Shifter advice - 915

[pmax]

You should go long not short.

[porschedude996]

Originally Posted by pmax

You should go long not short.

I have no knowledge of the Reddline, but the JWest has the option built into the design to configure short or not so short. I think even in the long configuration it is shorter than the OEM.

[ahh911]

I must be a slow shifter or not enough talent to even recognize an issue with stock 915 setup. As far as I'm concerned it shifts as well as my 2003 bmw. It was rebuilt 30k miles ago at Metric here in Ottawa for a previous owner and it's easy as pie getting into gear. Patience on 2nd when cold, like all other manuals I've owned. I can't relate to needing springs or short shifters.

Phil

[maverck]

I have a JWest on a freshly rebuilt 915 in my ‘81 and it shifts really great. My air cooled mechanic in MN says it is one of the best shifting 915s he has ever driven.

[Winter]

Originally Posted by ahh911

I can't relate to needing springs or short shifters.

Phil

No one “needs” a Karsten Spring. My 915 worked fine without it. It’s just a simple, inexpensive upgrade that can improve the driving experience.

I don’t “need” an old 911 either. But it’s nice to have one.

[ahh911]

Exactly Tom, that's my point. I can find the gears with certainty up and downshifting, so why meddle with something that works well. I could keep modernizing but if it's good it's good. Having learned on the first gen Civic and 81 Rabbit, the shifter feels very accurate, probably from those early experiences I'm just used to it. So no need for gimicks for me

[Winter]

Originally Posted by ahh911

So no need for gimicks for me

Phil, you’re missing my point.

As countless members of this forum can attest, the spring is not a “gimmick”. It’s an improvement. And, given the simplicity of install, the cost and the result, the value is definitely there.

It sounds like it’s not for you, that’s fine. Enjoy your 915 as it is.

The spring is like anything else we do to these cars, from adding SKEET heater hoses to LED instrument lighting. Sure, my original instrument lighting worked fine. And I didn’t “need” LED lighting in my dash. But it’s a lot nicer and easier to see my LED powered turn signal flashers when I’m driving on a sunny day.

Enjoy the ride!

[ahh911]

It should shift in fairly smoothly after a rebuild and with new linkage components there should be very to no vagueness. Without the fundamentals in order, I say the spring (though not a gimmick, poor choice of words) is of less value.

Phil

[Johnr352]

Originally Posted by Sbj67

It's best you go for the Rennline exactshift billet short shifter. I used it during my 915 rebuild and it runs smoothly. Never experienced any issue since then

I have this too. Very nice shifter. I even made it work with an OEM console...

[KerryM]

I installed every JWest shifter part he sells (no short shifter) for my 915 and I am very happy with the results.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by Winter

Phil, you’re missing my point.

As countless members of this forum can attest, the spring is not a “gimmick”. It’s an improvement.

Good for you.
Technically, what effect does the spring have on the tranny internals ?

And, given the simplicity of install, the cost and the result, the value is definitely there.

It sounds like it’s not for you, that’s fine. Enjoy your 915 as it is.

Railing on others who don't see the same need is the same thing.

The spring is like anything else we do to these cars, from adding SKEET heater hoses to LED instrument lighting. Sure, my original instrument lighting worked fine. And I didn’t “need” LED lighting in my dash. But it’s a lot nicer and easier to see my LED powered turn signal flashers when I’m driving on a sunny day.

Enjoy the ride!

You too !

[pmax]

Originally Posted by porschedude996

I have no knowledge of the Reddline, but the JWest has the option built into the design to configure short or not so short. I think even in the long configuration it is shorter than the OEM.

The shifting cadence of the 915 works well with a long shift rod.

[Winter]

Originally Posted by pmax

Technically, what effect does the spring have on the tranny internals ?

Railing on others who don't see the same need is the same thing.

Pmax -

In regards to your first point, given that the spring, to my understanding, only sets the shifter in a neutral plane, I don’t think it would have a negative impact on the internals of a 915. I would love to learn more, but I’m not aware of any data points in this regard. Nor am I an expert on 915 transmissions- at least not enough to speak with authority on potential implications in using the spring. Maybe someone who is can chime in (Matt @ Guard Transmissions are you out there?). I would welcome the opportunity to expand my knowledge on this subject.

