Shift coupler help please

carl74344 · carl74344's Garage

i have read all the post i could find but still need help. i have 1982 911sc stock. i have replaced all the bushings, sift coupler and motor mounts.
sometimes it shifts into first great, however most of the time not. i have adjusted the coupler per all the post i have read. so far not found the sweet spot.
here is my question.... after putting in neutral with shifter straight up i turn the coupler. it turns easy but i feel nothing. if i move the coupler to the rear of the car i can feel two to three bumps as it turn it. do i need to be all the way back and over before i lock it down....in all the post i saw nothing about this... what am i missing?

thanks for all the help. i have had my car for 6 mo. and love it. i have done alot to it with all the help i have found here. thanks....carl

Nickshu · Nickshu's Garage

Have an assistant hold the shift lever in the neutral position pulled to the left side (first gear side). Put the coupler in neutral (the only position with rotational play). Rotate the coupler to the passenger side and tighten it down.

I have found the neutral method works better than the first gear method. You'll have to play with the fore aft position to ensure you hit the 5tb/reverse gate properly.

Keep in mind even a well sorted 915 does not always go into first easily.

midnight911 · midnight911's Garage

try different ways and find a sweet spot. neutral method, 1st gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 4th gear even. when doing 1st or 2nd gear method, leave tiny slop on the left side of the shift shaft and gate (hope it makes sense) so that you have a tiny bit of wiggle room when finding 1st gear. i had good luck doing this.

hope this makes sense and helps...

Driven97 · 01-04-2013, 03:36 AM

I guess and checked until I was satisfied, took me a long time. It helps to drop a paint or sharpie mark on there so you have a reference as to which adjustment seems to help what.

don gilbert · don gilbert's Garage

Did you replace both bushings at the shifter lever?

ivangene · 01-04-2013, 05:07 AM

I dont understand your description but did you read this?

carl74344 · carl74344's Garage

thanks to everyone.. i guess my question is.... when i have the coupler loose an the shifter in neutral and the gear shifter in the right place i can turn the couple and lock it down. but if i move the coupler to the rear of the car before i lock it down i can feel it hit 2 or 3 bumps as i turn do i need to be there or where it was when i shifted in to neutral?

Reiver · 01-04-2013, 05:24 PM

Before you loosend up the coupler clamping nut you should be in neutral. Able to move the stick fully left and right...try to center it for and aft in that neutral zone too, there is some play.
Then loosen the clamping bolt fully loose so the clamp does not drag.
Reach around and move the stick fully left (in neutral between 1st 2nd gear).
Then grasp the coupler housing and twist it counter clockwise towards the passenger side of the car.
While watching the coupler (so that it remains in place) recheck/replace the stick far left again between 1st/2nd gear whils still in neutral.
If the coupler remained stationary then tighten the coupler.
Check that it goes into all gears and when in 5th Gear there is some slight left to right play.
Drive the car.
If it shifts correctly/smoothly but there is whine or rattle in the fwd or rear gears then you need to play with some very slight fwd or rearward movement of the shaft ....we are talking 1 mm of movement at a time. When you do this make sure there is no rotational mvmt ust a slight fore or aft incremental mvmt.
If you do this and still have problems it could be the shaft bushings or very worn tranny/engine mounts.
I'm not quite sure what the issue is with the 'bumps' you refer too.
Just start over in neutral and follow what I've written or the factory page (same thing except for fine pts.)
Luck

carl74344 · carl74344's Garage

i will try that . thank you. so the fine tune is front to rear not side to side. i replaced all bushings and motor mounts. i have trans mounts i will replace them then try to adjust coupler ........ again thank all of you for the help..

Nickshu · Nickshu's Garage

From a mechanical perspective how does "fine tuning" help? The shifter is free to go in whatever direction it wants (aside from 5th and reverse) since there are no "gates" on it. Once the 1st gear side extremes are set, then it should guide itself into the position the transmission wants it to go into. I know when I loosen my coupler my shifter travel is about 1/3 more than the transmission requires in all directions (I do have the factory short shifter though). The only benefit I see to fore/aft adjustment is to make sure neutral on 1/2/3/4 hits the 5th/Reverse gate at the right place.

