101 Projects #37 - Shifting Improvements
 

I notice that the 101 Projects book Project 37 Shifting Improvements says Applicable Year: All, but doesn't seem to jive with the Bentley Manual for my 89. Are there any simple shifting improvements I can try? Shifting not bad, just 20 years old. Thanks.

To date, I have replaced the shift coupler bushing and the shift rod bushing (not sure what its called, but it travels from under the shifter, down the center of the car to behind the seats) and have recently changed/updated the engine and transmission mounts. The later made the biggest and most noticeable improvements and only took 90 minutes to complete.

Clutch adjustments on a healthy clutch and new bushings is a good start. Change the trans oil if that hasn't been done lately. +1 on the mounts. After that, if you don't like it, it, drive it harder and shift at higher RPM's. When it goes, you'll get to enjoy a re-built.

It was my understanding that the trans mount bushings were not as simple as the motor mounts.

The 101 book's shifter improvements are really intended for the 915 transmission. The g50 has a much different setup and usually pretty good from the factory.

It is my impression that there is no adjustability of the hydraulic clutch on the G50. Am I mistaken?

you can certainly adjust the stop, but i think there is also a possibility to adjust the play.

No clutch adjustment on the G50, but the hydraulic line can be bled. Great article in Excellence, August '05, on replacing the G50 shift bushings, so you might do a search on the Excellence site. I believe it may have been posted here too, so try a Pelican search.

We have a shifter bushing kit, a short-throw shifter, and two levels of upgraded shift couplers for the '87 to '89 G50.

You can order these items through Pelican. :)

Ah, good point. I failed to realize Cloud89 has an 89 (thus a G50) and my comments were with respect to the 915, which is in my 85.

syzygy (Kevin), I found the trans mounts to be much easier than the engine mounts. It took around 40 minutes to change the engine mounts and less than 20 minutes to do the trans mounts. I think the remaining 30 minutes was spent getting the car jacked up and on the stands properly. When I did this, I also installed the Club/Sport mounts (sold by our host) as opposed to the direct replacement for the Coupe/Targa.

Agreed on the sport engine mounts. They transmit a bit more vibration to the tub, but they tighten up everything nicely. Noticeable improvement in shifting and in the back end hooking up better. But the G50 trans mounts are not replaceable in their stock form. Wevo has an exchange program where you send your entire bar in and they replace the mounts with their version of the sport mount. Also tightens things up nicely, but I've heard they definitely transmit more vibes into the tub.