Shift/transmission problem...easy fix?

[Canarydelia]

So it's a dry evening and I decide to go to my last meeting of my working day in my 914. 100 yards down the road, turn left, into second, no, third, no....nothIng! Gearstick is now able to be moved great distances in multiple directions. I walk home, grab a friendly neighbour...and his Land Rover. I get him to move the gear stick whilst I look under car. Sure enough whilst he moves the gearstick the rod between the bracket just after the firewall and the gearbox itself isn't moving. We tow the 914 home.

I haven't got the car up on a ramp yet but I suspect it is the clamp with the self tapping screw holding the rod/linkage between firewall and gearbox that has dropped out.

Does that sound like a likely cause? If so, can anyone advise what size self tapping screw it is that I need to get? Is there anything else I should need to look out for? I'm assuming that this is a job for a learning amateur and that I won't cause further damage by having a go...or am I wrong?

Many thanks in advance.

[jackstowers]

If you have the rubber gaiter round the joint it's highly likely the pointed ended screw will either still be in the thread or caught in the rubber.
Definitely a good learner fix. If the screw is missing I'm sure one of the detail-mongers will be along with spec, part number, price and a selection of sources.
Good luck

[Mr Pharmacist]

It is possibly that - but it's a special conical screw not a self taping.

Should be available from porsche - 901 424 229 00

[Mr Pharmacist]

David beat me to it!

[jackstowers]

Part number! Booooomm!!!!!

[jackstowers]

It's as good as fixed already

[Canarydelia]

Thanks folks, what an amazing bunch you are

[Canarydelia]

My plan to get the car up on a couple of ramps is somewhat scuppered without having drive to get up them...so before asking friends for a push, I'm wondering, is it okay to jack up the rear using the engine support mount/bar and then sticking a couple of axle stands under it? Or would I be better off jacking and supporting elsewhere, and if so, where? My garage is tiny so options feel limited to me.

Any suggestions?

[Bewildebeest]

I'd put the jack pad under the rear suspension on one side, just inboard of the wheel.
Do one side a few inches, slide the tapered end of the ramp under the tyre. (Hand brake on and front wheels well chocked).
Do the same on the other side and then alternate between the two sides until the ramps are fully under.

Slow and lots of grovelling on the floor but most of the loads you're applying are the same loads the car gets when being driven - i.e. through the suspension.

[Darren C]

I have my 914 in a narrow garage too, and currently on axle stands all around while the wheels are away. Have a look at the pictures in my thread of the rear suspension you can see my alxe stands.
There are two "good" places to put the stands. (under the tube section of the rear trailing arm or under its outer mounting bracket by the 3 bolt heads)
If your floorpan is in good condition then you can easily jack the car up from one of the 4 point lift positions.

Or even the original jacking tube should you wish

Which ever you use, make sure that you chock the front wheels well.

[Canarydelia]

I took advantage of the time changes to get an early start on trying to sort all this out. Some months back I had seen that the firewall bushing for the shift linkage had worn and was popping in and out, and sure enough when I got the car jacked up and onto the ramps today I just flicked it out. The end flanging had completely worn/broken off. Given that the shift linkage is already disconnected at the firewall end (because of the troubles above) I thought I'd "pop in" the new bushing that I bought all those months back.

Ha ha. "Pop in" - what a joke!!! It is soooooo hard. I've soaked it in hot water to soften up and it has made not a jot of difference. Pelican forum suggests pulling the shift linkage out (from gear stick and in centre tunnel in cockpit) and pushing the bushing in without the rod in place. But to me (the amateur) this does seem a bit drastic...is there an easier way?

btw...unfortunately the conical screw has gone AWOL (the rubber boot had come away from the firewall) so I'll need to get a replacement. I'm hoping our local(ish) Porsche dealer has it in and I can get it tomorrow, otherwise will need to place on order.

[Mr Pharmacist]

It will be a lot easier to take the front rod out to install the bushing. You'll really struggle to get it in in situ.

I'm just guessing but I doubt your opc will have them in stock. Someone like Roger Bray might have them in stock if you need it urgently though

[Canarydelia]

Thanks Stuart, will follow your advice.

[Canarydelia]

Well, good news. My local Porsche dealt didn't have the conical screw in stock so I asked them to order it and post to me. They didn't charge for the P&P so total charge was about £3. Far cheaper than spending an hour in traffic there and back to collect it.

So, after work over the last week or so I've been crawling around under the car, and after a very helpful phone conversation with Kev ive now pretty much got it sorted. I went out for a short test drive this evening - wow, what a difference. The change is now very precise and notchy - giving me far more confidence in gear selection than at any time I've had since buying the car 18 months or so ago.