915 1st gear

[Nick Triesch]

I have had my 85 911 since Augest now and it runs terrific except for the usual 1st gear syncro is hard to get into gear. But I have seemed to master it most of the time . When I am on my way to a stop I go to second gear but not all the way and come to a stop or almost a stop. 9 times out of ten the teans will go right into gear! Cool. I just want to know why this happens. Maybe some 915 guys could chime in to explain why when you just pull back the shifter to 2nd but do not go all the way into gear, it then goes into first. I can put off a rebuild now because it works so well! Nick

[Joe Bob]

Have you checked the shifter busings and coupler?

[grendiers]

My 924 Turbo with a rebuilt dogleg G31 tranny does this. My new to me '85 carrera also likes a downshift into second before first, even at a stop sign. Both trannies are very similar that they need some TLC when shifting, up or down.

[DRACO A5OG]

Touching the second helps stop the trans to allow you to plop into 1st.

At stop while waiting for the light, I always touch 2nd before I place into 1st for safe measure.

Since I changed the trans fluid and recently added Cabriolet trans and engine mounts I do not have to touch 2nd anymore but do it out of habit now. Better safe then sorry

[zacharyminot]

I just had the 915 in my '82 rebuilt a year or so ago. It had been rebuilt once before by Brumos in Jax Fl and they had actually put the engagement sleeve in backwards (one side has symmetrical dogteeth & the other asymmetrical). This meant it was almost impossible to engage 1st unless you were stopped or could synchronize gears on your own perfectly.

It was corrected during the second rebuild at a good friend's shop up here in VT and now engaging first gear is smooth at any reasonable speed.

[KTL]

1st & 2nd share the same shift fork and guide sleeve, so dropping it down to 2nd is sort of like jiggling it and lining up the guide sleeve with the dog teeth on the gear. When you "touch" 2nd, but don't actually go into 2nd, you are still engaging the synchronization parts that spin up the input shaft to match speeds. If you touched 1st and waited a bit longer, I bet it would slide into gear.

Or you can double clutch it. When rolling along in 2nd, you clutch it in, select neutral, clutch out, pick up the rpms a bit with the throttle, clutch in & select 1st completely and it will go right into gear.

[Nick Triesch]

Yup, when I diouble clutch it works much of the time but touching to 2nd seems to work much better. When I do this sometimes it even goes into gear while moving very slow. All other gears shift nice. But really getting the hang of shiifting by touching 2nd first. Now, if someone else gets in my car, they will have a problem. When folks want to drive my car I always say "it's a very tricky trans and only I can drive it!!!" Works every time! Nick

[Nick Triesch]

KTL you are right! I never thought of just touching into 1st gear but it worked! So, touching 2nd and 1st both work very well. I think that going toward 2nd works better so I will just continue doing that. Fantastic! And no one else can drive it!!! Nick

[911freek]

There is an urban myth that a 2nd gear synchro installed for 1st as well solves the problem.
Anybody has an idea?

[KTL]

I think another reason touching 2nd works better is because it's easier to physically pull the lever than it is to push it? Either way you could muscle it into gear, since we're not talking tens of pounds of effort. But I just think pushing 1st requires a bit more effort than pulling 2nd and I get the feeling muscle memory plays a part in it too.

Your muscles become accustomed to applying a certain amount of effort to change gears and when it goes wrong, it jumps out at you. I sort of equate it with walking stairs. If you're climbing steps and all of a sudden you encounter a step that is taller (or shorter) than the rest, it throws off your rhythm and you stumble because you're used to lifting your leg a certain amount each time you step.

I use the double clutch routine when i'm slowly rolling along in 2nd, coming off track and I don't want to touch the brakes. Works every time.

[Nick Triesch]

Double clutching works well also but the pull to 2nd works the best for me. I think also because it is a more natural progression to go for a second gear downshift when coming to a stop. When I pull back , I leave it there just for a few seconds and when I come to a stop, it goes right in. Also works best when car is fully warmed up. I call it my "anti other driver gear shift system". . or AODGSS ! Wife has still not driven it!!! Nick