Guide to Repairing a PDK Transmission
10-28-2022, 12:04 PM
#991
Reading this I am beginning to regret ordering the car (718 4.0) with a PDK... maybe should have gotten the manual despite its own issues...
10-28-2022, 09:36 PM
#992
Three Wheelin'
But, not every internet forum represents an entire population, so we will likely never know (otherwise I would be shopping for more Tide Pods to eat today, not some chain saw oil).
Regardless, mechanical things fail... as did my PDK, and with a documented fix, I am happy.
As I was when I replaced the head studs in my 2.7S and my main shaft in my 356A...
10-28-2022, 09:57 PM
#993
Rennlist Member
That's funny, this thread and its results made me comfortable about buying a PDK car. Prior to this thread, you were out $25k if it failed out of warranty.
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10-29-2022, 05:24 AM
#994
Three Wheelin'
10-29-2022, 09:01 AM
#995
Rennlist Member
Before this thread, I wouldn't consider a PDK. They were great, benchmark transmissions but I would never own one. The tragic but rare horror stories of the $20-30,000 replacements kept me out of the market, no matter how statistically unlikely it would be. Some people live a charmed life, not me. I would get a PDK failure. I bought a 6 speed instead. In retrospect it worked out for me but I walked away from two PDK cars because I couldn't pull the trigger.
Thanks to the huge investment in time by @PV997 and others developing solutions to the distance sensor problem as well as other issues, I felt comfortable making my next purchase a PDK. It's still a costly fix but pennies on the dollar vs the monopoly Porsche had with replacements. Once again ingenuity and the free market win.
I do have a question for folks who have had the replacement done or those performing the repairs, what are the all in costs associated with these? I know it can vary with needing to replace the TCU etc, but if just a distance sensor, just removal, replacement, calibration, etc?
Thanks to the huge investment in time by @PV997 and others developing solutions to the distance sensor problem as well as other issues, I felt comfortable making my next purchase a PDK. It's still a costly fix but pennies on the dollar vs the monopoly Porsche had with replacements. Once again ingenuity and the free market win.
I do have a question for folks who have had the replacement done or those performing the repairs, what are the all in costs associated with these? I know it can vary with needing to replace the TCU etc, but if just a distance sensor, just removal, replacement, calibration, etc?
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byroncheung (10-31-2022)
10-31-2022, 05:03 PM
#996
Instructor
Before this thread, I wouldn't consider a PDK. They were great, benchmark transmissions but I would never own one. The tragic but rare horror stories of the $20-30,000 replacements kept me out of the market, no matter how statistically unlikely it would be. Some people live a charmed life, not me. I would get a PDK failure. I bought a 6 speed instead. In retrospect it worked out for me but I walked away from two PDK cars because I couldn't pull the trigger.
Thanks to the huge investment in time by @PV997 and others developing solutions to the distance sensor problem as well as other issues, I felt comfortable making my next purchase a PDK. It's still a costly fix but pennies on the dollar vs the monopoly Porsche had with replacements. Once again ingenuity and the free market win.
I do have a question for folks who have had the replacement done or those performing the repairs, what are the all in costs associated with these? I know it can vary with needing to replace the TCU etc, but if just a distance sensor, just removal, replacement, calibration, etc?
Thanks to the huge investment in time by @PV997 and others developing solutions to the distance sensor problem as well as other issues, I felt comfortable making my next purchase a PDK. It's still a costly fix but pennies on the dollar vs the monopoly Porsche had with replacements. Once again ingenuity and the free market win.
I do have a question for folks who have had the replacement done or those performing the repairs, what are the all in costs associated with these? I know it can vary with needing to replace the TCU etc, but if just a distance sensor, just removal, replacement, calibration, etc?
Last edited by byroncheung; 10-31-2022 at 05:05 PM.
10-31-2022, 05:09 PM
#997
Instructor
So there is an interesting twist in my PDK plot...
When my PDK wouldn't go into reverse and threw codes including a distance sensor failure code (P1734 the 4th shift rod sensor), I was convinced my distance sensor had failed.
