GEARBOX WOES! Upgrading the manual shift on my Porsche 996.1 Carrera… will it work?!
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- Опубліковано 1 чер 2024
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After driving lots of other cars of late, it was time to give my own Porsche 996.1 Carrera aka 'Little Irish' some TLC, so I headed off to Wrightune Porsche specialists with a big list of mods and maintenance.
Of the 'fun stuff', I most wanted to upgrade the shift quality on my manual Porsche 911, so I installed a set of aftermarket shift cables to see if they can do the trick.
How have you improved the shift quality of your 996? Let me know in the comments below! Thanks as always to Wrightune for bestowing their knowledge and care on my 911.
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I have just the numeric racing shirt shifter and it has a wonderful metallic click when shifting. Not gated manual Ferrari levels but noticeable. And I stayed with oem cables. I have a 2003 ruf rturbo.
Same setup here. For me, didn’t want the cables but will look to replace either with new OEM eventually.
Thanks for the honest review on these cables Lee. Something I had considered myself; I believe I will like them for a weekend ‘fun car’. However the perspective of a daily driver is quite a different prospect. Keep up the great work 👏
I recommend you spray the undercarriage with Fluid Film or something similar to protect your car from rust. It worked wonders on my car. Good luck, Mr. Sibley.
Like many others, I've gone with a Numeric shifter, and standard cables. The difference was night and day, the best shifter I've ever used. Also new engine mounts, or even upgraded ones will also help. After it had a service the manager of my local Porsche specialist say to me that mine was the nicest driving 996 he has ever driven and asked what the shifter mechanism was. He was then going to recommend my set up to other customers.
Have you changed your engine mounts? I had standard shift cables and swapped to RSS tarmac engine mounts as mine were a bit saggy, perfect shift for me. I didn’t notice the difference in engine vibration through the cabin in 99% of driving, only time the harder mounts were noticeable was when you were sat at idle 👍 Also massively improved the cornering of the car, the car moved as one after having them fitted, in retrospect before that it felt like the car would change direction and it would take the engine a little longer to settle into the turn, giving a bit of instability at the rear as you had this secondary weight shift
Did this to my 997, completely transformed the rear end and shift feel
The numeric shifter alone - although really expensive - is already absolutely incredible!! Then maybe do engine and gearbox mounts and oem cables, probably will make a better shift feeling than any other street cars!
Engine and gearbox mounts first, dramatically improved my 996 Turbo, I'm still not happy with it though, can sometimes miss getting 3rd when booting, I was going to try new cables next
Thumbs up for finally getting the 'hygroscopic' word out!
Another vote for the numeric shifter here, with OEM cables. I did this in my 997. Unfortunately when it was written off I never got the chance to recover the shifter! I have a 996 now and would definitely fit the numeric again if I had the cash.
Lee, the culprit is likely the SSK shifter. I originally replaced my stock 996 shifter with an OEM SSK shifter and that one change drastically increased the amount of force needed on the shift knob to engage and change gears. Something about he physics of the SSK inherently increases the force needed to shift. I lived with it for a while and got somewhat used to it until I drove a 997 with stock shifter. The 997 shifter throw length is less than the 996, and more than the SSK, but the smoothness was immediately obvious. So I got a used 997 shifter and rebuilt it with the Function First Shift Right bushings/etc (metal vs plastic). Probably a similar outcome to an OEM 997 GT3 shifter. Took a little getting used to the longer shift throw (yours may be even longer with your taller shift knob shaft - may have to switch back to a shorter one), but the increase in smoothness was well worth the increase in throw for me. I'll add that I did not seek out a solution to the high shift effort until I started daily driving my 996. SSK was fine when it was a weekend fun car, but got old on an everyday basis. Those with the Numeric shifter and OEM cables seem to love that setup as well. Best of luck.
My recipe is Numeric shifter, OEM cables, new gearbox mount, gearbox oil change, and RSS engine mounts
One thing you could do is fit a modified short shift if you don't have already. I've done both a factory short shift & also an ebay special. The ebay ones are not great out of the box, but can be modified to fit bronze bushes in place of the plastic that comes with them. Same goes for the factory short shift, or even a standard one. All you need is someone with a lathe & a bit of time..
I tried a new 997 shifter with the Function First Solution first. It was better than the old stock shifter but still not direct enough. So I decided to try the Numeric shifter. What a difference! Probably as close to feeling like my old S2000 as I’ll ever get. I still have the stock cables. My 996 is an early build (2/98) C2
I have a Nov 99 996 Cab w/ a 997 shift kit and it's a daily driver. As has been said, some rough shifting when cold, especially first and second. Pops out of gear occasionally too. Is changing the Gearbox oil an easy DIY? Was changed at 85k now at 150. Considering the Numeric because of your comments and no appetite to change cables. Is the throw super short or just extremely well engineered? It's like 700 bucks online. Thoughts?
Fantastic video lee new oil in the cold gearbox is a massive improvement
Best vid you’ve done in ages. Loved the garage tour and chat, and fascinating learning more on the mechanical front. Also v helpful, as in the process of upgrading my own gear shifter and cables in my 997. Have gone OEM cables and 997 GT3 shifter. Same throw as standard 997, but has alloy bushes. Figured a new shifter would tighten things up after 17 years of being rowed about.
