Shifting problems

[2stroke]

New guy here. Got a 78 911 SC. New to me. Having issues with 1st and second mostly. Shifter seems real loose. I read a little about it. What will I need in there to fix. Would like to have all the parts before I take the shifter apart.

[X JBM X]

First thing to do is order new coupler bushings from Ed. Home - The Coupler Whisperer

[Oh Haha]

With the info you supplied, I would suggest ordering the cup bushing and the baseplate bushing. This will help but you may want to also look at the shifter coupler that is located between the rear seats. These shifters, from the factory, are not known to feel "tight". Aftermarket units will make a big improvement. As well, I hear using a rebuilt shift coupler from "the coupler whisperer" helps the feel.

[2stroke]

And where is that part located that he is working on? Is that in the shifter outside of the trans?

[2stroke]

And can this fix be done from the top? Or underneath?

[steely]

Welcome!! and thanks for the noob pic! We love 'em.

The car looks simply awesome and I am digging the rear spoiler/tail. (Can't tell if you have one on the front)

I am not too familiar with the shifter for your year, but some of the parts under the shifter, and the coupler which is located under the rear tunnel access can wear down.

The cars were built by hand and you can take it apart for some inspection and get it back together without issue if you feel compelled not to wait for repair parts. Just don't shift it while you are doing it.

I would recommend do a search here, checking the technical pages for your model year for this issue, or getting a Bentley manual to check out the recommended fix.

Congrats, welcome and good luck.

[Kidasters]

First of all - welcome to the world of Porsche.

Go to Porsche.com and download what's called the PET - also known as the Porsche Parts Manual.

found here: Porsche Classic Genuine Parts Catalogue - Classic Genuine Parts & Literature - Porsche Classic - Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

Around page 167, you'll see the parts for the shift linkage. All these bits are accessed either by removing the gearshift bracket (1 on the diagram) or by removing the tunnel cover (under the carpet, on top of the tunnel, in front of your rear seats).

If you are struggling, search for "shift linkage" or "shift coupling" or "Shift bushings". And - buy Wayne's 101 Porsche 911 projects Book. Very useful.

My guess is that it's the "friction ring" - #22 on my diagram or the ball socket #23.

If you want to re-do your shift stuff - order all three. Also - adjusting the coupler is interesting, so that's another search.

Good Luck.

Ken

[steely]

Originally Posted by 2stroke

And where is that part located that he is working on? Is that in the shifter outside of the trans?

mostly accessible from inside the cabin.

Who is "he", ain't it you?

[2stroke]

Originally Posted by steely

mostly accessible from inside the cabin.

Who is "he", ain't it you?

Yes.....me!

That was my phone speaking its on mind.

[2stroke]

So these parts are not located in the shifter mechanism it self? They are farther back under the floor?

[2stroke]

(Can't tell if you have one on the front)


Nothing in the front. Does it need that?

[Kidasters]

The first few parts are right under the shifter. The "coupler" is under the floor, in front of the rear seats.

[JAR0023]

After you download the PET. Think about ordering a Bentley manual. At a minimum search here and figure out all the tips and tricks involved in setting up the shifter. To replace all the bushings you have to commit to dialing in the shifter from scratch. Not that hard really, but a bit fiddley to get just right.

All the work can be done from the top. Center tunnel at the back pull up the carpet and you'll see a trapezoidal shaped access panel. This is where you shift coupler lives. Ed's (coupler whisperer/Ivangene) bushings are a great upgrade. Even the new Porsche busings have a bit of designed in slop.

The other two bushings are accessed by pulling the shift tower. The bottom end of the shifter handle is a ball. The cup bushing snaps over this ball and then inserts into a cup on the end of the shift shaft. The ring bushing is in a 90* bracket at the back end of the shifter housing inside the tunnel..

Replacing all of these has been well documented here on the board. Once these are replaced your shifting should be about as precise as the factory allowed for. Keep in mind that 1-2-3-4 were never spring loaded from the factory. Only fifth and reverse are spring loaded from the factory.

If you want to kick up your shifter precision to the next level look into the Seine Gate Shift kit or ask Ed about his super secret shifter upgrade. Both of these options add spring loading in the 1-2 plane. I have the Seine GSK in my car and it makes mis-shifts near impossible. -J

[2stroke]

Thank you! Can Ed get me all the parts that I need at one time?

[Kidasters]

JAR is spot on.

I also have the Seine GSK on my car, the factory short shift kit, as well as the Wevo rear coupler. I love how my car shifts.

Keep researching. Buy some good literature. Study study study. You'll get it.

Ed has couplers. I don't know if he has everything. But - you are posting this at PELICAN PARTS. You can get it from the board's owner.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/SubCat/911M-Transmission-Clutch.htm

Ken

[McLaren-TAG]

Hey two stroke, welcome. Now that you've got the ride, spend some time looking at this forum, going through a lot of posts and topics relevant to your car/year and in a month or so you'll feel as if you could tackle 3/4 of the things that are likely to go wrong with your car.

99% of the things that go wrong are documented here and it's all a matter of searching and finding the appropriate thread. Some of the fixes are easier than finding the thread. Some people use Google and just type in the keywords there along with Pelican and chances are you'll be pointed to the appropriate top threads here.

Shifting issues are very common for our cars and most can be resolved with fresh bushings and some adjustment and IMO they're the first and sometimes most rewarding fixes to cut your teeth with.

Enjoy your new girlfriend!

EDIT: one last thing, you've got no front spoiler with rear tail... search for those threads and you'll get a lot of info on why you should correct that if you're going to drive hard since your car is set up that way.

[Reiver]

Yes, you need the lower rubber compound front spoiler if you are running a tail.
Porsche wouldn't sell a car with only one (tail or front spoiler alone) as it upsets the cars balance at speed.
Lots of threads/info on that...you are moving the downforce further rearward with only the tail and on a rear engine car that can cause mucho problems.

[Josh D]

Replace the cup bushing, shift rod bushing, and coupler bushing. Order from our host including the 101 projects for your 911 (good write up on this DIY project) and your good to go.

Nice car and welcome!

[911pcars]

This website page has illustrations of the shifter mechanism and the bushings in question.

Seine Systems > An Overview of 915 Shift Housings

Sherwood
SeineSystems.com

[Craig]

2stroke,
Welcome to the board, and nice looking car!

I jsut replaced all the shift bushings on my car 3 weeks ago. The shifting all of a sudden got very loose. Upon inspection of the shift coupler, the shift bushings had blown apart. There were pieces of the bushings on the floor of the coupler area.
I ordered the kit from our host:
Porsche 911 & Carrera Shift Linkage - Page 1

I already had some brass replacement bushings for the coupler, but I ordered the complete kit cuz i wasn't sure which bushings i was going to use.

It is not hard to replace them, Ed the coupler whisperer, has great video on how to replace them:
Coupler Service - The Coupler Whisperer

On this site you can also order the bushings or the complete coupler.

For me, it was just as hard to get the console out to get to the front 2 bushings as it was to replace all the bushings.

After all the bushings were replaced, very tight, precise shifting, and no slop once in gear.

Before you do anything with the rear coupler, mark on the shaft of the coupler where the shift rod from the front attaches on the coupler. I marked mine with a sharpie pen where the depth of the shift rod on the coupler and where the split in the shift rod was on the coupler shaft. This will give you a starting point for reassembly. I just needed minor adjustments to get it right after that. Some people say to put the car in first gear also before starting the removal but I can't remember if I did that.
Good luck, and keep posting questions as they come up.

Craig