5-4 shift: kissing reverse again

[OldSpool87]

So I took my ‘82 SC out for its first ride in a while (3-4 months of winter sittiting). Pulled fuel pump relay and ignition coil lead, cranked with started to build pressure...reattached it all and voila! She fired right up.

I got out on the parkway and went through the gears after a few miles of driving. To my disappointment, I got the 5-4 shift kiss of reverse. I spent a long time last year adjusting 5-4 to get rid of grind. I drove around with 13mm wrenches leaning over fixed back seats to get it right and finally did.

The only thing I did different this time around was invite my wife to ride along. She’s about 100lbs and way out of my league.

Could the extra ballast have caused the drive train to behave differently? I’ve read many posts of engine/transmission mounts getting old and causing ill shifting effects and wonder if this would be a similar situation.

The box is basically brand new with maybe 500 miles on it. WEVO shifter with new bushings and PSJ.

My adjustment of the coupler last year took me to the limit of happy compromise in shifting all gears. That’s to say before I got it right I went a little too far (lengthening shift linkage) and made 2nd gear pretty difficult. Adjusted slightly shorter and got it. No 5-4 reverse kiss.

So before I go back down the road of reaching shift linkage adjustment Zen, I wanted to rule out obvious factors including my bride.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[QueWhy]

If you think her riding with you had something to do with it did you try a solo journey?

[OldSpool87]

Originally Posted by QueWhy

If you think her riding with you had something to do with it did you try a solo journey?

Not yet but in the diagnosis plan. Saturday was beautiful here, Sunday was a reminder that March in the NE can still bring bad weather.

[911pcars]

I doubt it was your wife (unless you want to use that as an excuse). :-)

I suspect perhaps worn transmission and/or engine mounts. Take a look. Look for any obvious separation/excessive movement between the mounts and its support bracket.

I assume the other shift linkage bushing areas have been addressed with good pieces?

Sherwood

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by OldSpool87

So I took my ‘82 SC out for its first ride in a while (3-4 months of winter sittiting). Pulled fuel pump relay and ignition coil lead, cranked with started to build pressure...reattached it all and voila! She fired right up.

I got out on the parkway and went through the gears after a few miles of driving. To my disappointment, I got the 5-4 shift kiss of reverse. I spent a long time last year adjusting 5-4 to get rid of grind. I drove around with 13mm wrenches leaning over fixed back seats to get it right and finally did.

The only thing I did different this time around was invite my wife to ride along. She’s about 100lbs and way out of my league.

Could the extra ballast have caused the drive train to behave differently? I’ve read many posts of engine/transmission mounts getting old and causing ill shifting effects and wonder if this would be a similar situation.

The box is basically brand new with maybe 500 miles on it. WEVO shifter with new bushings and PSJ.

My adjustment of the coupler last year took me to the limit of happy compromise in shifting all gears. That’s to say before I got it right I went a little too far (lengthening shift linkage) and made 2nd gear pretty difficult. Adjusted slightly shorter and got it. No 5-4 reverse kiss.

So before I go back down the road of reaching shift linkage adjustment Zen, I wanted to rule out obvious factors including my bride.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Did you also update the clamp? They do go bad, the result is gradual loss of the settings.

I used a Wevo version on mine

[Walt Fricke]

Have you driven around with the rubber boot on the shift lever pulled up, so you can observe the position of the lock out cam? It is easy enough to set the shift linkage length such that you get into 5th just fine, but don't go quite far enough so the pawl pops into its locking position. Or you can get the pawl to engage if you push harder forward into 5th, but not if you push just enough to get into 5th. Easy to test with the car at rest.

[cabmandone]

I'm with Bill. I think your clamp loosened up and it slipped a spline.

[OldSpool87]

I refreshed all bushings last year including the one on the tunnel. I have the WEVO clamp as well. I’ll take another ride w/o me lady and inspect mounts. Thanks for all the feedback.

[kent olsen]

I know your frustration. In the beginning, I have 234,000 miles on my 72, I had the same issue so just learnt to double clutch from 5th into 4th. Over the years the transmission has been rebuilt and a Weveo shifter installed. I guess the net result is you can't speed shift the Porsche and I still sometimes double clutch.

[911pcars]

If you suspect the clamp is not holding the setting, add some tell-tale reference marks on the relative parts with a dash of nail polish, then check again for relative movement. It's always good to have marks anyway to provide reference points between two movable parts.

Sherwood

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by kent olsen

I know your frustration. In the beginning, I have 234,000 miles on my 72, I had the same issue so just learnt to double clutch from 5th into 4th. Over the years the transmission has been rebuilt and a Weveo shifter installed. I guess the net result is you can't speed shift the Porsche and I still sometimes double clutch.

Yea, air cooled Porsches do not like speed shifting. Don't even try if you like the transmission.

I've experienced the exact same thing, including taking a drive with a couple 13mm wrenches. After a lot of adjusting, I've got mine as good as I think it will get, but if i get sloppy, I can still get the reverse kiss (sounds like a sex act) on the 5-4 downshift. I have learned to "think" the lever past reverse by making sure the shifter comes toward my right knee rather than straight back.

[OldSpool87]

Originally Posted by madcorgi

I've experienced the exact same thing, including taking a drive with a couple 13mm wrenches. After a lot of adjusting, I've got mine as good as I think it will get, but if i get sloppy, I can still get the reverse kiss (sounds like a sex act) on the 5-4 downshift. I have learned to "think" the lever past reverse by making sure the shifter comes toward my right knee rather than straight back.

Yes…definite influenced by how the shift lever is pulled back from 5 to 4. I’m a 1 Mississippi shifter and don’t man handle the gear selector.

[cabmandone]

I think I'd try to fine tune it. That thing should shift smoothly with the Wevo Shifter, Shift coupler and a new shift rod bushing. If you can't get it fine tuned then dig into transmission mounts and engine mounts. The way the wevo is spring loaded maybe you're using too much force when pulling out of 5? You should be able to bump it out of 5 and it'll automatically move to the 3/4 plane.

[Gordo2]

Check the Wevo web page for installation and adjustment instructions.

With the reverse lockout plunger adjusted correctly, you shouldn't have any problems avoiding reverse when shifting from 5th down to 4th/3rd.

Good luck, Gordo

[JSV798]

Sounds like you need to extend the shift linkage (as you did before). I had this problem a while ago; lengthening the shift linkage fixed it. If the shaft is not long enough you will hit reverse before the reverse stop comes into play.