Stiff Gear Change

[ANL]

I’m finding the gear change has become stiff when changing gear into first and reverse . it's not a clutch problem as that has been change. Is there any way of lubricating the

cables? Any help would be much appreciated. 

[iborguk]

Maybe a starting point, good luck sorting...

 

[ANL]

Many thanks . Any idea where to get hold of the plastic aligning tool?

[iborguk]

9 minutes ago, ANL said:

Many thanks . Any idea where to get hold of the plastic aligning tool?

Speak to your local Porsche Centre parts dept, check the part number with them and ask for discount.

https://www.design911.com/p/shift-cable-alignment-installation-tool---manual-transmission/

Edited December 5, 2023 by iborguk

[TV8]

I had one of those for my 996 and it doesn't work if you have any form of short shift on it, or at least mine didnt!

[½cwt]

7 minutes ago, ANL said:

Many thanks . Any idea where to get hold of the plastic aligning tool?

Inspecting, cleaning and lubricating the lever assemblies on the driver's side of the gear box may help. 

Several people on here have the green tool, maybe you could borrow?  @bally4563 loaned me his, but then again I also bought his 997 shift assembly too.

[iborguk]

Green version (no 9x6 references)  https://www.design911.com/p/porsche-tool-00072196191/

Edited December 5, 2023 by iborguk

[iborguk]

£22ish for the green variant from a Porsche Centre before discount, suspect the white one is a dropped part.

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by iborguk

[ANL]

Many thanks. Will follow advice through and let you know how I get on.

[jonogt6]

3 hours ago, ½cwt said:

Inspecting, cleaning and lubricating the lever assemblies on the driver's side of the gear box may help. 

Several people on here have the green tool, maybe you could borrow?  @bally4563 loaned me his, but then again I also bought his 997 shift assembly too.

Yep I agree..probably the levers on the side of the gear box. Mine was much better once cleaned out and some spray grease liberally applied to the mechanism.

[bally4563]

1 hour ago, ANL said:

Many thanks. Will follow advice through and let you know how I get on.

Yep can be borrowed just cover postage

[ANL]

Hi bally4563,     Thanks for the offer , I’m going to try lubricating first before I have to take the console to bits.

[ricof]

The linkage/brackets on the gearbox end of the cables may be seized/seizing. 

[phazed]

All very useful info.

When I changed the existing 986 gear shifter a few weeks ago for a 987 item I had on the shelf that I had modified to take out a bit of sideways slop, it was warmer and sideways movement was normal. Now the weather is colder, I noticed that there is now resistance in the sideways movement. This is while car isn’t running, (‘cause it can’t!).

Is that something to address now?
I have a set of 987 shifter cables on the shelf, I know that these run smoothly. Would it be beneficial to fit these! Will they fit?

[½cwt]

5 hours ago, phazed said:

All very useful info.

When I changed the existing 986 gear shifter a few weeks ago for a 987 item I had on the shelf that I had modified to take out a bit of sideways slop, it was warmer and sideways movement was normal. Now the weather is colder, I noticed that there is now resistance in the sideways movement. This is while car isn’t running, (‘cause it can’t!).

Is that something to address now?
I have a set of 987 shifter cables on the shelf, I know that these run smoothly. Would it be beneficial to fit these! Will they fit?

Bear in mind in the current temperatures you 'box oil will be a lot gloopier, but I can't think of another reason an essentially unused cable would go stiffer in a few weeks.  A decent clean an lube of the eternal mechanism on the 'box should help and is a wise preventative maintenance thing to do periodically anyway. 

I keep forgetting what year your 986 is, but there was a change in the cables and mechanism on the side of the gearbox in 2000 which is not backwards compatible with newer cables and 5 and 6 speed boxes have different cables too for both 986 and 987.  987 cables are all listed with a 987 part number, as are 986 cables with 986 numbers.  Could one replace the other?  You could try it but it is a pain to do and then undo if you need to but with the car in bits is the best time, unless you find a problem once it is back together and on the ground.

Edited December 6, 2023 by ½cwt

[phazed]

Year 2002. Cables easy to renew as I have everything exposed, oo err missus!

Gearbox is devoid of oil atm, although would that make a difference?
Will do external lube before trying cables.

[K.I.T.T.]

FWIW, found the plastic alignment tool a waste of time.

Maybe they work when the car's new and the cables are fresh. 

Swapped to an OE 997 short shifter. Shifted into neutral, took the old shifter out, put the new one in locked with the alignment tool and the shift was horrible, especially reverse.

Redid if without the alignment tool - IE back to neutral, disconnect everything and hooked it up where the cables naturally sat. Shifts great.

[bally4563]

987 cables won’t work on a 986 , I seem to recall from memory or it maybe I’m getting confused the difference between 5 and 6 speed?

[½cwt]

2 hours ago, bally4563 said:

987 cables won’t work on a 986 , I seem to recall from memory or it maybe I’m getting confused the difference between 5 and 6 speed?

Yep, 5 and 6 speed are different cables on both 986 and 987 models, so throw in the old type on the early 2.5s and based on the part catalogues you have a total of 9 different part number for cables for the 986 and 8 in the 987 range for manual gearboxes.  Some are just detail up issues, but still a mine field!