Odd gearbox issue
Discussion
Went to select 1st in my manual 3.4 996 earlier & it wasn't there! All other gears present & correct, car nicely warmed up.
Managed to pull away in 2nd (cluth loved that!) & drove half a mile or so to a safer stopping place & tried it again, BINGO, it's working fine?!
Drove 20ish miles with no issues at all, waht was it & do I need to worry about it returning?
Managed to pull away in 2nd (cluth loved that!) & drove half a mile or so to a safer stopping place & tried it again, BINGO, it's working fine?!
Drove 20ish miles with no issues at all, waht was it & do I need to worry about it returning?
More likely to be an external issue rather than internal; shift mechanism or selector cable maybe? The remote shift mechanism is self contained under the lever but it has been known for odds n ends (stray coins?) from the ashtray to drop into the void below the console and jam the movement - as the car is driven the coin(s) can move making the issue disappear.
The selector cables can dislocate from the transmission (they are clipped into place on the side of the casing) and make shifting difficult /impossible when the cable deflects instead of moving the selector lever.
The selector cables can dislocate from the transmission (they are clipped into place on the side of the casing) and make shifting difficult /impossible when the cable deflects instead of moving the selector lever.
Thanks for the reply, I'm hoping it's as simple as gear shift mechanism or cable but why only 1st?
It wasn't something stopping the gear shift, 1st didn't engae & the stick felt sloppy & vague yet selected all other gears, odd!
I'm going to be really wary of using it now but if I book it in to the specialists it's working fine & they may nit find anything!
It wasn't something stopping the gear shift, 1st didn't engae & the stick felt sloppy & vague yet selected all other gears, odd!
I'm going to be really wary of using it now but if I book it in to the specialists it's working fine & they may nit find anything!
LordHaveMurci said:
Went to select 1st in my manual 3.4 996 earlier & it wasn't there! All other gears present & correct, car nicely warmed up.
Managed to pull away in 2nd (cluth loved that!) & drove half a mile or so to a safer stopping place & tried it again, BINGO, it's working fine?!
Drove 20ish miles with no issues at all, waht was it & do I need to worry about it returning?
The only time I was unable to select a gear -- "wasn't there" -- was when the shift linkage broke in my 996 Turbo.Managed to pull away in 2nd (cluth loved that!) & drove half a mile or so to a safer stopping place & tried it again, BINGO, it's working fine?!
Drove 20ish miles with no issues at all, waht was it & do I need to worry about it returning?
Occasionally and this is more likely as the weather gets colder first it hard to select. I feel some resistance. I don't force it but move the lever to another gear or two then back to 1st and snick in it goes.
Be sure you have the brake *and* clutch fluid flushed/bled every 2 years. That brake/clutch fluid gets wonky and clutch action and even shifting action can be affected is my experience.
LordHaveMurci said:
No I haven't, that's the odd thing, happened with no warning & seems to bace gone again.
Clutch was replaced about 5yrs ago. Fluids always done as per service schedule so I assume clutch fluid has been done.
Well, one would hope the clutch fluid was done at the same time as the brake fluid but unfortunately one can't always rely upon this being the case. And it is important. My experience is while braking is unaffected by fluid past its flush/bleed date clutch action is compromised and this in turn affects shifting.Clutch was replaced about 5yrs ago. Fluids always done as per service schedule so I assume clutch fluid has been done.
My advice would be to check the work invoices and see if there is any reference to the clutch fluid actually being flushed/bled. Or ask where you had the work done to see if the clutch hydraulic system is done at the same time as the brake system.
Rockster said:
Well, one would hope the clutch fluid was done at the same time as the brake fluid but unfortunately one can't always rely upon this being the case. And it is important. My experience is while braking is unaffected by fluid past its flush/bleed date clutch action is compromised and this in turn affects shifting.
My advice would be to check the work invoices and see if there is any reference to the clutch fluid actually being flushed/bled. Or ask where you had the work done to see if the clutch hydraulic system is done at the same time as the brake system.
This was my experience too on my older 964. The clutch slave cylinder doesn't get bled regularly (partly due to it's awkward location). If not bled for years you eventually can't select first gear with a cold gearbox. Bleeding the slave was all it took to restore mine to normal operation.My advice would be to check the work invoices and see if there is any reference to the clutch fluid actually being flushed/bled. Or ask where you had the work done to see if the clutch hydraulic system is done at the same time as the brake system.
Rockster said:
Well, one would hope the clutch fluid was done at the same time as the brake fluid but unfortunately one can't always rely upon this being the case. And it is important.
