986 shifter problems

[tcora]

All: A question about the shifter in the 986. The car in question (an 03 base Boxster) has about 109k miles on it. Lately, I have been having the shifter "hang up" while shifting from 2nd to 3rd. I have not been able to find any mention of this problem here, or on any of the other sites I have searched, so not sure how common it is.

Based on what I have seen, it seems as though the simple, and affordable path ahead is to simple acquire a lightly used 987/997 shifter and install it. General consensus is that it is a better shifter all around, and it looks like low mileage samples are pretty affordable on eBay, etc.

That is a roundabout way of my asking if there is something simple I should look at with the existing shifter, or if I should just go ahead and install the 987/997 unit and be dip one with it?

Thanks.

[tcora]

bump

[Reebuck1]

Try adjusting the cable at the shifter. That will probably help. Probably cable on left side (drivers side) is the issue>

[feelyx]

Sometimes the end of the shifting cable breaks off (at the Transmission end) and binds up or bends the inner cable.

[feelyx]

Here is a pic of what breaks...

[tcora]

Thanks for the ideas, folks. Been away from this for a while as I fought off (eventually fixed with 300+ bucks worth of new coils) a misfire problem and some mouse damage to the wiring for the #1 knock sensor (grrr).

Any rate, I have looked at both areas noted above (the cables at the shifter and the cables at the trans) and don't see anything amiss there.

The problem that I am having is on upshifts from 2nd to 3rd. At times, the shift lever will simply stop dead somewhere short of actually engaging 3rd gear. I have to pull the shift lever back toward neutral and then consciously move it to the right and then forward again to get into 3rd gear.

At this point, I am thinking the simple diagnostic is to pull off the console and the cables at the shifter and see if the shift lever moves properly with nothing attached to it. Make sense to y'all?

[germanwheels]

If you have not replaced your engine mounts, that might me your culprit. It was on my 987 Cayman. Replacing the engine mount fix my shifting problems.

[tcora]

Originally Posted by germanwheels

If you have not replaced your engine mounts, that might me your culprit. It was on my 987 Cayman. Replacing the engine mount fix my shifting problems.

Thanks for the thought. Any easy way to check on the mounts? In the old V-8 American car days, you would pretty readily see the engine flop around if the mounts were shot, just pop the hood and load up the drivetrain with the parking brake on, etc etc