Issues with g50/52 tranny...expert advice needed

[docdan200]

Thought I'd re-post my inquiry... I may get better luck with a learned response here.

I'm having some transmission issues on my '92 911 C2 TURBO... started with a "notchy" feeling while moving the shifter on the NEUTRAL plane.
Going into the gears, i.e., 1st to 5th, is not an issue... no "grating"... smooth entry and engagement.
But going from 2nd to 3rd, while passing NEUTRAL, isn't as smooth as it was before...such that I have to slowly "feel out" the entry to 3rd gear to be able to positively engage it.
Definitely unlike before where shifting through the gears didn't require any extra conscious effort to execute smoothly.

So we put the car on the lifter...to inspect the tranny and check the linkages.
Dropped the engine and tranny, and found a couple of significant things:

1. The shift rod (...the one sticking out of the tranny nose cone...) is unusually stiff.
With the tranny dropped, I would imagine that rotating the rod left-to-right, which is the NEUTRAL plane, should be easier to do...but it isn't.

Feeling a significant resistance...
Possible shift fork issues?
Or is a G50/52's (...which I presume is the correct designation for the '92 C2 Turbo's tranny...) shift rod, when "on the bench", and unlinked to the shifter and its linkages, normally "stiff" when trying to engage neutral and the gears?

I will add that I've changed the shift coupler ASSEMBLY with OEM parts... TWICE already!! (...OUCH...)
Each time, we saw that the plastic cup bushings were deteriorated...and with a shift rod that stiff, that'll explain why these OEM shifter parts didn't last too long.

2. The rubber bushing component on the DRIVER'S side engine mount is perished...the PASSENGER'S side is still intact.

3. The transmission mount shows signs of the rubber component starting to crack.

I've read that busted/perished mounts can be a probable cause for shifting problems...obviously due to the unwanted movements of the engine/tranny.

Ordered the new engine/tranny mounts... and decided to stay OEM, so as not to deal with noise/vibration issues with the aftermarket solid/semi-solid mounts.

Like I said, getting into the different gears is not a problem.
It's the NEUTRAL plane...and the "notchy/resistive/unsmooth" feeling I get when the shifter is on that plane, that's giving me the fits.

if possible, I'd like to avoid having to crack open the gearbox.

Hoping that the experts can point me in the right direction...

[MarkRobinson]

Ok so you've replaced the front linkage cup bushing with a new: allows the front rod to hang upside down.

In the rear linkage rod, there's a boot that covers a hidden u-joint: have you pulled the boot back & inspected/replaced that u-joint? It doesn't show up for chit in PET, you have to look for it & PET shows that entire rear rod & u-joint as one Part number.

You can remove that rod and rebuild that u-joint with a set of 914 shifter u-joint bushings: same fit; you'll need a small hydraulic press as found at brake service centers to press out the pin, replace the two bushings, & push the pin back in.

Am I on the right track??