993 bad trans noises, diagnostic assistance needed please

[175K911]

I'm very familiar with the 915, but less familiar with the G50 boxes. Trying to help a friend with a 95 993 figure out what's wrong with his trans. He asked me to take it for a drive and within a quarter mile I turned around and put it back in his garage for the bad noises it was making.

Here's the issues:

First, and most alarming, it makes bad metallic grinding noises on acceleration. Couldn't really tell in 1st or 2nd but once you get up to 50 or so, it's nasty in all gears. Only on accel. Definitely road speed related, doesn't matter whether it's 3rd or 5th etc. Put it in neutral and noise goes away.

Second- from a dead stop, I couldn't get it to go into either 1st or 2nd. Physically couldn't get the shifter past the detent and into that part of the travel. Owner said that started happening a few months ago so changed the trans fluid (doesn't know what the shop put in but thought Redline.) However if I'm in 3rd, I can easily downshift to 2nd without heal and toe. But come to a stop in anything but 2nd or 1st and it won't go into those gears without playing with the shifter from 5th down through the gears while at a stop.

Car is tracked quite heavily, but street driven too. He doesn't know the trans or clutch history and in the 4 years he's had it he's not had to do anything but maintenance.

My first thought with the noise was a pinion shaft bearing or ring and pinion going bad. But the fact that I can't get into the 1-2 gate has me wondering if a shift fork in the trans is failing. I guess either way the trans needs to come out.

But before I subject him to an expensive rebuild I thought I'd throw it out to those more familiar with this gearbox. Any words of wisdom?

[Stealth 993]

Maybe a throw out bearing issue.

I would also change out the fluid, & see if there are flakes, or it's just burnt up fluid.

[175K911]

Originally Posted by Stealth 993

Maybe a throw out bearing issue.

I would also change out the fluid, & see if there are flakes, or it's just burnt up fluid.

Going to help him change the fluid this afternoon, see what we get out. Thanks