915 5th Gear Woes - Advice Needed (Long)

[velo5338]

Hopefully the board's resident transmission gurus (JW, Grady, Hayden et al) can help me with some advice.

When I recently acquired my '86 Carrera Coupe, there was so much free play in the shifter that finding any gear was a crap-shoot. I only drove it a few times before taking it off the road to do some upgrades, including a Wevo SS with a Wevo coupler and new transmission mounts. As hoped, the results were astounding, shifting became a precise, pleasurable experience (1 thru 4 + R anyway), sure I still have the normal high-mileage 915 characteristics - firm shift 1st to 2nd when cold, it's possible to beat the synchromesh 2nd to 3rd if rushed, need to slow the transmission in 2nd before selecting 1st etc - but none of these are a problem, all part of the 915 charm.

BUT...I have a serious problem getting out of 5th gear! It, goes into 5th easily enough with the characteristic click of the reverse spring plunger - although 5th does seem a long way over to the right . But when I attempt to downshift to 4th it almost always hangs up in 5th. The shifter will come back into the neutral gate but the transmission stays in 5th gear. I normally coast to a halt and can most times find true neutral after several tries by thrashing around with the shifter lever into and out of 5th. On the last occasion during this de-selection process, the transmission got into reverse with the shifter lever in neutral thereby allowing me to select reverse and a forward gear simultaneously - not good. Fortunately it self-de-selected reverse as I was backing the car into a safe spot, saving me the trauma of driving backwards all the way home.

I have adjusted the coupler countless times, trying all the methods posted on this board, but to no avail. Unfortunately I didn't drive the car enough before the upgrades to know if the problem was already there.

So, do you think I have a problem with the transmission requiring a re-build or do I persevere with the shift coupler adjustment?

Thanks

Mike
'86 911 Carrera
SSIs, Dansk 2 in 1 out, Wong chip, Wevo SS + Wevo coupler

[Jesset100]

Lets bump this and hope that the transmission experts can comment.

[john walker's workshop]

the usual reason that you get reverse along with a forward gear is that someone was inside the trans previously and didn't get one or both shift shaft locking detents in the proper position. was it like that before the wevo shifter? i can't see how a shift coupler misadjustment would do that.

[dentist90]

Could the pinch bolt for 5-R selector fork have worked loose, allowing selected gear to stay engaged even though shift rod has been pulled back?

[luvndasun]

Were you able to determine the problem and fix it? Could you share the details...I am having the same problem....when I downshift from 5th gear....grrrrinnnndddd....ouch!