shifting question

ruddyboys · 06-11-2003, 07:05 AM

Engine in, runs good, need 1 valve adjusted and carbs adjusted. Have car on jack stands and wanted to check the shifting, seems from 1st to second is a long travel ( the same with the other gears). Is this common? Ive had only standard trans cars and they seem to be very close. I dont see any adjustments and I just replaced the rear ball cup. (Its a side shift)

maf 914 · 06-11-2003, 07:13 AM

Long shifter travel? No Problem. All part of the Porsche experience!

Mike

tat2dphreak · tat2dphreak's Garage

just another day with a 914... if you don't nick reverse or skip from 2nd to 5th once a day... you aren't really driving!!

mikester · 06-11-2003, 01:16 PM

Having just redone my shift linkages recently...

I don't see this comment much but make sure that the linkage bar has it's curve side turned all the way toward the driver's side.

No down swing at all. In fact, a little up swing I think is okay.

When I did that my shifting improved a good amount.

Anyone else? Or was I just smelling the neighbor's good stuff?

M. Hendrix · 12:04 AM

M

seanery · 06-11-2003, 06:04 PM

If you have a good tranny but shifts like a normal 914, I would recomend the Rennshifter. My 914 had a similar (Wevo 911) shifter in it for a short while and the difference was incredible! I ordered a shifter from Rennshift.

AaronM · 06-11-2003, 07:56 PM

It's a long-throw. Like just about every old car. You have only to look at the length of the lever to see that. It's 2-3 times as long as the lever in more modern cars, of course the throw will feel longer. The springs should keep it from being vague (I've yet to shift into the wrong gear in two years of driving a 914) but the throw will always be long.

Aaron

tat2dphreak · tat2dphreak's Garage

I saw the rennshifter yesterday... I'm sold.. a double spring kit! makes it shift like every modern car from what I've been told... it's a very hot topic on 914club.com

AaronM · 06-12-2003, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tat2dphreak
I saw the rennshifter yesterday... I'm sold.. a double spring kit! makes it shift like every modern car from what I've been told... it's a very hot topic on 914club.com

I just don't get why everyone seems to think that the shifter on these cars is so terrible. Maybe I'm crazy, or maybe I'm lucky, or maybe the PO did something with the lever that I'm not aware of, but my car is anything but vague. Strong spring pressure to keep the lever out of the 1st/Reverse side of the pattern (I just push the lever forward to go into 2nd and the spring pushes it right into place) and mild spring pressure to keep the lever from inadvertantly going into the 4th/5th side of the pattern.

The 914 was the first stick-shift I ever drove, and it didn't take me long to get used to it. Maybe that's why I'm not having trouble.

Aaron

tat2dphreak · tat2dphreak's Garage

yes, you're was modified... I wonder if mine has a spring most of the time... I used to nick 1st going into 2nd and skip third and go straight to 5th... it's very vague... I've drive old pickup's and cars and none are near as bad as mine... I know some of that is the tail-shifter, but not all b/c I drove a side shifter a friend has and it wasn't *AS* bad but it was still a little vague... the side shift is a lot better, but not perfect...

JmuRiz · JmuRiz's Garage

Someone needs to post a review on the Rennshift when they install theirs. I can't wait to hear how it shifts (up and down, as mine is fine up be vague down shifting). Also is the 30% shortshift too short (should I go w/ the 18%)...I am trying to get all the data before ordering

Nathan

In reference to the reply below...whoops, I kinda glossed over that...thank for bringing it to my attention, thanks!

tat2dphreak · tat2dphreak's Garage

I doubt 30% would be too short... I will probably go with the 30% myself... it will feel like a much more modern car...

06-12-2003, 02:31 PM

I have the Rennsport shifter installed in my car. As I've posted before, I think it's still important to have your linkage and bushings in good order. Also you need to adjust the new shifter properly when you install it. After that it's like a new car, shifts feel gated and very precise and that's on the track. In the heat of a good run my shifts are much more confident now. I ordered the 18% throw reduction and would recommend the 30%. I've gotten use to the 18% but it's longer than what I had before with a short shift kit.

M. Hendrix · 06-12-2003, 02:33 PM

The factory shifter doesn't *flop* around in the H (2345) if it's right, it should take a little pressure to move it around.

If your shifter *flops*, you probably need a new one.. and surely you need bushings everywhere.

Good ones are GREAT!

M

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

There _is_ a spring keeping the shifter errect. This is one of those places that no one checks for shifting problems. There are 2 internal bushing and a spring underneath the lockout plate. Porsche sells the 2 bushing and the spring for about a total of $45. This made a tremendous difference in the shifting on my 6 when it was still a tail shifter.

BTW - Pelican (and the other guys as well) do not carry these parts.

Of course, with the tranny converted to sideshift, a good shifter up front and all new bushings, it really shifts great.

James

AaronM · 06-12-2003, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James Adams
Not on a factory shifter. The lever justs flops between the 2/3 and 4/5 gates in neutral.

I doubt that sincerely. The way shifting is described in the owners' manual clearly implies (to me anyway) that there should be moderate-to-strong spring pressure keeping it out of the 1st/Reverse gate and mild spring pressure keeping it out of the 4/5 gate.

Shifting to 2nd: "Forward, off of the spring resistance."

Shifting to 4th: "Forward, pushing the lever to the right."

I'll have to take mine apart and see, but I think that a properly adjusted stock lever setup will not have any "flop".

And again, this is the car on which I learned to drive a standard transmission, so there is probably a significant amount of this that is due to my never having driven a car with a "good" transmission before I drove the 914. My 924S feels like I don't have to move the lever at all, and a lot of 924S owners claim that the 924S has a vague shifter, so I might just be used to vague shifters.

Aaron

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

If you look at the last couple of pages of my tranny article, you will see how I adjust the shift linkage.

I use the lockout plate to set the leftward edge of the 2nd/3rd position. If the spring and bushing in the shift selector are in good condition, it will be held erect.

When I took my shifter apart, I found that the 2 bushing were broken and the spring was weak. Part numbers for the Porsche parts are at the end of my article. Again, these are PCNA only. I highly reccomend spending the $45.

Oh yes, make sure the lockout plate looks like what you see in the pictures. I've seen a couple of shifters where the lockout plate hole is quite dramatically enlarged. I wonder if the shifter itself is also damaged. Keep 'em greased.

James