Hi, I have been lurking for a while but I don't think I have posted yet.

A couple of years back I purchased a project a 914/6 with a 71 911S engine, I drove it a couple of times and parked it. One of the issues it had was that the shifting was all around. A few weeks ago I tried to revive it, but the engine was leaking oil badly, so I send it to a local shop (not Porsche experts) to change the leaking oil lines and just getting the engine to work smoothly. I also asked them to look into the shifting issues and purchased a shift bushing kit.

Now the part of not being Porsche experts has come into play, they somehow managed to mess the shifting completely. I now only have 2 gears. What seems like first (or maybe 2nd?) and reverse...

If I try to get into first gear, left and back I get reverse. If I try to get reverse I get first (or is it 2nd?). I can get the car moving perfectly well but after that I can't shift to any of the other gears, I just get a terrible grinding noise. If I stop the car and try to engage 3rd, I get reverse, same with 5th. If I try to engage 2nd or 4th (still with the car standing still), it gets difficult but once they go in I get...reverse again!

Any idea what could have gone wrong? Is this an adjustment issue? Is there anyway to get the gear selector mechanism installed wrong?

Can someone point to an explanation of how the shifting mechanism should be adjusted?

I'll really appreciate your help

Thanks

Henry

Sounds like adjustment or bushings…

Is this a dogleg (901) or 915 transmission? Regardless here are some 901 adjustment directions.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=188120

Henry 1st welcome. 2nd is the car in Mexico or Utah? If In Utah I would suggest getting over to PMB performance to get straightend out ASAP you have an absolute expert right there so utilize them.

My guess is shift bushings

The bushings tend to crumble after a while so order a kit -it’s like $25 and replace what’s needed. I replaced bushings on my first 914 when I was 16. Just a manual and a couple hand tools. I drove up and down my street making small adjustments until it was perfect or as best as an early car can shift. You don’t need a Porsche expert to fix it. It’s just linkage and some small adjustments. You just don’t want to try adjusting it until you know all the bushings are good.

I do agree with Ben about PMB. They know and love 914’s.

Welcome to 914 ownership issues. Like has been mentioned by others, buy all of the new shifter and shift rod bushings for the entire shifting mechanism. Starting at the actual shifter, remove, clean, grease and replace the bushings and work your way back to the firewall bushing and replace that and then on to the tail at the transaxle and replace that. Then follow the directions for adjusting everything.

Have the car up in the air so you can lay comfortably under it and get some good lighting. Then take your time with small adjustments and trying to shift. It helps if everything is clean so you can see what you are doing. It's easier with someone sitting in the car who can try to select gears while you lie underneath. It's a bit tedious, but doable. BTW, is your Six still a tail shifter? Was it converted to a side-shifter? Pictures might help us help you. Good luck.

probably a problem in the center tunnel where the shift linkage adjusts including possibly a separated shift rod (spot welds broke)

If in Utah PMB is the place to look at that but you may be able to work it out with some answering of some questions and a little work on your part

Welcome to the 914world. Helpful people that want to pass their knowledge unto you.

Worn detention plate and/or the ball cup on the bottom of the lever is my guess. If the shifter assem has never been cleaned there’s prob a bunch of junk inside of the base. Last piece of the equation is the tripple rolled pin above the inspection plate on the bottom rear of the trans. Index your current rod connection settings with a fine tip sharpie. With a sound detention plate and lever the shifter will jump out of the 1/R plane and the plate acts as a guide for engaging 2nd cleanly.