2004 996 Turbo.. changed the fluids, numeric shifter, function first end links, weighted shift knob... the perfect setup for me. Huge improvement! Im sure once i do the engine and transmission mounts it will be even better
Are the end links at the shifter inside the car or at the connection point at the gearbox?
I went with Ben Auto Design short shifter with the metal shift lever, which I thoroughly enjoy as it gives the shift just the right amount of notchyness that I like. Not a rifle action like my IRP shifter in my BMW track car but a nice mechanical feel. Can’t recommend it enough.
Thanks!
Hey Lee! I have a 996.2 and the same as you, the shift was thick and imprecise! I had the oils changed and completely agree that it improved by an easy 20%. I still wasn't happy, so I had the 997 GT3 shifter mech and new OEM cables fitted. these made all of the difference I was hoping for, it shifts nicely and feels a lot more precise and also feels like a new car.
you are welcome to have a try in it, I also have the Hartech 3.9 conversion and in there words one of the best conversions they feel they have done.
I had the cables on my previous 996. They are definitely noisy!! I sleeved them and ran dynamat over the opening. Helped but not the best. In my turbo I’ve installed a 997.2 gt3 shifter with new oe cables. Absolutely brilliant. Not cheap but definitely worth it. Also I have rss mounts and a new oe gearbox mount (997 part number) that also made a massive difference
Did the same on my 996 turbo. However I went oem engine mounts - lovely shift here!
Hi Lee. RSS Tarmac engine mounts is a good start. I have a 997.1 GT3 and also put in the GT3 Cup shifter and cables. Made a world of difference. I’d start with the cup shifter and cables first. Good luck. Love the channel.
Good informative video, thanks Lee. I'm interested in why you went for a MICHELIN Pilot Sport 5 over the PS4S? I'm looking at replacing the tyres on my 996 so after recommendations. Thanks
986.2 with 120k miles on it. Installed Ben’s Auto design short shift and side lever kit around 90k miles. OEM+++. Cant recommend enough. Transforms shift feel and is my daily driver.
I've been trying to improve the shifter feel as well. Through my research I've narrowed it down to either the Numeric, or Ben Auto Design shift kit that uses needle bearings. I just can't guesstimate the difference between the two.
Everyone will tell you new stiff engine/trans mounts (i.e. GT3, RS, or some monstrous polly mount), DON'T DO THIS, you'll get nothing but NVH, gear whine and any tick the engine make as if its in the cabin with you. Just update with OEM mounts and it'll help but it won't be a game changer.
Very interesting Lee, planning on at least refreshing my gearbox oil as well. When cold 1st gear is really hard to get in to, do it via 2nd and then 1st and we'll see from there. Mine is also making the cannister noise, so we'll replace that as well. Boy is it going to be a few days spending in the garage with all the work planned for it.
Changing the gearbox oil will definitely help that cold first gear selection, I promise!
Like the little Irish stories... great car!
I’m running Ben’s auto design shifter with the optional metal side arm. Feels great, but I have nothing to compare it against other than stock.
Bang on about finding the right balance of NVH when modding. I had same experience with a LWF, loads of people like them, but for me, just too much noise and harshness. All down to personal balance.
Ouch, I have had a full Numeric shifter kit including the cables laying on my shelf for far too long and I am now thinking that getting the cables was not the best Idea. I have a 997 short shift kit with OEM cables on now, but the cables are really bad so I wanted a proper upgrade. I have heard many people liking the Numeric shifter + 996 cup cables. That was my second option. I believe it is somewhere in between the OEM and Numeric as far as I have understood it, but they might be just as noisy.
Have you thought about trying the 997 GT3 shifter?
997 shifter w/ function first shift right.
Hi Lee, which Porsche breakers do you use? Looking for preowned cv joint for my car, thanks in advance.
Hey Lee, I can offer a few suggestion points having done a similar thing with transmission & engine mount upgrades on my 996.2 GT3. Firstly, you're right on the cables for 996 Carrera & 996 GT3 - they are the same. The gearbox cable difference came at 997.2 GT3 whereby Porsche beefed up the gearbox end with different materials & assembly of the connecting piece. As seen in your video, the 996 + 997.1 cables have small rubber ends with a triangular cage holding the rubber in place; 997.2 used a larger Delrin mounting interface in a softer rubber case. The 997.2 cables are interchangeable with the 996 and also cheaper than the 996 parts.
In my GT3, I've also tried the 997.2 GT3 shifter (with the metal inserts replacing the plastic fore/aft bushings) - I must say I did not like this. Nothing wrong with the part itself but it made selecting 1st, and especially 2nd, when cold very tricky. Maybe that's a GT3 thing but it was too much for me. I went back to the stock 996 shifter housing but it's worth pointing out it is fairly new - the sticker on the shifter has a date code of 2018 - they do wear out and can get quite "floppy". I've also driven a 996 Turbo which had a Short Shifter of some description...it might of been the blue-housing Porsche item like what you had but I would say of the 3 shifters I've tried in 996, that Turbo was the "best".
