Boxster S gear change problems - me or the car?

[Chris944]

Hello,
I have a 3.2 Boxster S and can't seem to get the gearbox to do what I want. Is it me or the car?

The typical situation is doing 60-80mph in 5th to 6th on a non-motorway road and an overtaking opportunity presents itself. To get maximum accelerative force that goes past 70mph I need to be in 3rd.

To get there from 6th means going via 5th and 4th, which is tedious and time-consuming or going direct to 3rd, shortcutting as it were, and then I find the box doesn't like doing this. The change down from 4th to 3rd is slick but a change down from 5th or 6th to 3rd is not; it's as if the synchromesh isn't set up to facilitate this.

Also the lateral separation between 1st, 3rd and 5th gears in the gearbox is not that great and finding 3rd between 5th and 1st when coming from either 6th or 5th gear is not that easy.

I come to the Boxster S from an MX5 with its wonderful gearbox and a Gold with a good and adequate one.

I'm not double de-clutching or heel-and-toeing by the way.

Am I missing something? Is my gar change technique bad? Should I not be in 5th to 6th gear to begin with? Or is what I am describing the nature of the Boxster S box, so live with it?

Help me out here please.

Chris.

[cslwannabe]

I block shift most of the time in my 987 3.4 (up and down) - it's not a daily driver so the gearbox is a bit clunky at times until everything is up to temperature (usually 2nd to 3rd is worst for me) but I do tend to rev match (ie blip the throttle) when down changing, so recommend you give this a go, especially if block changing (ie missing out 1 or more ratios when changing down. HTH.

[Chris944]

Blipping when block shifting - I'll try that out.
Cheers... Chris.

[alcatraz236]

If I am changing down i will usually always rev match. I would definately do this if i am holding the same speed (which you would be doing if you are preparing for an overtake) rather than slowing right down. Otherwise when you let in the clutch after going from say 6th to 3rd there would be a big lurch since the revs would need to rise by perhaps 3 or 4 thousand rpm when you raise the clutch.

[ScienceTeacher]

alcatraz236 said:

If I am changing down i will usually always rev match. I would definately do this if i am holding the same speed (which you would be doing if you are preparing for an overtake) rather than slowing right down. Otherwise when you let in the clutch after going from say 6th to 3rd there would be a big lurch since the revs would need to rise by perhaps 3 or 4 thousand rpm when you raise the clutch.

Indeed.

[Chris944]

Thanks guys. I'm not block changing correctly.
Cheers ... Chris

[chris7676]

I do have a similar problem with the 3rd gear, especially coming from 5th or 6th, but ocassionally I can't upshift shift from the 2nd to the 3rd either. It feels like the 3rd gear is "locked". I do not think rev matching has much do to with it (proved by upshifting from 2 to 3 where they are naturally matched).

[alcatraz236]

chris7676 said:

I do have a similar problem with the 3rd gear, especially coming from 5th or 6th, but ocassionally I can't upshift shift from the 2nd to the 3rd either. It feels like the 3rd gear is "locked". I do not think rev matching has much do to with it (proved by upshifting from 2 to 3 where they are naturally matched).

if you are having trouble going from 2nd to 3rd then there may be something wrong with the box, mine is fine doing this change all the time. If the box is cold, 1st and 2nd can be a fraction tighter but this goes away after a few minutes and is barely noticeable to be honest (i think slightly more noticeable with short shift)

[chris7676]

it's only occasional from 2nd to 3rd, feels like the 3rd goes missing and i can only do 1st (oops) or 5th. otherwise shifting fine.