2004 C4S, 69,000 miles, sometimes when up shifting or downshifting, the trans won't go into 2nd gear. Seems to work better when accelerating more aggressively and when pulling shifter to the left as I drop it into gear. Is this a simple adjustment to the cable? Or ?....

 

My take is these shifters seldom go out of adjustment. They fail, break, usually early on, but then are pretty reliable.

'course, there is always the exception.

69K miles is not too many miles for the transmission fluid. I assume the fluid is original? Of course I'm thinking a fluid change is possibly called for. My experience is as the miles accumulate on the stock fluid shifting deteriorates. Nothing gruesome but at some point when I first encountered this it had me thinking the tranny was just wearing out. This proved, fortunately, to not be the case.

Before you take this step though I have to stress do not sell a clutch fluid flush/bleed short. This should be done every 2 years, and is done at the same time the brake fluid is flushed/bled.

If the brake (or just the clutch) fluid flush/bleed service is due (or overdue) my advise would be to have this done. At the same time, well, afterwards the tech can test drive the car and advise you on the shifter behavior, if its untoward behavior remains.

Oh, at the same time the tech can inspect the engine and tranny mounts. Some owners (a few at any rate) have reported shifting difficulty that was traced to a broken engine or tranny mount.

 

Hey bob, since you say accelerating helps, I'd say is your 2nd gear syncro.
Not sure how common a problem it is but 2nd gear syncros have been now to go.
Sure some others much more versed will chime in soon.
Good luck
Miles

 

Do you have a short shifter on your Porsche? If so , might need to be adjusted. As noted, it might be the 2nd gear synchro.

 

x2. Also have you noticed it if acts differently with outside temp?

 

Stock shifter - not a short throw. The problem seems to be more evident when the motor and trans are cold. Once the car warms up, it doesn't happen as often.

 

Start by changing the tranny fluid with a recommended oil/weight. All manual cars are difficult to shift when cold. Sometimes just the change in fluid and correct viscosity will help. Could be nothing more than that (if it is not whining, clunking, impossible to shift, etc.)

 

As many have said, change the gearbox fluid with OE fluid and check for metal sludge build up on the magnet behind the drain hole toward the rear of the car.

Inspect the shifter cable linkage and brackets under the car on the transmission. Sometimes the cables got knocked off their brackets. Remove center console to check alignment and excessive wear.

Bleed the clutch. Pause in neutral for a split second between shifts if not already doing that.

 

Had the same issue with mine. Very sluggish shifting into 2nd gear, especially when cold. switched to a 997 shifter - now it shifts more smoothly and no problems getting into 2nd.