^ This, most technicians faced with a PITA job such as a 911 clutch fluid bleed would tend to think "Why mess with something that seems to be working fine ?" (and a chance to add some additional bonus besides) In reality as Boxsey and you've said, that clutch fluid gets hot (every time the car is used, and moreso in stop start town driving) and it quickly becomes contaminated with worn rubber seal/slave cylinder bore wear detritus to the point it no longer actuates the clutch slave cylinder properly, nor does it lubricate the slave cylinder action either.Rockster said:
My experience is while braking is unaffected by fluid past its flush/bleed date clutch action is compromised and this in turn affects shifting.
Everyone's usage is different, and whilst you would appear to clock up massive miles in your car/s whilst driving it/them carefully/sparingly ? Someone who uses their car to its extreme will soon realise (the hard way) the folly of not having the scheduled brake fluid changes carried out. Do them (fluid changes) on time and don't run the risk of a soggy pedal when you most need it.Rockster said:
My advice would be to check the work invoices and see if there is any reference to the clutch fluid actually being flushed/bled. Or ask where you had the work done to see if the clutch hydraulic system is done at the same time as the brake system.
Forgive me, but my faith in the automotive servicing industry isn't sufficiently great to accept anything I'm told at face value ...... 
Good news and good of you to update the thread. So many people put all their problmes up amd then you never hear the end story.
In fact I still remember the bloke on here who had a massive issue with a 996/997 and it sounded as if it was kaput but after pages and pages of posts he went quiet. Possibly to dump the car on some poor unsuspecting person without telling them about the issues.
Pip
In fact I still remember the bloke on here who had a massive issue with a 996/997 and it sounded as if it was kaput but after pages and pages of posts he went quiet. Possibly to dump the car on some poor unsuspecting person without telling them about the issues.
Pip
Slippydiff said:
Rockster said:
Well, one would hope the clutch fluid was done at the same time as the brake fluid but unfortunately one can't always rely upon this being the case. And it is important.
^ This, most technicians faced with a PITA job such as a 911 clutch fluid bleed would tend to think "Why mess with something that seems to be working fine ?" (and a chance to add some additional bonus besides) In reality as Boxsey and you've said, that clutch fluid gets hot (every time the car is used, and moreso in stop start town driving) and it quickly becomes contaminated with worn rubber seal/slave cylinder bore wear detritus to the point it no longer actuates the clutch slave cylinder properly, nor does it lubricate the slave cylinder action either.Rockster said:
My experience is while braking is unaffected by fluid past its flush/bleed date clutch action is compromised and this in turn affects shifting.
Everyone's usage is different, and whilst you would appear to clock up massive miles in your car/s whilst driving it/them carefully/sparingly ? Someone who uses their car to its extreme will soon realise (the hard way) the folly of not having the scheduled brake fluid changes carried out. Do them (fluid changes) on time and don't run the risk of a soggy pedal when you most need it.Rockster said:
My advice would be to check the work invoices and see if there is any reference to the clutch fluid actually being flushed/bled. Or ask where you had the work done to see if the clutch hydraulic system is done at the same time as the brake system.
Forgive me, but my faith in the automotive servicing industry isn't sufficiently great to accept anything I'm told at face value ...... 
) and had the clutch bled as well as the brake fluid. Bleed nipple hadn't been touched for a long time apparently.What a difference driving back, lighter and smoother. Wife could almost drive it now.
arcticGT said:
Got mine in for its annual service today (less than 700 miles from last year ) and had the clutch bled as well as the brake fluid. Bleed nipple hadn't been touched for a long time apparently.
What a difference driving back, lighter and smoother. Wife could almost drive it now.
Told ya. ) and had the clutch bled as well as the brake fluid. Bleed nipple hadn't been touched for a long time apparently.What a difference driving back, lighter and smoother. Wife could almost drive it now.
Just had my Boxster's rear brakes done along with 4 new tires fitted and I thought I asked the brakes/clutch fluid be flushed and bled but when I was looking over the work invoice I didn't see this work listed.
And wanted it done because wouldn't you know 1st gear selection was getting a bit of a chore and 1st to 2nd was becoming difficult -- impossible -- to do smoothly.
Even though the car is less than 1K miles from its 310K mile service I didn't want to wait until then -- another 5 to 6 weeks of driving -- so I booked the car in a few days later and had the brake fluid flushed and bled along with the clutch fluid.
1st gear is easier to select now and the difficulty in shifting between 1st and 2nd even when cold is noticeably less difficult now.
Really the brake/clutch fluid flush/bleed makes a difference.
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