Also consider the condition of your gearbox mount. The 996 mount has been superseded by a more robust part found on 997. I replaced mine in GT3 at circa 47k miles and also fitted the yellow durometer Powerflex insert. This made selecting Reverse and First a bit more "fluid" as the transmission isn't moving around (at all). Hard to say if that added NVH but for a daily driven car, I wouldn't fit the insert.
Going back to the cables, I fitted the 997.2 cables after the mount was replaced, so it's hard to say how much of a difference the cables made...maybe 5-10% but I must stress it wasn't night and day.
I've returned back to the 996 shifter mechanism, and there's still one more thing I want to do, and that is replace the plastic fore/aft bushings & the yoke. There's still a small amount of side-to-side play in the shifter on account of the tolerancing of the plastic parts in the mechanism to stop them binding. The Function First "Shift Right" kit looks like it resolves this with higher tolerance & quality material items. There's also a Function First "gearbox end" upgrade that replaces the rubber with Delrin but I'm not convinced on the performance vs NVH tradeoff and again, I wouldn't do it on a road car.
Tl;dr, as a 996 owner, keep the stock 996 shifter mechanism, add Function First Shift Right kit, 997.2 cables and 997 gearbox mount...
Like you I changed the gearbox oil (for Motul gear 300) which made a very noticeable difference (for the better), I then fitted a yellow Powerflex transmission bush insert and a set of the Rohler semi solid engine mounts, I couldn’t believe how much of an improvement they made, both to the handling and gear shift, finally I fitted a £40 short shift kit from eBay, I was dubious regarding the quality of the part for the price but it seems to have held up very well, even if you don’t use the shifter itself the adjustable end bushes are a far superior design to the standard white nylon versions.
I have often wondered if changing the subframe to body bushes would make a difference to handling and shift, they look like they are more difficult to get at than the rest of the suspension parts/ bushes.
997 shifter. Don't even need the 997 GT3. Factory cables. Done. I've got them in 2 of my 996.1's
I have a spare 9x7 shifter fitted with pucker bearings. So slightly shorter throw than 9x6 but not as short as SSK. Spare because I bought it but didn’t fit it yet. If you want to try it in your car let me know. I'm not trying to sell it to You. Just offering to let you try it in your car so you can decide if it's the direction you want to go.
What does a quicker shift actually achieve? You looking to shave 0.01 off a 0-60, or just a nice driver feeling you feel better with? Is that even measurable outside of a track? Is the original (new, not worn), that bad? Plenty of options out there for using short shifters if that's what you want.
It's not about having a quicker shift, but a nicer shift. Having a long throw is counter-intuitive to that feel and engagement, in my book. I couldn't care less about timings etc.
At some point the stock cables will break (everyone I know with a 997 has pretty much had this happen), so might as well upgrade to the Numeric cables right away. Oh, and maybe thing about doing the work yourself. It's not that hard. Paying someone to change out the carbon canister?! Yikes.
No point putting numeric shifter cables without the shifter
Without out doubt best shifter set up on the market
That’s completely wrong. It’s a massive difference with just the shifter. Just did this project.
My wife's Touran farts when it's turned off, we never did find out what's causing it, thanks for the heads up!!! 😂
Hahaha my pleasure!
How can cables be noisy? I don't understand how you're getting a constant noise from the cables, is it vibes from the gearbox?
Exactly that
@@philrob110 How are they so different from OEM in terms of materials that make them noisy? Could they be wrapped in foam to deaden the extra noise?
@@stephenauty2402 metal ends rather than plastic
@@sparkywig ah I see , that makes sense.
Is your actual shifter still original? I can’t remember if you’d previously changed it. My 996 has the original factory cables (I was considering the Numeric cables until seeing your video!) mounted to the 997 GT3 shifter (The one with metal bearings). I also had the gearbox oil changed and 100% agree that makes a huge difference to the shift feel. Personally I really rate the GT3 shifter; slightly longer throw than the Porsche SSK but a lovely precision feel to the shift. If you’re ever in the Hamble area you’re welcome to give it a try or better still are you thinking of another get together at Philip Raby Cars this year?
Ps5 better than the Ps4s (not PS4)?
PS4S generally only available in 19 and larger. Not sure if Little Irish has 18 or 17 inch. If 17 inch then definitely PS4S unavailable. If 18 inch then 225 40 front are available in PS4S but 265 35 rear is not.
Is the increased camber on a street 996 worth discarding the tires due to premature inside wear? Seems kinda wasteful (a lot of unused rubber) and not great for the environment, if folks care about that sort of thing.
Just a question.
Yes.
Cracked head on my daily-driver 996. Expensive start to the year 😢
Oof, sorry to hear that!
Great stuff. I love watching all this sort of stuff being done to 996's and all that money being spent. Does it frighten me or am I thankful my C4S wants for nothing!🫰OK, so someone has spent £25k in recent years, including a Hartech rebuild, plus loads of other stuff! Keep up the good work.