Gear Selection problem!! Help!

My car has developed a shifting problem! I am having major problems changing gears, as the stick is stiff, grindy and vague.

It almost feels like there's someone on the other end of the stick fighting me! At one point, I had the stick in neutral, and slowly let the clutch out and we started moving. This gave me cause to panic.

Is there the possibility that the linkage may be fouled, broken or simply fallen apart?

I really hope it's not an expensive fix.
Is it common?

Assauge my fears! Thanks in advance


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Adam Chaplin
1976 911S Coupe

Adam,
Take a look under the cover on the hump between the front and rear seats (pull up the carpet, 4 screws). The linkage here could have come loose and moved if the pinch bolt had come loose in front of the coupler. Also make sure the bushings are intact on the coupler here, as well as the ball and cup bushings under the shift lever itself (6 allens around the lever base).

There are directions for adjustment of the linkage in Pelican's Tech Article section, called "911 Shifting Improvements".

If its not these things, you may need to start looking inside the box. There are linkage gears within here that transfer the movement of the shift lever to the gears themselves.

Hope this Helps,
Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe

Its probably the linkage in your tunnel. There are bushings there to replace.

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'83 SC

Adam,

Your 915 sounds like it has a rare problem with the shift linkage internally. So, I suggest you prepare to change the gear oil, and investigate the shifting problem at the same time. If you have never changed the gear oil, I suggest 3.2 qt of SAE 90, or SAE 75W-90 Castrol Hypoy. When you drain the oil, it needs to be at full operating temperature, such as after an hour of highway driving. Drain the oil into a large funnel ... 12" or so diameter, with a white paper towel lining to filter any particles in the gear oil. Inspect the 'filter' for filings, shavings, broken 'chunks' of steel or brass. After the gear oil has been drained, remove the semi-trapezoidal cover with four 13 mm nuts ... forward of the drain plug location. If you happen to have the Haynes manual, it is shown on p. 111. After you have removed the cover, while watching the shift forks and levers ... have an assistant inside the car, slowly and carefully shift (or attempt) from neutral to each of the six gears and back into neutral. Observe carefully for any binding, blockage, or mis-alignment of the shift rod and guides ...

With the difficulties described ... something should be obvious! Let us know what you find! Be sure to have a notepad handy, and take notes of any problems you observe! Have the assistant go through an agreed-upon sequence ... and be sure to confirm what shift is being attempted.

PS. Be sure to check the shift linkage, including the shifter itself ... for excessive play, before digging into the transmission linkage and shift rods! There is a later post below about the shift coupler.
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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

[This message has been edited by Early_S_Man (edited 01-21-2001).]

Thanks for the replies..

I am thinking that Warren may be right. I emailed him just before, but now feel stupid as he's already replied!

Thanks again, Warren, Nickshu and Superman.

Praying for an easy fix

Adam,

Before you drain the oil, and start checking inside the trans, be sure to check the shift coupler in the tunnel under that cover with four screws ... even if the pinch bolt and set screw are tight, the coupler bushings may have shattered from age and fallen out onto the floor of the tunnel. There is normally some fore and aft play, but no radial play, but with 'decomposed' bushings there will be lots of play in every direction. In order to check, you will need an assistant to move the shift lever, while you watch the couplwe very closely. The key will bethat lateral motion at the shifter will not produce much movement at the transmission input shaft. Good luck!

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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Please see:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/Forum3/HTML/005322.html



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Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

Warren,

If I have a bent or damaged selector fork, is it repairable? I mean, can you straighten a bent fork or is it able to be replaced without pulling the motor/trans?

Does this inspection cover allow that kind of access? I haven't looked as the car is at a friend's place.

Many Thanks

Adam

Adam! You're not allowed to even think about trouble inside your tranny yet. That is not probably where the problem is. Thsi would be an excellent time to mark the relative locations of those shift bushings, remove the shift coupler and install all new bushings.

It's against the PP BBS rules to act like or talk like you have tranny trouble until your shift bushings are new or in excellent shape. Rules are rules.

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'83 SC

I've finally found what I believe is the source of my despair.

When I removed the inspection port in the transaxle, I found a large, sharp piece of what I think (have been told) is a Synchro Hub. It measures approx 10mm (x axis), 80mm (y axis) and about 10mm (at the widest of the Z axis). Does this make sense?

It was stuck under the fork on the lid. I think it may have been floating around in there for a while, and only just now become lodged in the selector forks.

The oil was a little gritty, so I replaced it too. I put it all back together and took it for a *slow* gentle road test.

All seems ok. Its still a little stiff to shift, but 95% better than before. In fact, it's probably only stiff in my mind, as I'm terrified of further damage.

I'll take a pic of it when I get my camera back this week and post it somewhere. It's a vicious little piece of steel. VERY sharp edge on it. Funnily enough, the forks and all looked to be in good shape.

I'm thinking that maybe I dodged the bullet... for now. The next step is to save up some $$$ and slam a G-50 up the back of it before too much more time passes.

Thanks again to Warren for all of his helpful advice. He truly is the Patron Saint of 911 Owners.

Thanks to all the others who offered advice and support.

Adam