944turbo, gearchange complexities question

[silverback mike]

Sorry to be a pain folks.
The gearchange on my 944 is a right old pain from 2nd to 3rd, and 4th to 5th(not so bad though), and obviously 3 > 2 etc.

It is rather stiff, and to put it into 3rd, it needs not only a push up, but then a push right, and push up. Rather than a spring action into 3rd. This applies for the downchange also.

Allegedly the linkages have been checked. Numbnuts and I have taken the gaiter, and knob off, which reveals the metal rod, which connects to the main bar that takes the change to the rear of the car. This is all fine, and tight as a tight thing.

Obviously this is something amiss at the rear, from what I can gather from crawling round for ages under the car is that the linkage at the top is held in by a 12 or 13mm nut, there is a bit of play in this, is this adjustable? or does anyone know the best way to sort this out. And how would it retain it's springyness as I can't seem to locate a spring anywhere.

Has anyone else encountered this snag? The gearbox itself is fine, and has recently had it's fluid changed.

Interested in collective boffins opinions here, and if anyone can provide a diagram of the linkage it would be very helpful as i'm operating a bit blind, and if I continue changing as is, I'm that hamfisted I'll pull the bloody thing to bits.

Thanks,
Mike.

Edited by silverback mike on Sunday 22 April 02:37

[domster]

silverback mike said:

Allegedly the linkages have been checked. Numbnuts and I have taken the gaiter, and knob off, which reveals the metal rod, which connects to the main bar that takes the change to the rear of the car. This is all fine, and tight as a tight thing.

Maybe the 'tight as a tight thing' is the problem, Mike. I had a gear selection problem in my 944 S2 years ago, where finding a gear got stiffer and stiffer until I had to virtually drive it to the garage in one or two gears only... the problem was the linkage at the gear knob end... it needed blow torching apart and then greasing. They seem to run dry after many years and seize almost solid. Like you, I was costing up a new box and everything, but it was just a few hours (hard) labour getting the gearknob linkage sorted. Make sure it has free movement... I suppose you may need to undo the link from the gearbox to check this properly.

[cuneus]

www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/trans-07.htm

[gareth h]

My mother has my old turbo, she was complaining the shift had become very stiff, turned out to be the clutch, I didn't drive it so can't comment on yours but might be worth checking.

[NJH]

silverback mike said:

Sorry to be a pain folks.
The gearchange on my 944 is a right old pain from 2nd to 3rd, and 4th to 5th(not so bad though), and obviously 3 > 2 etc.
Has anyone else encountered this snag? The gearbox itself is fine, and has recently had it's fluid changed.

Edited by silverback mike on Sunday 22 April 02:37

only way to tell really is to get under there and disconnect the main part of the linkage from the shifter in the car and the support rod that goes down to the right hand side of the gearbox. Then with the car in neutral and the clutch down you should have no problem pushing the still connected lever onto the gearbox back and forth to get 3rd and 4th gear. You have to pull outwards and inwards first on the connecting shaft to go across the gate and get the other gears. I did this last weekend when replacing the linkages on my S2. I was amazed how easy it was to shift gears with a lever straight onto the gearbox that is only a couple of inches long.

If this doesn't work then likely the clutch is not right or worse gearbox. I also had a very notchy shift when my clutch was worn. Now with a new clutch and linkages the car has as slick and light shift through all the gears as any modern car (170K miles).

To replace linkage takes about 1 hr including dropping and replacing the exhaust back box. If the ball pins on the support rod are worn you have much more work because the connecting point on the right hand side of the gearbox is a pain to get at.

There is only actually 1 adjustment to make with a new shift linkage correctly fitted and it is to adjust the position the lever sits at for neutral, takes about 30 seconds but needs 2 people since someone needs to sit in the car and hold the stick upright. The guy tightening up the bolt onto the slotted hole on the linkage can feel where neutral is i.e. no spring tension.

[silverback mike]

NJH said:

silverback mike said:

Sorry to be a pain folks.
The gearchange on my 944 is a right old pain from 2nd to 3rd, and 4th to 5th(not so bad though), and obviously 3 > 2 etc.
Has anyone else encountered this snag? The gearbox itself is fine, and has recently had it's fluid changed.

Edited by silverback mike on Sunday 22 April 02:37

only way to tell really is to get under there and disconnect the main part of the linkage from the shifter in the car and the support rod that goes down to the right hand side of the gearbox. Then with the car in neutral and the clutch down you should have no problem pushing the still connected lever onto the gearbox back and forth to get 3rd and 4th gear. You have to pull outwards and inwards first on the connecting shaft to go across the gate and get the other gears. I did this last weekend when replacing the linkages on my S2. I was amazed how easy it was to shift gears with a lever straight onto the gearbox that is only a couple of inches long.

If this doesn't work then likely the clutch is not right or worse gearbox. I also had a very notchy shift when my clutch was worn. Now with a new clutch and linkages the car has as slick and light shift through all the gears as any modern car (170K miles).

To replace linkage takes about 1 hr including dropping and replacing the exhaust back box. If the ball pins on the support rod are worn you have much more work because the connecting point on the right hand side of the gearbox is a pain to get at.

There is only actually 1 adjustment to make with a new shift linkage correctly fitted and it is to adjust the position the lever sits at for neutral, takes about 30 seconds but needs 2 people since someone needs to sit in the car and hold the stick upright. The guy tightening up the bolt onto the slotted hole on the linkage can feel where neutral is i.e. no spring tension.

Right, thanks everso for the help chaps, all very helpful.

NJH - Thanks for taking the time for this posting....appreciated - and I shall follow your example.
I really don't think it's anything serious, the box has recently been drained and inspected, and the clutch has approximately 20k on it, no slips, judders, slave and master are fine also.

It's got to be adjustment or wear somewhere else, we took the gearknob off, saw there was a slight bit of play in the top part where the clip holds the top selector in, so squeezed another clip in there, but I anticipate it's more so at the rear, where (on looking at cuneus's post - clarks garage) it's in the area of nut 24.

It just 'feels' like it's simple. Now I have been known to be rather wrong on many times It's fun playing around with it though, keeps me out of trouble.