When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
It has been beat to death but I've spent a few hours searching and am still not quite finding what I am looking for.
Right now I have the Numeric shifter and cables. I love the feel but some of the NVH is ruining the experience for me. I used all the silicone shielding I could on the cables. Haven't added any insulation or sound deadening in the center console though. There are two noises the cables transmit into the cabin, a gear-whine sound (which I don't mind at all), but also a rapid ticking sound (which I can't live with). I also find it really strange that some people report NVH with the Numeric cables while others report ZERO.
So I'm looking to trade some shifter precision for elimination of the noise. I know that most of the precision comes from the cables and not the shifter, but I'm looking to keep the Numeric shifter and swap out the cables. I'm looking for help understanding the differences and people's experience with other cable types.
Aside from other companies who make cables of the same design as Numeric's, the only options I have discovered are Function First cable ends for the stock cables, and GT3 cables. I think there are also GT3 Cup cables? But am not really sure if that's a 996 thing or exactly what the difference is between GT3 and GT3 cup.
I've read some people who claimed they felt no difference by simply installing the function first cables ends. Curious to get some more opinions on this. Also curious to get opinions on the GT3 cables vs OEM non GT3.... especially from people who only changed one thing at a time (like only did the cables but not the shifter). Any noise associated with the GT3 cables, and are they really much of an improvement over non GT3 OEM cables in terms of feel?
I have the FF cable ends. I disagree that the precision comes from the cables. I feel the cable ends/cables add very little to the action. The ends guarantee that they don't come off the transmission. But my shifting is still very vague and loose as the stock shifter contains all the plastic bushings that create the slop.
My opinion, switch back to stock cables with the FF cable ends. Therefore you retain the precise shifting, with less NVH transfer.
I have the FF cable ends. I disagree that the precision comes from the cables. I feel the cable ends/cables add very little to the action. The ends guarantee that they don't come off the transmission. But my shifting is still very vague and loose as the stock shifter contains all the plastic bushings that create the slop.
My opinion, switch back to stock cables with the FF cable ends. Therefore you retain the precise shifting, with less NVH transfer.
Cw
Thanks for the reply. Yeah I am leaning on going back to stock cables and adding FF ends, but I am also curious about the GT3 cables as another option.
But back to the cable ends - when I said that the precision comes from the cables, I didn't mean cable ends, I meant the cables and the sleeves. I believe the Numeric cables have a much tighter clearance between the sheathing and the cable inside the sheathing so there is less side to side slop which is what causes play.
@Hindsight2010, I've been reading a ton on the broader side of this topic, too...Which shifter? Cables or cable ends? OEM? FF? Numeric? etc., with the objective being more precision and no increase in NVH, or at least the least possible.
For what it's worth, where I'm coming out based on this forum's myriad opinions, is that I'll likely do the Numeric shifter with the FF cable ends on my OEM cables.
Subscribed. I’m on the doorstep of doing a full Numeric install. I’d like to know what all can be done to reduce/eliminate noise before I go down that path. According to Numeric most of it can be eliminated by proper installation...but noise level / NVH is subjective.
According to Numeric most of it can be eliminated by proper installation...but noise level / NVH is subjective.
Exactly. The thing is, having gone through/read so many threads, my impression is that there are a lot of folks with NVH issues and Numeric cables. Which is why I don't think I'm going that route.
Again, my sampling is not scientific -- it's just where I've ended up.
The Numeric guys themselves installed their shifter and cable set on my 2009 997.2 cab and I didn't have any NVH issues. I wonder if people installed the sound insulation properly. Also...these cars are incredibly loud already and it's possible I just wasn't hearing the NVH from the shifter and cables.
That said, I removed the shifter and cables when I sold the car and have switched to a stock shifter with function first shift right kit and stock cables on my Turbo. I may put the Numeric cables back in to gain precision but I find that I like the stock shifter throw and feel better.
I bought and installed shifter cables that look exactly like the Numeric Shifter cables on Ebay for about 300 bucks - they are awesome, zero NVH. Someone else did a thorough review on them already had no issues either. I also used silicone around them to keep it quiet, worked great.