To your second point, can you please explain how my acknowledgement that the spring is not for Phil is “railing” on him?

Not every modification that everyone does to personalize their particular 911 will be something that’s for anyone else. As I stated to Phil, “that’s fine”. He likes the way his 915 performs for him, I don’t have any problem with that. He’s happy, what’s not to like about that?

I’d actually go a step farther in regards to modifying these cars (from the spring to lighting to exhaust to bumpers to engine internals, etc., etc.) and say this personalization is one of the more interesting and cool things about this hobby and this forum. I like seeing what others do to their cars, some ideas I like enough to explore deeper. Others are not for me, but it’s not my car, so more power to the owner and their personal vision. Whatever makes people happy. Because Happy Is Good. .

[Duc Hunter]

I've been running a JWest for 10 years. Love it, no issues. Great product. Liked it over WEVO (which several friends have) before I bought it, and could not be happier.

No experience with the Rennline

[Jdub]

OT but the best this new owner 20 years ago did to the transmission is read Paul Frere's chapter The evolution of the transmission in his book The 911 Story. Speaking entirely for myself it really opened my eyes to the grace and fragility of the 915. It's one reason why my coupler uses 914 bushings.

Nobody brought up fluid recommendations so I won't either. Best of luck on this!

[Matthew_VA]

Swepco 201

[ant7]

Cant comment on the different shifters, my car came with the Porsche short shift already fitted, personally I probably wouldn't have bothered, as others have said; the 915 box needs time to shift between gears to work smooth etc, as to the spring upgrade; I can confirm that it is very worthwhile, for not a lot of bother or cost, it just places the gear leaver nicely in the 3rd and 4th plane, [middle] and makes the 915 feel more like a modern shifter, without any negative attributes as far as I can tell, had mine since the first batches from Karsten became available.
As with many things, its down to personal choice and preference, however; from owning these cars for many years now and having carried out many repairs and adjustments over that time, I can say from experience that there is no substitute for accurate adjustment, as far as the 915 is concerned.
Ant.

[silverlock]

Originally Posted by pmax

You should go long not short.

Agree here. I run the Numeric shifter (and coupler + JWest rod bushing) with the extension and it’s great. Both for ergonomics, since it brings the shift knob above knee-level, and leverage.

If I didn’t have the Numeric I’d probably run the JWest. Dave @ TRE liked the Numeric in my car when I was there just over a month ago.

Per usual my advice is that a shifter is personal preference, but that a well sorted 915 is actually a great trans to drive, even under duress. There are just a lot of them out there with shot bushings, poorly adjusted couplers, main shaft play and worn synchros — or more likely, a combination of all of those things — that leads many people to believe they’re all like that. A shifter alone won’t make up for those problems.

[Louisieg55]

Originally Posted by Matthew_VA

this right here!

https://stellasautogarage.com/products/915-shifter-spring

It's cheap and simple and does wonders. removes the play/slop and sets the shifter into the 3-4 plane, to make shifting more precise.

I did this with new super bushing (off the forum) + Wevo shift coupler. It shifts great now. No more searching for gears, feels tight and was about $300-350 for everything.

The spring is about 50 bucks and 20 mins to install.

If it was me I would recommend installing the spring and see how you like it.

If you don't like it then go spend 600-800 on a new shifter.

[shoooo32]

Having driven dozens of hotrod 911s and put tens of thousands of rally miles on my SC equipped with a rennshift, I find myself liking OEM shifters more and more. The Karsten spring is nice for piece of mind (money shift), but I'm comfortable without it once the muscle memory kicks in.

As for the CAE, Numeric, Rennline style shifters - my personal opinion is they lack "feel" and can be stiff/notchy (especially when cold). I've driven Silverlocks car in anger (thanks homie, she's a beaut) and his freshly rebuilt gearbox is really nice, but for me the shifter takes away from the experience. There were a couple times on 3-2 downshifts where the Numeric "rushed" the shift and the synchro said no, which forced me to double clutch, throttle blip and reattempt the shift. When hauling a$$ in a canyon, you don't have time to argue with the shifter. I've had similar experiences with a CAE.