Since no shop around here would do a sensor replacement, I drove 4hrs to get my car to a shop that has experience in replacing distance sensors. After a week they finally get to look at my car, the mechanic tried to clear the code but he said P1764 keeps coming back and still wouldn't go into reverse. Then he did a PDK recalibration and said now it is working properly. I'm in an awkward position because there is no shop close to me that does sensor replacement, if the shop isn't this far away I'd just take the car back and drive it until PDK acts up again and figure out the next steps. But since the shop is far away I'm kinda worrying if I take the car back and the sensor error shows up again I'll have to go through the trouble of getting the car to the shop, live without the car for a period of time, etc... And I also remember reading some cases of sensor failure that the error could be intermittent at the beginning, makes me wonder if my PDK is in the intermittent phase and should I just replace the distance sensor even if the car is working after a calibration? How common are distance sensor error that shows up but the PDK recovers and lives happily after a clear/recalibration/fluid change?
To complicate the matter further, I got the error after an autocross day and a month or two before that I put in an LSD and a yaw sensor cut-off switch in the car. The mechanic is of the opinion that maybe a recalibration should have been done when the LSD was put in (I'm trying to get clarification from the shop that puts in the LSD to see if they have drained/refill the clutch/gear oil although I guess is they didn't), but I have doubt on if an LSD change (or yaw sensor cutoff) would require a recalibration and lead to distance sensor error without one...
Any thought/wisdom is appreciated.
When my PDK wouldn't go into reverse and threw codes including a distance sensor failure code (P1734 the 4th shift rod sensor), I was convinced my distance sensor had failed.
Since no shop around here would do a sensor replacement, I drove 4hrs to get my car to a shop that has experience in replacing distance sensors. After a week they finally get to look at my car, the mechanic tried to clear the code but he said P1764 keeps coming back and still wouldn't go into reverse. Then he did a PDK recalibration and said now it is working properly. I'm in an awkward position because there is no shop close to me that does sensor replacement, if the shop isn't this far away I'd just take the car back and drive it until PDK acts up again and figure out the next steps. But since the shop is far away I'm kinda worrying if I take the car back and the sensor error shows up again I'll have to go through the trouble of getting the car to the shop, live without the car for a period of time, etc... And I also remember reading some cases of sensor failure that the error could be intermittent at the beginning, makes me wonder if my PDK is in the intermittent phase and should I just replace the distance sensor even if the car is working after a calibration? How common are distance sensor error that shows up but the PDK recovers and lives happily after a clear/recalibration/fluid change?
To complicate the matter further, I got the error after an autocross day and a month or two before that I put in an LSD and a yaw sensor cut-off switch in the car. The mechanic is of the opinion that maybe a recalibration should have been done when the LSD was put in (I'm trying to get clarification from the shop that puts in the LSD to see if they have drained/refill the clutch/gear oil although I guess is they didn't), but I have doubt on if an LSD change (or yaw sensor cutoff) would require a recalibration and lead to distance sensor error without one...
Any thought/wisdom is appreciated.
Still feel a bit uneasy as no one can explain why the error was thrown in the first place, I still wonder if this is the onset of a distance sensor problem but guess only time will tell.
10-31-2022, 09:35 PM
#998
Three Wheelin'
@Prairiedawg Will send you a PM to share quotes that I received.
Regardless, Cayman and Boxster distance sensors can be replaced with box in car, which will obviously contribute to moderating the costs.
I think 911 require gearbox removal?
Regardless, with the box in the car, the mechanic's guideline of parts approximating labor seems to apply...
11-01-2022, 01:56 AM
#999
Thanks a lot for sharing!
How shall I remove the 2 black end cap?
I had a used 981 Cayman
I found oil and debris around the 2 black end cap
I'm not sure what happened before
Maybe the previous owner had the PDK repaired and damage the black end cap during the repair work which caused the oil leak
I am considering a DIY to replace the black end caps but do not know what to correctly remove the old one and install the new one
How shall I remove the 2 black end cap?
I had a used 981 Cayman
I found oil and debris around the 2 black end cap
I'm not sure what happened before
Maybe the previous owner had the PDK repaired and damage the black end cap during the repair work which caused the oil leak
I am considering a DIY to replace the black end caps but do not know what to correctly remove the old one and install the new one
Last edited by wjk_glynn; 11-17-2022 at 11:26 PM. Reason: Deleted the quote of the entire first post, for readability purposes
11-01-2022, 04:27 PM
#1000
Instructor
Ditto if needed, but I think I posted a cost outline above regardless?
