10 GT3

I drove my 02' Carrera regularly on the track for 4 years and the current owner an additional 2 years without experiences of it refusing to shift. It has a B&M shifter for all these years and when I owned it, I had the fluid changed earlier than the maintenance schedule. Only time I ever had an issue was when I made the mistake of paying attention to comments on this board about the shift link and made the mistake of putting one of those POS EVO Shift Links in; easily remedied with putting the OEM one back in. EVO Shift link was appropriately tossed in the garbage where it could no longer harm any car. I actually like the feel of the Carrera/sport shifter (with OEM shift link) better than the GT3 as it is as precise with better weighting; but let's face it, it is no where near as durable.

The G96/G97 gearbox in the 996/997 Carrera/S is a low cost transaxle for high production that is not designed to be serviced with assembly in Japan. The German Getrag GT3 (G96/96) is basically a full race gearbox: larger/stronger gears, beefier case, differential, ring and pinion. Being as such, a GT3 transmission runs about $15K new versus $6K for a G96/G97, Shifting mechanism is different inside the transaxle with the cables flipped from regular G96/G97. GT3 has a stiff and very direct feel. When you move the lever, you can feel some of the mass of the beefier components inside.

utkinpol

6sp manual is same exact aisin gearbox as in any 2006+ car. in your cayman you can also put in better oil into it to partially reduce heat issues.

NJ-GT

My 01 Boxster S got one free transmission under warranty, it would not go in 2nd gear. My 1999 SpecBoxster broke a complete transmission at an autoX nonetheless, but it was a cheap fix, I bought an used one for $1,000 and got it installed for free by a good friend (and Boxster guru). The Cayman transmission is still the original, but the car has only been driven at 8 track days, 2 in California (Streets of Willow) 6 in Florida (Sebring and Homestead), 42k miles, with less than 700 miles on track use.

Every track day breaks something.

My 996 GT3 and 997.1 GT3 RS on the other end, had super reliable transmissions. The 996 GT3 unit was replaced under warranty due to a worn out Limited-Slip Diff (not a transmission problem), and PCNA gave me a new tranny. Both of them had problems going from 2nd to 3rd, but I never did the solid engine mounts combined with tranny mount that reduces this problem.

scott40

Is it there any chance this will go into the 991 GT cars or is it certain the MT will be built from the PDK tranny?

mdrums

Don't feel bad I take this junk from Rad all the time with my "POS wanna be aero beetle". Since I know Rad he's actually probably laughing his azz off right now.

Mike in CA

I don't think anyone who's talking knows yet.....

GTgears

Just one point of correction. The G96.00 & G96.01 used in 996 Carreras is also a Getrag gearbox, and is actually identical to the G86.20 used in NJ-GT's 2001 Boxster S with the ring gear on the opposite side. They are German made and very robust. They use a G50 based differential, just like the GT3 does, and a very large ring and pinion gear.

The shortcoming of the box is the press fit gears that only allow you to rebuild it once before the tolerances get too loose and you've got to toss the shafts. But by then your ring and pinion and 1st/2nd gear should probably be timed out anyway. But service parts are readily available for them, and unlike the GT3, you can buy just a single loose 2nd gear idler gear if you have bad dog teeth. On the GT3 one must buy an all new mainshaft with 1st and 2nd attached to the tune of $2000 instead of the $350 the G96.01 2nd gear idler costs.

The G97 gearbox is the Aisin gearbox. And as of about a year ago it also became serviceable. You can buy bearings and synchros for them but they are stupid expensive. Designwise, it's pretty much a Japanese knockoff of the G96.01, though there is no parts cross compatibility. And 3rd gear does seem to be weak and a problem child on it when they are raced. But on the upside the ratios are a bit tighter together and shorter than the G96.01 ratios. And if one has an LSD equipped one, it's actually a decent functioning LSD that lasts a fair bit of time on track. GT3s don't get that.


The jury is still out on the 991 GT cars. The 991 Carreras are getting the PDK based 7MT. But here's the really weird one on this front. The PDK is a ZF designed and manufactured gearbox. The 991 7MT has been farmed out to Aisin. I'm totally amazed that ZF/Porsche would share the technology like that. Maybe the cost benefit of having them made in Japan/SE Asia makes it worthwhile. It is just out of character for them to share technology that openly and I also wonder how the bean counters at Porsche sold ZF on the idea unless they get a really nice fat licensing check for every gearbox made by Aisin.

pissedpuppy

no worries - I hope he is laughing - I am!

Still, been keeping an eye out for a GT3 for a while now, no rush, trying to be patient (which is not a quality of mine)!

JMon

So both transmissions use a cable shift linkage? Are there ever additional gates actually on/in the shifter mechanism? Is play ever introduced due to cable problems?

If they use cables then why do the engine/transmission mounts cause issues with shifting? (mentioned earlier)
I understand why it does on my VW beetles, that is obvious with the tunnel linkage. I just don’t understand why it would be a problem with cables with endpoints directly on the transmission.


As far as the POS thing... I'm not going to argue that point when my engine blew and now the repair is > 1/2 the value of the car.

Boxster Coupe GTS

Porsche 918 Spyder -- PDK Transmission...



According to Exce11ence, the PDK transmission in the 918 Spyder is based on the unit found in the 997 Turbo...



...and a few comments on the V8 engine...

< Porsche 918 Spyder -- Exce11ence article link >

pewter82

POS stands for " Piece of #@*^ " everywhere I've been. Unless that's some IVY league term..

Nordschleife

This all sounds very authoritative. However, check back on Porsche's original press release about the 'PDK'. It was lifted verbatim from that of Ricardo 2 days previously and VW the previous day. You could say that a Ricardo PR flack wrote the substantive parts of both VAG's and PAG's press releases. This ought to tell folk something (About the same time a US manufacturer also rehacked the same release).

Generalising, Japanese drivers are quite abusive of gearboxes, hence their manufacturers have developed pretty tough manual transmissions and have removed some of the slush from the automatics. It seems sensible to make use of this technology. On the other hand, many Germans understand far too much about how fragile gearboxes can be and to this day handle their transmissions with a level of care and consideration not encounted in many other places. This is good for Hansel und Gretel, but not so not for those whose sporting driving is limited to accelerating away from the lights at T-junctions. Hence the interest in Japanese transmissions.

I have driven, and tested the GT3 box inverted and installed in a mid engined configuration. With one caveat, I'd say it works pretty well. The problem, which is not entirely resolved owing to a shortage of demand, is the need to ensure that there is an extra series of oil pick-ups to maintain adequate lubrication when operated in this configuration.

Ultimately, the most satisfying automated manual transmissions (flappy paddles to most of us), are those with a single clutch. Many purist engineers find the double clutch offensive in that it is inherently wasteful and heavy - would Colin Chapman have tolerated one?

R+C

JarmoL

OT question:

Will 997 GT3 transmission fit into to the mk1 996 GT3? Gearing would be shorter then as the 997 is geared for 19" wheels?

George from MD

A Carrera S is neither a POS (using the accepted definition) or a poseur ride. A shame that a legitimate question gets answered with that kind of BS from someone who obviously doesn't have the real answer. As I have had the same question thanks to all those who replied with information rather than insults.

utkinpol

stupid expensive = same level as for 997.1 gt3 cars or even worse?
so it is still does not make sense to try to repair one, it is simpler to find a used one for a complete swap, price wise?