Short Shift Questions

[KMoore68]

Hi,

I have recently installed the short shift kit from Pelican in my 1977 911 S Targa and I am having a couple of issues:

1. The original shift knob broke when I removed it and I purchased a new one from our host. It comes with a crush washer but now the new shift knob and crush washer slide easily onto the new shift lever. The new shift knob just spins and can easily come off the shift lever even with the crush washer. Is there something I am doing wrong? Any tips how to install it?

2. Over the weekend I had my car out for a fun drive and downshift from 5-4 a couple of times, reverse ground and made a horrible noise. I'm assuming i need to adjust the reverse gear lock out but have no idea how to do that, any tips or suggestions.

Thanks,

[76FJ55]

For item 2 it, there is no adjustment for the lockout at the shifter. All the adjustment is done at the rear coupler.

did you replace the bushings when you did the shifter install? If not you may need to replace those to remove any play in the system before performing the rear shift coupler adjustment.

Sorry can't help you on item 1.

[911pcars]

No. 1. Source some thin material like aluminum sheet. Snip a length the circumference of the lever, with or without the crush sleeve. To much? Trim the sheet metal length a bit, then retry. Repeat until it goes on "snugly". Don't be too enthusiastic with ultimate grip. You might want to remove at a later date.

Sherwood

[bkreigsr]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

..... Source some thin material like aluminum sheet......Sherwood

aluminum sheet = beer / soda can

[Otter74]

When I put a 917-style shift knob on my car the crush sleeve didn't do a thing to hold the knob on, but two of them together did the job perfectly.

[2jmotorsports]

Originally Posted by Otter74

When I put a 917-style shift knob on my car the crush sleeve didn't do a thing to hold the knob on, but two of them together did the job perfectly.

Anything super-duper scientific or just 2 sleeves nested one inside the other and smashing the knob down?

[MichaelSJackson]

..."2. Over the weekend I had my car out for a fun drive and downshift from 5-4 a couple of times, reverse ground and made a horrible noise. I'm assuming i need to adjust the reverse gear lock out but have no idea how to do that, any tips or suggestions."...

Contrary to recommended procedure for adjusting shift coupler, I start in the reverse position. Shifter in reverse, trans in reverse, coupler clamp is loose. While shifter is in reverse you'll find you can move it in a small rectangular area. While the trans is in reverse, you'll also find you can move the coupler forwards and back and rotate it a little left and right.

You now have two goals. First you don't want any tension in the linkage that will pin/hold the linkage against any of the limits. (Against any of the 4 edges of the small rectangle. You want it to sit freely somewhere in the middle of the rectangle.) The second goal is you'll want to be able to shift into 1st and also sit freely in in that small rectangle.

OK. You want to hold the shifter in the middle of the reverse rectangle and move the coupler so it sits in the middle of its forward and backwards movement. Then tighten the coupler's clamp. You're not done so don't completely tighten the clamp. Also, holding the shifter and adjusting the coupler, at the same time, is not as difficult as it sounds. At this point reverse is adjusted fine and won't grind.

Now try shifting to first. If you're lucky, it went in and in now floating freely in its small rectangle; not pinned to any of the four sides. Probably, not perfect. Now determine if it needs to go farther left or right and/or farther forward or back. Put the shifter back in reverse then loosen the clamp.

Realize the motions are all reversed/inverted by the ball on the shift lever. Moving the shifter forward, moves the coupler back. Moving the shifter to the left rotates the coupler clockwise. Therefore, if you need to move the shifter farther left to get to fist, then while again holding the shifter in the middle of the reverse rectangle, adjust the coupler a little more clockwise. Or if it needs to shift more forward to be in 1st, then adjust the coupler back a little. Repeat until happy.

If the shifter is happy in 1st and reverse, then the others will be fine too.

Our host also provide a tech article on adjusting the coupler.

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Porsche_911/TRANS-WEVO_PSJ_Installation/TRANS-WEVO_PSJ_Installation.htm

The article is also talking about upgrading the coupler, but that doesn't change the adjustment instructions.

They also have a tech article on replacing shifting bushings. I don't know if any or all of these are included with the short shift kit you purchased?

https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/101_Projects_Porsche_911/37-Shifting_Improvements/37-Shifting_Improvements.htm

[KMoore68]

Thanks for the tips, I ended up using a bit of hockey tape and then the crush washer and that seems to hold pretty well, i'll try it for a bit and if that doesn't work, i'll look to the aluminum sheet or another crush washer.

I'll end up trying to adjust the shift coupler too and get back to you, thanks!