Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Hi all.

Finally got my car MOT'd and on the road. But the shifter is super sloppy. lots of side to side play and the throw is GIANT!!!

I've seen that the fix for the sloppiness is new bushes and this can be cheaper to do if you just buy a short shift kit?
But I can see very few kits in the UK.

Also, doing my searches, someone had posted a pic of a short shift that fits at the rear at the gearbox end that is only a 40min fix.

What is the best way to fit a short shifter? at the shifter end or the gearbox end, or can both be done for a super tight gear shift?

Thanks all.

Steve.

To be honest, i'd change the lever and bush at the front (from OPC)
and then put a short shift kit on.
I have used three different kits and the one from only944.com is pretty good
You;ll need the following parts
http://only944.com/partscatalog/only/shortshifter/
http://only944.com/partscatalog/only/shiftlinkagearm/
http://only944.com/partscatalog/only/11mmwrench/

OPC? sorry, this probably sounds really stupid.

Ah. So looking at their photos, this is a kit that fits at the REAR on the gearbox not at the front as a shifter mod.
I've seen some that are a shifter mod not the rear linkage.

But on closer looking these are not actually for the 944.

And is that really just a tiny cut off 11mm spanner that you can get from poundland?

Is there nobody in the UK selling these things? or is it usa or nothing?

Ok. Still don't know what OPC means.
But only 944 sell a new shifter. http://only944.com/partscatalog/only/shifter/But while I can see why there is lateral movement by their fancy Gif demonstration, It just looks like the through bolt.

Their new shifter comes with a new bolt and some 2 washer and bearing affair. thus not mattering if the shift rod is worn as it clamps it either side. what is the other part that is wearing? why can one just not use the stock shifter and replace the worn bolt with the only 944 bolt and bearing affair?

OPC = Official Porsche Centre

What would a short shift actually achieve for normal driving?

Saves you 100th of a millisecond changing gear and saves you moving your arm about an inch or two each gear change

As has been said, a short shift is pointless for normal driving. Get everything back to original specification and you'll find you don't need one. Yes, I speak from experience.

Read both parts of this guide from JMG Porsche to better understand what's probably wrong with your car;

http://www.jmgporsche.co.uk/index.php/m ... t-part-one

You can rebuild the front end of things with a new bit of stainless steel rod and some bushes from a 968 shift rod (they had an improved design with nylon bushes where the 944 used steel-on-steel bushes which wore out.) It takes a bit of engineering but costs pennies. If you'd rather than simply buy a new gearstick from a dealer (OPC!) Google is your friend but this site shows the work in good detail;

http://944foot2thefloor.blogspot.co.uk/ ... -gear.html

I'll bet that this will make your gearshift feel like new. However if you want to go a stage further then you can rebuild the rear of things with some rosejoints from a go-kart steering system for not much money at all. Again, here's a link from the same blog;

http://944foot2thefloor.blogspot.co.uk/ ... nkage.html

.... although I strongly suspect that he would see almost all of the improvements had he not bothered with the short shift doohickie and simply replaced the worn-out standard parts. I did both and could not want a shorter, slicker shift in my S2.


Oli.

I'm wondering if the last 2 posters have ever driven a MK1/2 RS Escort ?

Tbf you'd have to be either A, very rich or B, over 50 to have driven one of those.

Mk2 Escort - yes, although not an RS model. But then I'm not very wealthy and have a good few years to go until I'm 50 ....

Being 55 I can say I have driven most fast fords over the years

Mk 1 escort Mexico was one of my face cars back in the day

I even owned a savage cortina for a while, the reg was TAN 501F great car very fast back then 1982

+1 for JMG guides.
I had the same sloppy change on mine UNTIL I had a New Front and Precision Shift fitted in 2014, so sweet and precise now. well worth it, only wish I'd had it done sooner.
Clive

To be fair I do prefer a short gearchange. Going to an MX-5 really is light years ahead of the 944 in terms of gear change but Oli's change was very good. However, it would be nice to have it shorter. OTOH, you wonder why Porsche left it long. Going shorter in some cars is said to give the syncros a harder time.

That said I'd get the Only 944 kit as above. Their shift lever may be worth getting for longevity, and for side location of the shifter rod, something the 944 design didn't allow for but which the 968 design did.

Both . Back in the 80's I had lots of fast Fords including many MK11 RS Escorts, one of the things people always remember about them is how great the gear change was, and all they had was a quickshift gear lever. A 944 gear change isn't going to be as direct as the RS, and you're not going to bang through the gearbox any faster, but a well designed linkage mounted on the gearbox just feels nicer to use IMO.

If your wear is just at the front lever then you will get away with a new lever and plastic bush.
The std porsche lever is fine, the wears but generally they last around 70k plus miles, don't forget how old these cars are now.
Lever 477711205D
washer 90002800502
Circlip 90011600502
Bush 94442423101
Parts come in around £37

It is quite likey that the rear is worn too
The only944 rear linkages, will remove any wear and reduce the throw of the lever, which as std is quite long by modern standards. There are two settings depending on how much you want it reduced. Even at it's shortest (around 30% reduction) is feels easy enough to shift, not tight or notchy and not too short either

In my other 924 I have one of JMG Race shifts fitted and that isn't so nice, needs quite a bit of effort. not really suitable for a daily driver

If you are happy with the length of throw that you have already, then just go for a new bush for the intermediate shift lever http://www.design911.co.uk/fu/prod12972 ... 944---968/
and the rear joint rod with all pins and washers (from OPC)
Parts come in around £85 inc the bush