Regardless, Cayman and Boxster distance sensors can be replaced with box in car, which will obviously contribute to moderating the costs.
I think 911 require gearbox removal?
Regardless, with the box in the car, the mechanic's guideline of parts approximating labor seems to apply...
Regardless, Cayman and Boxster distance sensors can be replaced with box in car, which will obviously contribute to moderating the costs.
I think 911 require gearbox removal?
Regardless, with the box in the car, the mechanic's guideline of parts approximating labor seems to apply...
I feel like here in the US we are paying more than parts + normal labor hours. Obviously, my DIY prowess isn't good enough to do the job myself, so maybe my estimation of no. of hours needed is off, but if I use the typical quotes I received on this repair to back out no. of hours needed, it would imply something like 40+ hours of work... My sense is they are up charging because the alternative (replacing the PDK) is so expensive.
I'm not saying it is wrong, this is how a free market works - they charge what they can because the alternative is so expensive, and there aren't a lot of shops willing to do this work so there isn't a lot of competition to drive the price down. I'm happy that an alternative exists at all, but I think the pricing of the repair is far from efficient yet (echoing @PV997 's comment about the price of the sensor being way higher than what it could be)
Last edited by byroncheung; 11-01-2022 at 04:30 PM.
11-01-2022, 05:19 PM
#1001
Rennlist Member
The sensor is what that aftermarket manufacturer will charge according to market conditions. The mechanic has to buy the part, add his mark up, then charge for his time. Perhaps he is adding in his specialized continuing education charge, special tools charge, and a potential R&R repair charge should the part fail before warranty expires. This is the grey area that one cannot account for. It’s also the same reason people will spend $400 for an oil change. Oh wait…..that’s just because they are lazy and or because they can!
11-02-2022, 12:57 AM
#1002
Three Wheelin'
@Kuro Neko I can't find your cost outline post, would you mind posting a link to that? Curious how much it costs in JP.
Total cost; including the T-Design part, fluids, new filters, new fixings, the manufacture of the case pulling tool, and recalibration was something over of 500,000円.
11-02-2022, 11:00 AM
#1003
Instructor
I could not find it either, including here!
Total cost; including the T-Design part, fluids, new filters, new fixings, the manufacture of the case pulling tool, and recalibration was something over of 500,000円.
Total cost; including the T-Design part, fluids, new filters, new fixings, the manufacture of the case pulling tool, and recalibration was something over of 500,000円.
11-05-2022, 03:29 PM
#1004
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Thanks a lot for sharing!
How shall I remove the 2 black end cap?
I had a used 981 Cayman
I found oil and debris around the 2 black end cap
I'm not sure what happened before
Maybe the previous owner had the PDK repaired and damage the black end cap during the repair work which caused the oil leak
I am considering a DIY to replace the black end caps but do not know what to correctly remove the old one and install the new one
How shall I remove the 2 black end cap?
I had a used 981 Cayman
I found oil and debris around the 2 black end cap
I'm not sure what happened before
Maybe the previous owner had the PDK repaired and damage the black end cap during the repair work which caused the oil leak
I am considering a DIY to replace the black end caps but do not know what to correctly remove the old one and install the new one
As far as I know there's no good method from removing the caps short of brute force prying them. They often get damaged in the process but are available from Porsche. Anyone have a good method for getting them out without damage?
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byroncheung (11-05-2022)
11-05-2022, 04:11 PM
#1005
Basic Sponsor
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Drill a hole. Put a screw in. Pull with pliers...
Can you edit your comment to remove quoting the entire post? It makes it much more difficult to follow the comments.
As far as I know there's no good method from removing the caps short of brute force prying them. They often get damaged in the process but are available from Porsche. Anyone have a good method for getting them out without damage?
As far as I know there's no good method from removing the caps short of brute force prying them. They often get damaged in the process but are available from Porsche. Anyone have a good method for getting them out without damage?
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T-Design9 : Mods and ergonomic accessories bespoke designed for Porsche cars
Memory Modules : remember SC **** settings; A/S/S, PSE, Spoiler, Sport/+ buttons
Phone Mounts : keep your phone up and close and charged
Cupdholders, Sunglass Holsters and more at T-Design9.com