915 tranny

[not_sure]

Is mine just special or do you have to hesitate for a slight second when shifting gears? It seems first to second is the worst if I try to shift to quick (not speed shift, I know better).

[john walker's workshop]

that's the proper way to shift 901/915 trannys.

[orbmedia]

What do you expect for having the transmission in the wrong spot? Long linkage means sloppy shifting. It's all part of the fun.

By the way the 915 gets a bad rap. Every newbie has read some FAQ about how horrible the 915 is and they all want the G50. In truth it's a great gearbox, probably one of the top gearboxes ever manufactured. Look at Porsche's racing history and you will see that this gearbox has an excellent track record ensuring Porsche's top spot on the podium. True the G50 has better synchros but the 915 is by no means a "broken" tranny.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Dammit, I want paddle shifters.

------------------
blue
'81 SC Targa

[jlex]

I've learned on my '85 that it's all a matter of proper timing.... either too soon or too late on the first to second gear shift, and there's balkiness. There's a perfect time to shift to second after depressing the clutch; you'll know when you've developed proper timing when it slips into second perfectly. Kind of like flyfishing: a good cast depends on proper timing. Aren't most things in life like that anyway?
When downshifting into second (as in making a turn) I've also noticed the transaxle wants to be turning at just the proper speed before it goes in gracefully. In a turn, I'll have the clutch in & be gently putting pressure on the shifter to go to second... when it reaches its own proper speed, it'll very gracefully slip into gear. I personally think these rebuilds are due to inexperienced drivers or agressive drivers trying to horse the thing into gear when it's not ready to go. I'd say it took me a full year of driving to appreciate the timing concept these 915's demand.
regards,
jlex.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Wait a second. Orbmedia, I just re-read your comment and realized that it's like saying "Look at Porsche's track record--their use of stainless steel ashtrays ensured their top spot on the podium."

Porsche won races (notice I'm using the past tense) based on a combination of weight, balance, suspension, powerband, geometry, and reliability.

Not to mention the fact that driving on the track is not the same as driving on the street. What works well on the track doesn't necessarily work well on the street.

If the 915 had been that good Porsche would never have started putting the G50 in sub-400 HP cars.

I'm at the point where I get about one balk every 15 miles of city driving--but for me that's one balk too many.

Put it another way: what major technological improvements have been made in manual transmission design in the last 20 years? I'm betting not a whole lot.

Not trying to flame, just moving the thread along.

------------------
blue
'81 SC Targa