915 trans question

[sch2046]

I just. picked up my first air cooled 911, 1980 row sc. The trans is very sloppy and I understand this is common. Would you recommend a Wevo or Jwest shifter upgrade to help with the sloppiness? If you have experience with either?

[gomezoneill]

I had a j west I could never get the reverse lockout to work right. Sold it bought the wevo and I love it.

[bkreigsr]

sch2046, drive the car for a year and report back.

A proper tune up will include new coupler bushings, new shift lever rubber ball cup. and shift rod carrier bushing.

Probably needed to compensate for 40 years of neglect.

These mechanisms degrade gradually, not at once, so the prior owner(s) were able to modify their shifting techniques to compensate over the years.

You, on the other hand, were thrown into a WTF situation with no prior experience.

[sch2046]

Originally Posted by gomezoneill

I had a j west I could never get the reverse lockout to work right. Sold it bought the wevo and I love it.

Thank you.

[darrin]

Originally Posted by bkreigsr

sch2046, drive the car for a year and report back.

^this^ -- I'd first replace the bushings (a source of sloppyness) and otherwise get a knowledgable wrench to get your shifter/tranny completely "dialed in" -- otherwise, one of two things will likely happen -- 1) while installing the new shifter, other problems contributing to the sloppiness will also be resolved and you'll attribute it all to the new shifter, or 2) if the complete transmission/shifter "system" isn't addressed/"dialed in" while installing the new shifter, you'll be no better off

It's been around 150k miles since a great mechanic "dialed in" my '86 targa's transmission and shifter and, while it ain't no honda civic, I have no problem finding, engaging, etc any gear

[pampadori]

I love my jwest shifter! To get the reverse lockout aligned, you need to adjust the coupler under the plate between the rear seats.

My opinion is upgrade the coupler first. Still feel like a school bus? Then replace the shifter. Combined, it feels just light years better than oe.

[Trackrash]

Yes. New shifter bushings and a refreshed coupler combined with a correct adjustment will make a world of difference. Assuming your trans is not causing a problem.

Start with the bushings and an adjustment. If you have trouble after that there is a fork in the trans that can come loose. It is an easy fix, if you know what to do.

Then, there is a factory shifter update, which is the newest 915 shift rod and components, that helps.

Then, I recommend the Seine gate shift addition to the stock shifter. This is a great shifting option, IMO.

If you have the funds you could change out to a Wevo, but that is another story.

[spuggy]

You should probably get someone familiar with the marque to drive the car/prod various things before you start planning to spend money.

Shifting a 915 is sloppy, compared to almost everything else built in 1980. It's just the nature of the beast - and part of the charm, along with the old school synchros. But you probably can't evaluate just where yours falls on the spectrum without a mental map of a "good" and a "bad" 915 to compare it to. So if this is your first 911, get someone who knows what they should feel like to check it out for you.

It would be useful to go through the receipts you got with the car to answer the other vital question/other part of the puzzle; how many miles on the transmission since it was last serviced?

Many appear to be in denial about how frequently the 915 should be serviced, but if you want the tightest/crispest shifts it can give you (which still won't resemble any modern car, but will be a lot better than a worn-out box), then you should consider that any 915 will probably benefit from a refresh around 100-120,000 miles unless it spent all its life on the freeway. Wear inside the box won't be fixed by any manner of messing about with the shifter, coupler or the bushes.

Shifting my 1st 915 (with 230K on it, and opened at least twice before I got it) was like moving a stick around in a bucket of rocks.

Rebuild/swap in a late 915 later, totally different experience - with exactly the same factory shifter and bushes etc fitted (because they were good to start with). Additionally, I can report that, contrary to popular belief, a 915 in good condition will happily shift into 1st while still moving. Considerably above 3 MPH too...

Although once you've seen the invoice for the synchros, dogs, bearings and rebuild labor, you'll probably only do that in conjunction with rev matching/double-declutching...

Hope you get lucky. A 915 rebuild done right can make a WEVO shifter and gate shift kit look cheap.

[iamheretolurk]

I also jumped into an aircooled with a 915. I hated the OEM shifter, was really nerve wracking that I can bang into 2nd instead of 4th, etc etc.

Went with a WEVO, learned how to adjust my transmission coupler, never been happier. Really crisp and refined shifting. Reverse lockout is awesome. The shifter "standing up" in 3rd/4th give it a really nice feel, you won't ever bang into a wrong gear.

