connected to anything - but was in gear. On the upside, when you release the clutch - travel and resistance feel good and the car will begin to stall....so it is a gear, though I only say third because of what the prev owner told me.

To my mind, that's at least selector fork...what else went with selector fork I don't know.

The motor is by far and away the biggest job I've ever tackled but I bought the thing to learn and tinker - I'd be happy to allow anyone to live vicariously through my broken 993(its way better than breaking your own 993).

Keith -- that's an awesome tip. Thank you much sir.

Back to scraping 150k of grime off the gearbox....

adame993

Ok - with the front cover off, I see nothing wrong....I think its time to call in the cavalry. AXL - since Mayo is a little closer to Flower Mound than is RAC, I'm dropping the box off there Friday. Talked to a real nice guy there about the project to come - very much looking forward to what he thinks.

Thanks for the referral - I'm not sure I would've found these guys otherwise.

Updates to follow once I hear back from the shop. Thanks everyone and happy turkey day.

Kein_Ersatz

Checked with a friend. a PCA club racer, and fellow rennlister out of the DFW area. If looking for a shop, he shared:

Topp Racing is 993 g50 trans knowledgable / experienced. Todd @ Topp can be reached at (21 four) 476 eight 39 one.

http://www.toppracing.com/home.html

SonnyT

Hey Adame993, good to see and learn from your progress. I used to use Louden in the 90s before I learned to do my own work. You could also try talking with Zimms.

I'm in FlowerMound as well, be glad to swing by and lend a hand if you need. I'd love to get a feel for the work involved on the engine/tranny drop- on my original clutch, so at some point I'm gonna have to get ready.

Ed Hughes

Louden has been around a bit, but I had a bit of an issue with some not-so-good work they did on my old 911 when I first got it, and had a brake problem. They are the reason I told myself I could learn how to work on these cars. Mayo or Zim's know their stuff/

adame993

The next chapter begins - I dropped the gearbox off at Mayo this morning and had a great chat with Tom. Having never been in a shop that had so many incredible cars, I feel like I could stood around and oogled for hours....fortunately for Tom, I'm easily distracted. Skipped from one cup car to the next, to the engine shop and back again. Very nice man and a really special place he's got there.

He's working up the gearbox soon and I have my fingers crossed that its nothing major and I can get Kate on the road by years end.

With all the offers for help, I'll be sure to post something on the board before I do the install. Would welcome the company and extra hands. If I miss anyone, I expect to put a few thousand miles on the car and have the motor back out next summer for a more thorough service.

Kate and I just need to get to know one another a little better before I start spending on the bigger ticket items. Though I did send an email out to Fister about a set of Stage II mufflers....I promised myself I'd wait for mods until she was running tip top....we'll see if I can stick to that promise.

Updates to follow guys - Thanks for all the feedback!!

adame993

Updates are in -- but before I explain, I cannot say enough good things about the guys at Mayo. I've now been down there a couple times and could not possibly be more impressed with the way these guys go about their business. Better still that they got to be the bearers of good news. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a shop.

Gearbox is fine, at least in terms of the significant mechanical components associated with every gear, down to the bearings and synchros. Having done a total tear down of the box itself - the only component that needed replacement were the spider gears in the diff, which had several teeth damaged just from routine driving about over the course of 150k. With new seals, fluid and diff, I now have a gearbox that should hold up for another 150k miles. Other than the diff, which would've eventually failed and snapped a tooth or two, I need to replace the forward shift rod as those urethane bushings have disintegrated(which is what rendered the shifter itself useless). The guys at Mayo are actually going to retrofit the rod I have to accept a threaded bushing at both ends(rather than buying a whole new rod).

Tom suggested I swap out the valves in the SAI system - said it was much easier with the motor out and at 150k was a smart place to spend a few bucks as they were surely compromised. If nothing else, its an insurance policy that I won't fight the issues so many seem to. I trust him so I ordered those parts as well. Job looks simple enough.

I'm just over the moon and cannot wait to get this back on the road. If all goes to plan, I'll be bumping around Flower Mound by months end - the prospect of doing so has me in a downright childlike amount of anticipation and joy.

Ed Hughes

Glad you got good news. You have a similar situation as me-an engine out in your garage. You may want to at least consider PS belt too. Then there are plugs, wires, lifters, ........all easier while the motor is out.

stace

I wondered all along if you just needed a golden rod from FDM and some bushings Glad to hear you found a great shop and didn't need major work done. Also with the engine out consider replacing the timing chain cover gaskets. They are a few bucks and very easy to change if the engine is out.

lopro

interesting read thanks for posting links

JB 911

Yeah, congrats on the good news. He said the plan was to drop it again next summer to do a more thorough maintenance. You do have everyone salivating though as to what they would be doing to theirs if it were out.

Good idea on the SAI the check valve, I have the modified crowfoot you are welcome to borrow if you didn't order one already. I think you'll need one, even with the engine out

axl911

Mayo is a good place.

What year is your car? On the 95 (like mine), clogged SAI don't throw CEL lights which would cause an emission test failure here in Dallas.

JasonAndreas

hold it in place with ductape.

adame993

Stace - you wondered correctly. I figured the fault was at the rear shift linkage but that was before I saw what the proper rod looked like on pelican. Live and learn I suppose.

AXL - interesting you mention that, I'll have to run that by Tom.

JB - very kind of you to offer. Assuming weather holds, I'll have to pick your brain on this Saturday morning over coffee. You are correct, I do plan on having it back out this summer. Timing chain has surely stretched a bit but I'm not sure if the idle is normal or possibly a small timing issue. Haven't seen/heard enough 993's idle to know if that angry little rumble(which gives me chills) is the way it should be or a sign something's up.

axl911

If it's just swapping out the valves, then you could do that since they're cheap. Others have to snake the SAI passages, and that is more complicated.