Excellence article: G50 bushings

[skrufy]

Okay Boys and Girls-

This has been covered a ba-jillion times in these Tech Forums, and I apologize for digging it up.

Does anyone have a link to the Excellence article on the DYI for the G50 shifter bushings?
I know I read it somewhere in this forum, but I'll be darned if I can find it after using the search engine for the last 2 hours.....

I don't even remember what it was in the article that caught my attention, but wanted to reference the article if possible. I have read most of the other threads on the bushing replacement. Am about to attack the bushings tomorrow afternoon or so.....

thanks,

Tim

[MSB911]

Sixth post down in this thread

G50 Rattle

[skrufy]

Excellence! - er, I mean excellent. Thank you- that's the article I was looking for...... my son's '88 Cab has enough rattle for at least 3 Carreras. I think we will find the bushings completely disintegrated. We need to pull the seats to strip, re-dye, and re-glaze the leather anyway.

thanks again!

Tim

[gamin]

The shifter bushings were shot in my 88 probably making the same noises as in your son's 88. While I was in there I installed the JWest G50 short shift kit. HUGE difference. Precise, shorter shifts. Very happy with the results. Just something to consider.

[MConn]

Thanks for the link MSB911, great article. The article says that the rear coupling has rivets from the factory - is that correct? If I have bolts on the coupling, is that proof that it's been apart in the past? Would it need to come apart for a clutch?

New bushings for my 87 model should arrive from Pelican next week.

[gamin]

The G50 coupler has 2 rivets that attach a rubber buffer to the coupler and 2 bolts and nuts that fasten the whole coupler to the shift rod from the shifter. These bolts pass through flange on coupler and the rubber to the shift rod. All this then attaches to the tranny with one bolt.
To change clutch disconnect coupler from tranny shaft by removing the one bolt mentioned above. Absolutely make sure they are disconnected before dropping engine and tranny. Weight of engine and tranny will break coupler.

[skrufy]

Thanks to all for the replies and info- what a great Forum. Thank you Wayne.....

This "88 Cab is my first experience with the G50 box- great improvement IMHO over the 901/915s. To clarify or expound on the info Gamin has added for all of us, the shift coupler MUST be disconnected from the tranny input/shifter shaft because the real danger is not breaking the coupler- but BENDING the tranny input/shifter shaft itself! Your first clue will be the fresh puddle of gear oil on your garage floor- a bent input shaft will no longer allow the PITA to replace oil seal to work and it will leak like crazy. Your clutch job just turned into a trannt tear down to replace that shaft....

As I said, I am not that familiar- yet- with the G50 box- but that is exactly what happens to the 915s when the combined weight of the engine/tranny is placed on the shiftinput shaft as the engine/tranny is lowered.

Ask me how I know about the puddle of gear oil on the garage floor......

Thanks to all!

Tim

[gamin]

I guess that I am very lucky. I know the weight of engine/tranny will break the coupler because I did it. Doing partial drop to change starter and thought coupler/shaft was disconnedted. It wasn't and the coupler snapped. Thankfully no bent shaft or oil on the floor. As carpenters say, measure twice, cut once. I'm doubly careful now.

[david482]

I replaced mine with the Jwest part and it made a world of doffernce. One thing I found after the fact was to get the coupler out you can unbolt it from under the car. I wa able to get mine off from inside but it took a lot o patience to get it back on. One thing to note is the original rivets have sleeves so you need to really drill out the entire old rivet, or at least one side to pull them out. The Jwest part fit great.

[gamin]

I did not change the coupler or any parts of it. I still use the factory part. I replaced the shift mechanism up front with the JWest G50 short shift kit. Could not be happier. Short precise shifts. On my 70 I installed Ed Mitchell's (the coupler whisperer) coupler. And yes, it is possible to have a nice shifting 901/911 tranny. So, thanks Ed and JWest.

[skrufy]

Again, thanks to all for the info shared. I will look into the JWest G50 and other short shift kits. Another "ask me how I know"..... when you take your coupler off the input/shifter shaft, in order to save time finding your gears again- mark the position of the coupler with a scribe- even easier, use some of the red or blue metal dye that Permatex makes for the valve grinding guys- it stains the metal with a surface type coating, then they can see how the valves are seating when they lash them. The dye makes a real easy way to see where the coupler was..... coat the shaft by the coupler, then scribe it for a precise re-connect.

It wasn't my garage that had the oil puddle- a much less experienced buddy was in a hurry and decided not to wait until I got there. he dropped the engine/tranny down to chase an CIS airbox leak, and promptly bent the input shaft on a 915. He wished the coupler broke before that shaft bent....

Tim

[gamin]

The factory coupler between shift rod and tranny shaft only goes on one way. Two bolts onto shift rod and one bolt to tranny shaft. No need to mark anything or worry about the gears.

[1988targa]

This I just finished the bushing/oring replacement on my 1988 Carrera. I started by removing the four screws on the front part of the console. Two on each side. Be careful about wiring. Place the gear in third so you can slide the shifter boot over the stick later. Then remove the two screws. On the front bittom that are screwed to the floor. One on each side in the front of the main section of the console after you removed the front cover. There is also a screw at the back under the carpet in the middle that holds the leather tail in place. Be careful and gently pull the console off and move it to the side. I did not need to disconnect the wiring. You need to take the nob off. Mine had a momo and I just twisted it off as there was no screw. This is when you need to decide if you want to replace all bushings or just the cup in the front. If the back looks okay you might wish to leave it and maybe just place some lithium grease on the rod. The back bushing is a bear to say the least. I did replace mine but had to grind it a lot to get it to fit. Probably better if I had left it as mibe was in good shape. Definately better shape than the new one after I buggered it up. Had no luck getting the rod back into the rear bushing until I disconnected the rid at the rear service port, turned it sideways and tucked it along the side of the bushing. It was not necessary to drill out the two rivets as the rubber bushing was fine. I just remived the two nuts and slid it to the side and back an inch or so. This gave me plenty of clearance to slide the bushing into place in the front shifter. The front cup goes in from the bottom side and snaps on fairly easily. I probably fooled with back bushing, the one with the notch, fir a couple of hours for no need. You'll need to evaualte the condution of your own. Mine was in fine shape. Only the front needed replacing. I'm thinking Porsche has special press for the rear. If you do decide to replace the rear make a note where the notch is located. Also take a marker and mark around the washers on the main front housing bolts. This helps keep your shifter aligned during reassembly. Its easy to replace an check the front bushing as there is only one bolt on the front. Place a little lithium in the socket and see it it cured the problem. If not you can always do the rear us my advise.

[1988targa]

Try replacing the front cup bushing before taking the whole thing apart. One bolt. It gies in upside diwn from the bottom . Take off the console by removing the four screes in the back cover then the two front screws and one rear that attach to the floor.

[Porsche 2]

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