Also - definitely do a fluid change.

GO FOR IT!

And unlike spuggy - I sure as hell can't shift into first without crunching gears at any speed above a crawl

[Stuttgart86_3.2]

Like most have already mentioned, you probably need new bushings along with making sure the shift coupler is properly adjusted. I got a wevo for my 86 targa and it was a vast improvement, well worth it, didn't get the PSJ coupler just the wevo shifter so far. When I first got my 86 targa I hated shifting the 915, but after about a month or so I got the hang of it and now I love the car. The 915 is not like a modern car to shift, it wants to be shifted a particular way and can be balky especially from 1st to 2nd gear in my case.

[walt]

Rebuild the shift coupler and change out the bushings in the tunnel then see what you think. You can do this all for about 20 bucks.

[Bill Douglas]

A stock coupler bushing and new "sport" engine and transmission mounts will work wonders.

[cabmandone]

My brother runs a Wevo shifter with a wevo coupler in his car. Very nice, very crisp. I have a factory coupler with brass bushings and a stock shifter with the Seine gate shift kit installed. For the money I'd still go with my setup over his because there just isn't enough difference in feel to justify the additional cost.

As others have said, start by making sure the shift rod bushing in the tunnel is good, do the ball cup on the bottom of the shifter and put new shift coupler bushings in. Cheap, easy and will change how the car feels and shifts.

[Hotshot]

Learn your gearbox first. I am about 5 months ahead of you. I feel like I’m just starting to “ get it “. Still I’d like a wevo. But I’m giving myself a year to really know it’s quirks. Then I can truly compare.

Hers some things that I figured out after barking a few gears and one almost money shift.

1. You have to be almost at a dead stop to get it smoothly into first. Roll to a stop sign to turn right, doing .3mph and GRRRRR!!! Now stop, and try 1st.. no issues.

2. Patience..it’s not a PDK. Nice smooth slower long shifts.

3. Getting the feel for 4-3 and you put it in 1. It dawned on me, think like it’s a 4 speed H. 5 and R have a spring tension to get there. You Have to push it over. So forget it’s there. 1-2 is always to the left. 3-4 is to the right. Press a little right. Not enough to over power the spring/gate for 5 and R, but I think of it as a box.

1️⃣. 3️⃣
⬇️↖️↗️⬇️ And 5 and R are on the other side of the wall...
2️⃣. 4️⃣


Does that make any sense?

And swap tranny fluid with swepco 201.

[gomezoneill]

No offense hot but he may destroy the tranny trying to find gears while shifting with a worn out linkage.

The wevo shifter along with the wevo coupling shifts like my 2020 mustang. And that's saying something.

[Focker]

I just drained the oil in my 915 trans that had been sitting for 16+ years. Only about 8oz of fluid came out.

I don't see any metal in the oil, but should this be torn down for inspection while I'm rebuilding the motor?

[Trackrash]

Originally Posted by Focker

I just drained the oil in my 915 trans that had been sitting for 16+ years. Only about 8oz of fluid came out.

I don't see any metal in the oil, but should this be torn down for inspection while I'm rebuilding the motor?

If you haven't driven that trans before, then you have no idea as to its condition, it's a no brainer to open it up.

[darrin]

Originally Posted by gomezoneill

No offense hot but he may destroy the tranny trying to find gears while shifting with a worn out linkage.

The wevo shifter along with the wevo coupling shifts like my 2020 mustang. And that's saying something.

agree, and that's why we're recommending getting the linkage/etc fixed (and the 915 otherwise "dialed in" -- which should include a gear oil change and inspection for parts in rain plug) before getting used to the 915 --

looking at it another way, wouldn't simply installing a wevo/etc. without addressing condition of couplings/transmission/etc., lead to a similarly devastating end result?

[Focker]

Originally Posted by Trackrash

If you haven't driven that trans before, then you have no idea as to its condition, it's a no brainer to open it up.

I knew that was going to be the right answer, but I was hoping someone would say "no bro, everything is probably fine!"

[Jack Stands]

I’d have someone that’s experienced with a 915 evaluate it, then replace/adjust bushings before tearing into the transmission. May as well tackle the easy things first before dropping the power unit from the car.