915 Shifting Problems

arbita1 · arbita1's Garage

I recently installed a factory short shifter and replaced the bushings. I am now having a tough time down-shifting from 5th to 4th. I cannot find 4th gear easily and am grinding something as I'm trying to find it. I also have a problem with the shift lever sticking in the 5th gear and sometimes 3rd gear positions.

I'm pretty sure this is an adjustment issue, and I've tried re-adjusting the shift coupler but need some guidance.

Also, I am noticing that there is much more play/slop in the left to right direction when in gear, which I am wondering if it is playing into my above problem. Could that be the adjustement set screw at the front of the shift assembly not being tight enough?

I'm now thinking that I should just get the WEVO shifter.

Pazuzu · 11-03-2008, 05:49 AM

I found that the set screw on the front of the housing had to be surprisingly tight to work properly. Since it's a cone into a hole, a bit of looseness adds a lot of slop to the shifter assembly, I tightened mine up (while mounted to the floorpan) to the point where you couldn't move the shifter left/right at all, the just barely turned it back a smidge. This gave me good support to the shifter and a nice tight feel (which actually got smoother over 2 days). The shift knob stayed where I put it (It could stand in the 3/4 plane by itself), and all of the shifts took just enough manual effort to keep me thinking about them, which is always good with our beloved 915s

jklaspok · 11-03-2008, 05:52 AM

I recently went through the same experience. There is a spring loaded lever on the right side of the tower that prevents (when the shifter is adjusted properly) from down shifting or at least nicking reverse. There are many posts here explaining in detail the proper adjustment procedures. I suspect you will need to loosen the coupler and move the shifter slightly forward. Also make sure the coupler is rotated clockwise. You can find the instructions at: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_shifting_improvements/911_shifting_improvements.htm . Good luck!

jcunning · 11-03-2008, 10:48 AM

I have also run into the same issue. I went through the adjustment procedures and it is much better now. I can still nick reverse if I shift too quickly. I basically need to do a slow but consistent pull on the shifter. If I try to move it too quickly, I nick reverse. If I go too slow, the shifter loses the reverse lockout and finding 4th gear is much more challenging.

You can get a better idea on how this works by going through the 5-4 shift without the boot on. You can see the reverse lockout function and how the shifter is supposed to move.

arbita1 · arbita1's Garage

Yes, I think I realize my mistake was to try to adjust it with everything covered up.

I'm going to pull the boot off so I can see exactly where the shift lever is when I adjust it. It is probably not 90 deg. vertical.

I'm also going to try and tighten up the front set screw and the set screw holding the ball cup.

Pazuzu · 11-03-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arbita1

Yes, I think I realize my mistake was to try to adjust it with everything covered up.
I'm going to pull the boot off so I can see exactly where the shift lever is when I adjust it. It is probably not 90 deg. vertical.

Bingo, you can't visualize the angle on the shifter when it's covered, you're all but guaranteed to get it located wrong.

arbita1 · arbita1's Garage

Can someone explain how the reverse lock out is supposed to work.

I pulled the boot last night so I could watch what it did when I was shifting. When I shift into 5th, the lock out lever rotates as the shift lever contacts it. Once I push the lever up into 5th gear and it holds onto the tab, the lock out lever snaps back into regular postion.

This is the problem. When it snaps back, it almost now has the shift lever locked into the 5th gear position. There is basically no room between the lock out and the shift lever. It is pretty much resting on it. So I have to force it out.

My thinking is that I do not have the adjustment set right and the shift lever needs to be more foward in the neutral position so that there is some room between the shift lever and the lock out lever when it is in 5th gear so that it will come out without geting wedged.

Does anyone understand what I'm trying to explain? I hope so.

jklaspok · 11-07-2008, 12:13 PM

You are on the right track. I would loosen the coupler and move the shifter a touch foreword. That should give enough clearance to allow a clean downshift.

deep_uv · 03:39 PM

+1 ^^^^^^^^
Adjust it at the coupler in the tunnel. Access panel behind the seats. You can adjust the fore and aft throw positioning there. Also replacing the stock coupler with the Wevo model is night and day better than the stock one. Combined with a Rennshifter up front, it's like a bolt action rifle instead of a pencil in a coffee can. Even if you don't replace anything, adjusting the coupler fore and aft will likely fix your problems.

arbita1 · arbita1's Garage

I worked on this yesterday. The biggest part of my problem was that the allen screw set pin on the ball cup of the shifter was loose. So there was a lot of side to side play. Once I tightened that up the play went away and I did a little adjustment to make sure the shifter was vertical in the neutral position. It seems better, but I still need to take it out for a test drive.