I bought and installed shifter cables that look exactly like the Numeric Shifter cables on Ebay for about 300 bucks - they are awesome, zero NVH. Someone else did a thorough review on them already had no issues either. I also used silicone around them to keep it quiet, worked great.
What silicone did you use? Are those cables still available? Do you have a link to the info?
Just had a thought that what might work to dampen the vibration is to run the cables through DEI Firesleeving. It's a fiberglass material surrounded by high temp silicone, but might make a perfect isolator. It comes in different diameters so you could order a size that's the right fit for the thickness of the cables you have. It's normal purpose is to heat shield a fluid line and to contain a burst of flammable liquid and route it out the bottom of the car, like a high pressure power steering hose so it doesn't start an engine fire. I use it for this purpose on my 928 where the HP power steering line runs near the exhaust header.
I’m going to say there is an install issue. I have the numeric shifter, cables and their sheathing. I have zero additional cabin noise from them. I did pay my Indy to do the install while my car was with them for a bunch of other work. I know we discussed at length ensuring to insulate the cable well at all points of contact through the chassis.
I know I had seen some complain about noise but most of those did not install the sheathing. Numeric is very responsive I would reach out to them to assist in finding what’s causing the issue.
Also I ordered a short throw shifter that had excellent reviews for Porsche off ebay for 57 bucks. It looks just like B&M and shifts amazing. I've paid 500+ for short throws before, waste of money if you ask me. Yah these are excellent and the quality 98% as good, not like we're buying exhaust manifolds off ebay it's a short throw. I bought the sillicone tubes off Numeric website for these - they fit perfectly.
Subscribed. I’m on the doorstep of doing a full Numeric install. I’d like to know what all can be done to reduce/eliminate noise before I go down that path. According to Numeric most of it can be eliminated by proper installation...but noise level / NVH is subjective.
This is 100% correct. Noise can always be eliminated.
I’m going to say there is an install issue. I have the numeric shifter, cables and their sheathing. I have zero additional cabin noise from them. I did pay my Indy to do the install while my car was with them for a bunch of other work. I know we discussed at length ensuring to insulate the cable well at all points of contact through the chassis.
I know I had seen some complain about noise but most of those did not install the sheathing. Numeric is very responsive I would reach out to them to assist in finding what’s causing the issue.
I have the silicone sheathing in place, covering all parts of the cable outside and inside (except where there are clearance issues preventing it like near the e-brake).
I do wonder how much of it is people changing other things at the same time as their cables, or people not driving their car for a while before putting the cables in so they can clearly hear the change. But I will say that I have zero complaints about Numeric's customer service. When I originally installed the cables, Dan at Numeric was very helpful. I had a small binding issue that required me to just slightly bend the cable mounting bracket at the transmission end (like 1-2mm) and it resolved it. I also spoke with him about the cable noise for 20 full minutes on the phone yesterday. Very helpful and can't say enough about their customer service. He gave me some things to try such as zip-tying the cables together. I'm recovering from a shoulder surgery now but in a month or two when I'm able to do it, I'm going to pull the belly pan and center console, add the zip ties, double check everything is clear of rubbing, and add some sound deadening into the center console. Also check for loose parts too though I'd be really surprised if that was the cause. I'm also going to use my wireless chassis ears on the cables and shifter body at various points to try to see if I can't pinpoint the location of max vibration and then figure out a solution, whether it's moving the cable routing around just a bit or wedging some foam under/between them, or whatever else I can do to minimize the vibrations.
@Petza914 good idea on the sheathing. I used that stuff on my last race car build for some oil lines that went near the exhaust. It's cheap enough to buy from Summit Racing, so worth a shot.
I'll post results here when done but it could be a month or two.
I installed the Numeric shifter and cables about two months ago. I installed their supplied silicone sheathing. While my cables are tight against the side of the tunnel and I feared NVH, I have no such increase in my '08 C4S. I could not be happier with the setup.
Was your tunnel block reinstalled? If not (it is a giant PIA to get back in) it could be the source of your noise.
12-10-2020, 01:57 PM
Shifter cable options? (997.2)
