901 trans popping out of 3rd gear

[ditch68]

Hello,

I know I am new, so here is a brief intro - I am a fairly new owner of a 1965 912 which has just about been transformed into a 911. It has a pile of later 911 cosmetic changes, and a 1969 911T engine (Webers - but that's another story!)

I have been posting at Rennlist, but I need all the help I can get.

When I got the car, it had incredibly sloppy shifting. I drove it for a while like that, I could get all the gears, but it was very much a really exaggerated shift pattern.

Well, finally the bushings (or what was left of them) came apart, and I lost 1st, 3rd, and 5th... not good.

So, I ordered the entire bushing kit from Pelican, and installed them all. The shifter cup was goo, I don't think it ever had a guide bracket bushing, and the coupler bushings were 60% and gone, right and left side respectively!

I finally got the adjustment to the point where I had all gears but third. I gave up, and saw my mechanic. A 911 guy with no lack of knowledge.

Well, all we could do is get all the gears to work but third. It pops out, no matter what. If I hold the shifter back hard, it still pops out and grinds. No adjustment helps, front/back, or left/right.

My mechanic says it is internal, the detent won't engage, and I am screwed.

But the thing is, when the bushings were thrashed, I had third. 5th was hard to find, but it worked, somewhat predictably anyway. It never popped out, just was hard to find.

Now, no matter what, no third. That is unacceptable. Yeah, I can drive it by doing 2 - 4 shifts, but I need to resolve this. It is VERY frustrating.

What is the typical cause of a popping third gear? If it is internal to the transaxle, can I remedy it without a complete transaxle rebuild? I know the VW teansaxle has a "hockey stick" and front end which can be problematic, and accessed with the trans in the car.

Everything else functions perfectly - and so did third prior to this week.

Maybe the shifter? I hope? Worn shift gates/springs? Housing?

HELP!

Jeff

[john walker's workshop]

if you had it before the bushings, i would think that nothing should have changed. perhaps the linkage is not fully engaging 3rd. try moving the coupler just a tad closer to the rear. end play in the mainshaft due to a bad double ball bearing can do it, as well as VERY worn dog teeth on the gear and/or a VERY badly worn shift sleeve that can't engage and hang onto the worn dog teeth. doesn't have much to do with detents.

[john walker's workshop]

those early 912s had a wierd trans mount. enough north/south movement of the engine/trans assembly and you can pop gears. get it up on a rack and see if you can easily move the assembly with a big prybar.

[ditch68]

Thank you very much.

I will look at the trans mount. I also plan to really go through the shifter.

I am dealing with so many variables with this car - but many things are of course universal. I also have the legendarially unreplacable Nadella axles.

Whew....good thing stripped 912's are very, very light. Hopefully it's all worth it in the end!

Jeff