I really want to be done with this shifter and get the Wevo or Rennshift.

arbita1 · arbita1's Garage

UPDATE -

So I got this adjusted and it is shifting nicely into all gears now. I'm starting to think I may not need the Rennshift after all.

However, the left to right action is very stiff. Is this due to the adjustment set screw on the front of the shift housing? I had it very tight at first and I just loosened it up a lot. But maybe it's still too tight?

911pcars · 12-03-2008, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arbita1

UPDATE -

So I got this adjusted and it is shifting nicely into all gears now. I'm starting to think I may not need the Rennshift after all.

However, the left to right action is very stiff. Is this due to the adjustment set screw on the front of the shift housing? I had it very tight at first and I just loosened it up a lot. But maybe it's still too tight?

The set screw at the front adjusts the amount of free play when moving the shift lever left and right. If the screw is backed off and the lever action remains stiff, it could be a lack of lube. Squirt some heavy chain lube fore and aft of the "box" at the pivot points and see if that makes a difference. If so, I'd remove the housing assy., then clean and relube all moving parts. I recommend synthetic grease (usually waterproof).

Sherwood

arbita1 · arbita1's Garage

All the parts are new, so dirt shouldn't be an issue. I did initially lube them with synthetic Mobile 1 grease, but maybe not enough. I'll try to back the set screw off some more. If that doesn't do it, I'll pull it out and re-grease the whole thing. Thanks.

john walker's workshop · 12-04-2008, 08:18 AM

short shifters have a longer lower leg, below the pivot point. that would force the lower leg with it's cylindrical bushing into the front cup, creating a bind, unless the front of the shift shaft was lowered a bit to compensate, or the shift housing assembly was raised. what did you do for that?

arbita1 · arbita1's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

short shifters have a longer lower leg, below the pivot point. that would force the lower leg with it's cylindrical bushing into the front cup, creating a bind, unless the front of the shift shaft was lowered a bit to compensate, or the shift housing assembly was raised. what did you do for that?

Isn't that why the box bracket that the shift lever moves in has that elongated shape, so it adjusts the lever into the cup at the same location as the standard throw shifter? Or am I missing something? I wasn't aware anything else would need to be done to install the factory short shift.

Pazuzu · 12-04-2008, 08:52 AM

Yes, the full FSS kit solves that, but if you just toss the shifter handle in a factory housing, it's a problem. You're fine.

I'd suggest loosening the allen bolt quite a bit, it's possible that it's bound up somewhere from being tightened. You should almost immediately feel the shifter loosen in the left-right direction when you loosen that bolt. It's possible that if tightened too much, it'll bind in the bracket or something, and not loosen up correctly.

If you're hitting all 6 gears cleanly, then you're 99% of the way there.

arbita1 · arbita1's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

Yes, the full FSS kit solves that, but if you just toss the shifter handle in a factory housing, it's a problem. You're fine.

I'd suggest loosening the allen bolt quite a bit, it's possible that it's bound up somewhere from being tightened. You should almost immediately feel the shifter loosen in the left-right direction when you loosen that bolt. It's possible that if tightened too much, it'll bind in the bracket or something, and not loosen up correctly.

If you're hitting all 6 gears cleanly, then you're 99% of the way there.

It has loosened up as I loosened the set screw. I just felt at this point the set screw is very loose and the lever shouldn't be this tight. But maybe the set screw is still too tight. I'll try loosening up some more.

Pazuzu · 12-04-2008, 09:33 AM

It's going to be tighter than the old one, no matter what. I had to freeze the pin in my FSS to get it in, whereas the old pin (30 years old) literally fell out (item 11 in this pic http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_short_shift_tindel/Figure11a.jpg )

Also, the roll pin took much more effort to go into the new bracket than to come out of the old one. There was just lots of wear everywhere, and the new assembly was significantly tighter, no matter what. I used white grease, and 2 days of driving made everything smooth.