...Correct me if I'm wrong here.

Reiver · 01-04-2013, 06:57 PM

In my experience I've found the for/ aft mvt will increase or decrease gear whine. Very minor differences (affecting the shaft length) can cause gear noise.
This could be more noticable to me as I have no sound deadening in the car and hard tranny/motor mounts but setting the for aft and taking time to do it reduced gear whine in 3rd/5th gear a great deal.
Carl, the primary setting is the stick left/coupler right adjustment as described.
There is a lot of mvmt possible for/ aft when in neutral so try to be as centered as you can be when the stick is full left.

carl74344 · carl74344's Garage

all good advice.. i will instal my trans. mounts and go after it again. sometimes it slides right in gear. first is the one i have most trouble with. second goes with a little trouble. 3rd,4th, 5th and rev are all good up or down. at what point do i look to the clutch or the trans. the first shift of the day is always good, go figure.... thanks......carl

Nickshu · Nickshu's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiver

In my experience I've found the for/ aft mvt will increase or decrease gear whine. Very minor differences (affecting the shaft length) can cause gear noise.
This could be more noticable to me as I have no sound deadening in the car and hard tranny/motor mounts but setting the for aft and taking time to do it reduced gear whine in 3rd/5th gear a great deal.
Carl, the primary setting is the stick left/coupler right adjustment as described.
There is a lot of mvmt possible for/ aft when in neutral so try to be as centered as you can be when the stick is full left.

Cool. I'll have to play with mine to see. It does vibrate a lot since I replaced all the bushings.

SilberUrS6 · 01-05-2013, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiver

In my experience I've found the for/ aft mvt will increase or decrease gear whine. Very minor differences (affecting the shaft length) can cause gear noise.
This could be more noticable to me as I have no sound deadening in the car and hard tranny/motor mounts but setting the for aft and taking time to do it reduced gear whine in 3rd/5th gear a great deal.
Carl, the primary setting is the stick left/coupler right adjustment as described.
There is a lot of mvmt possible for/ aft when in neutral so try to be as centered as you can be when the stick is full left.

So, a millimeter change in fore/aft adjustment on the coupler can kill some of the whine? Because my tranny whines like a sorority girl on Monday morning.

ivangene · 01-05-2013, 09:39 AM

a lot depends on the bushings - some bushings fave 3 mm slop in them - so NO

some have 0.05mm freeplay - so YES

fore and aft is very important on coming out of 5th with the lockout tab...if wrong you can nick R or get stuck in 5th - that is the telltail sign it is correct

when it whines - try adding a little pressure to the shift arm side to side and fore/aft - if the whine decreases - adjust the coupler

RSTarga · 01-05-2013, 11:15 AM

whine= ring and pinion wear

SilberUrS6 · 01-05-2013, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSTarga

whine= ring and pinion wear

On a 30k mile old rebuild? I hope not.

Reiver · 01-05-2013, 08:23 PM

They all whine a bit, but in a sound deadened car you just can't hear it. There is normal gear whine and abnormal...you have to know the dif in your own car.
All of the sound deadener is out of my car and I have hard tranny/mtr mts...all of the sound vibration is transmitted to the cabin.
I actually like the soft whine that comes on at about 3500 rpm.

maui44 · 01-05-2013, 10:10 PM

On a 915 transmission, I was told by one person that when coming to a complete stop, shift from 2nd into neutral, stop, and then shift into 1st.

The reason I was given is it will make the 1st gear syncros last much longer.

strikee · strikee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by maui44

On a 915 transmission, I was told by one person that when coming to a complete stop, shift from 2nd into neutral, stop, and then shift into 1st.

The reason I was given is it will make the 1st gear syncros last much longer.

Why?

I do a rolling shift into first as its easier. Stationary shift into 1st and I am fighting the gear more. I have followed several threads like this and not found an answer to getting into first issue. I dont accept it came out of the factory like this.