first gear

[porche9111974]

I purchased a 1973 914 yesterday pulled it home on a trailer cuz it had leaky fuel lines. now that that is fixed I went to drive it and cant get first gear at all. it allmost feals like it tryies but no go. any suggestions?

[BenI]

A few easy things to try:

1) Check clutch pedal freeplay-the pedal should drop 1/2" to 3/4" before the slack is taken out of the cable. You need 2 people for this-one to push the pedal and one to watch the cable by the clutch.

2) A lot of problems (trouble shifting, grinding gears...) comes from loose connecting points along the shift linkage. You need an allen wrench (around 5 or 6 mm) to check the two set screws in the linkage. One is found right behind the firewall, while the other is found where the linkage and transmission meet. Try loosening and retightening these. I've done this before and felt like they were tight already but as soon as I drove afterward I was already shifting better.

3) Probably not a cause but while you're under the car you might check the tranny fluid.

[norustscott]

Correct me if I am wrong...guys...but the 914 should have no free play @ the clutch pedal. There should be zero slack to take up.

I would check every thing related to the shifter.. start at the shifter and work your way back.


>>shifter rod to shifter connection tight and in the correct orientation

>firewal coupler intact and and tight

>firewall bushing health

>rear rod hanger bushing

>shifter cup..bushing,, set key...


the rest would be internal to the t/axel.

god luck

[yoh!!!]

Worn bushings are very common. Check the one in the firewall, and the one close to the trany. The universal joint in the shift linkage right behind the fire wall tends to become brittel and the bushings might fall out in pices. In case you suspect a defective trany, remove the linkage (takes about 10 minutes --> just two set screws) and pop in first gear by moving the lever on the transmission box.

Patrick Koch

[pbanders]

Checking 914 clutch free play is easy, but non-intuitive. Unlike other cars, where you check free play by depressing the clutch pedal, on the 914, you pull the pedal TOWARDS you. IIRC, free play should be about 3/4". Note: this is the procedure documented in the Haynes and factory workshop manual.

[Kevin Powers]

does yours trans engage in 3 & 5? if it seems as though there is a lot of freeplay in 2 & 4 and tight in the lower portion of the shift pattern try adjusting the shifter connection on the front rod. if you cannot engage 1 with the engine not running and can find the rest of the gears i don't see how the clutch adj. would factor in.

[john walker's workshop]

1st gear is typically toast on 914s. the operating sleeve teeth, and the teeth they engage on the gear set, get worn down to nubs and eventually can't grip each other. a pretty easy fix by removing the muffler and then the nose cone. 1st and reverse is right on the rear end of the trans, and you don't have to mess with any other gears. the needed parts are the 1st/rev operating sleeve, the press on teeth for 1st gear, a syncro ring and a gasket.