Macster

The shifting in my 2003 Turbo is superb.

Unfortunately it wasn't always so. At first the shifting was rough. Well, rough is not the precise word, but it is hard to describe. I attributed it to the fact it had a heavy transmission to handle the engine's torque. I've encountered heavy less than smooth shifting in other cars with big engines.

The shifting only got better when the original transmission was replaced under warranty with a new transmission. The original transmission developed a leak and the factory decided to replace rather than ok the repair of the leak.

The shifting afterwards was quite improved. Night vs. day improved.

At some point, I can't recall now if it was before the transmission was replaced or after, but the stock shifter broke and the tech replaced it with a 997 shifter. The 997 shifter is quite an improvement over the stock Turbo shifter.

Before the transmission was replaced I never had the car in for the shifting. Maybe I should have? Perhaps all it needed was an adjustment? Maybe this is what led the premature failure of the shifter? (The shifter in my Boxster is original and still working just fine with 296K miles.) Or maybe the leaking selector shaft seal hinted at deeper problems in the tranny? Who knows?

All I can advise is have a pro Porsche tech well experienced with these cars road test and advise you. Perhaps an adjustment, coupled with a new shifter? Maybe a fluid change? In the past with my Boxster I have noticed an improvement with a transmission fluid change. Your car with 81K miles is a good candidate for a tranny/diffs fluid change.

"02996ttx50

I ran redline 75/90 exclusively and it was always smooth,..until I installed a wavetrac, and then switched to M1 delvac for the no friction modifiers aspect. still smooth as silk but my box was also recently refreshed.

Kevinmacd

Yup M1 Delvac, has no limited slip additives, helps the synchros work better.

Freddie Two Bs

How do you guys rate the 997 shifter vs numeric?

"02996ttx50

Hard to find anyone says the numeric especially w their cables isnt "better" but I've never found d it necessary to get rid of the 997SSK which I got for a hundred bucks!

If I paid retail for my 997? ( $400?! +/- ) i personally would've gone w the numeric for 700++ add more for cables... Its crisp/tight but the 997ssk is no joke either.

911mhawk

+1^
It's only going to get harder to find these cars with few concerns. The transmission is just an item that could eat your wallet in one bite! Unkown history, multiple owners, track days, "recommended" fluid change intervals...pretty typical stuff of many cool cars. There's a reason you can drive a $130k car for $30k ten years later and fear certainly helps imo.

Gt3stig

^^^^well said 911mhawk...

My '01 has always been difficult to shift. I changed the original 996 shifter to a 997 shifter. No improvement. I then put in a GT3 shifter, again no improvement. Lastly I put in a 997 short shifter. Once again no improvement but at least I have a shorter throw..lol...I change my trans oil every 10k or once a year. Mobil 1 Delvac. Even tried the Porsche factory trans oil.

Next I'm going to replace the shifting cables. I sure hope this remedies the problem.
I have friends with 996tt's, one is a 30k car the other a 90k car, they both shift beautifully. Drives me crazy.

"02996ttx50

^ i hear you both. it took me awhile to get my trans ( on this one ) back to warm butter lol.

my first 02 had all manner of issues in 1-2nd, and my finding out later rather than sooner had to do with believing a porsche cpo checklist equated with mechanical integrity...WRONG! lol

but i sure got my moneys worth on the cpo warranty coverage. i figure it would've cost me at least 8 grand the FIRST time they had to open it up.. plus, they tried to blame ME, for the ( ahem ) issues, but i had been around the block ( literally and figuratively ) with PCNA directly on two previous 911's. they eat the meek lol and there;s no better picture than a west coast pcna rep stuffed into the jumpers, hanging on for dear life

Freddie Two Bs

At least eight grand, meaning maybe up to how much? I'm dropping off the car at the shop this weekend, and that doesn't sound good at all...

911mhawk

The parts for these are expensive but they typically don't all need replacing from what I've read. On the other hand, it's easy to spend $8k+ in new internals if you go with GT2 main, new gears, steel synchs, etc., I know. Some of the stuff I do on my cars isn't necessary but I rarely do things thrice.

Hey, one other thing...your car is just shifting a little rough from what you said. Could be a long way from freak out stage so don't lose sleep

"02996ttx50

everything "cost related" is directly proportional to how (a) honest a shop is ( and b) how much they charge VS OVERcharge. the $8k figure! i mentioned was ( and will still be ) a porsche dealerships price to repair a 2nd gear pop out scenario from dropping the box, to opening it up, and replacing 1/2 gears synchros and bearings. all related parts, and re-install all and button up.

that same shop would only be able to BILL PORSCHE 5k. it;'s the same with all work done that's "cost" is dictated by who picks up the bill!

eg porsche wont let a dealership charge 8 large to do that work, whereas porsche wont let YOU get out of their for less! are you getting my point?

my shop here well known by aficionados and track junkies in LA ( but never advertised as they dont friggin care ) would charge $5k for all that same work and that would include the removing the box and re-installing it into the car ( which is 6 hours in/out ) at shop hourly rate..lets says 100 per hour..) and then the remainder of $$ would be parts and labor on the g50 box R&R itself. there's your $4-5K. by comparison, a large metro area porsche dealers hourly rate is $200 per hr.

so.. you need them to tell you every step of the way what they are asking to do the work. porsche ( again ) will tell you it would be 3k minimum to just ascertain the issues with your box!, then quote you parts/labor on TOP of that initial cost to take a look/diagnose.

post what they want to do the work. there are enough of us have gone thru this to fairly accurately inform you if it's "fair" or not ( remembering the foregoing points made vis a vis an indie VS an dealership! ). porsche dealership VS solid and "fair" indie? huge $$ difference.

Nico911

Ok, so I will start by changing the transmission oil, probably in Spring 2016 and I'll go from there.