986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post - OEM short shift hits side wall going into reverse.

Hilly_2xo · 10-26-2025, 01:42 AM

2001 boxster S 100k kms.

Factory short shift rubs against inside wall when shifting into reverse. Cable alignment doesn't solve problem. Help please!

I always noticed reverse was pretty terrible to get into, really had to force it across. 1-2 were pretty hard too.

I took out the console centre console to align the cables.

I looked inside the housing while shifting and saw that to get into reverse the black RHS (right hand side) cable ball joint runs against the inside of the shifter housing.

The Porsche alignment tool didn't fit the shifter, so l used geometric center as a reference point - took off one cable at a time and marked the travel extremes, measured this, then reattached in the middle. Both for blue, side to side, and black forward and back. I also found neutral between 3-4 and marked that.

Neither position got rid of the rubbing with reverse shift.They made1- 2 better though.

I noted that in these centred positions the lever looked centred, but the shift cable barrels with groves that pop in and out of the shift arm were pretty much on their last/ lowest grove (closest to seats).

I am 99.9% sure it is the factory short shift kit for 997/996 installed by previous owner in 2005 by Porsche. Looks purple in these pictures. In the pelican parts guide the factory kit looks black but on one of the pictures you can see the purple tint and the /P in a triangle logo /p. Also a few FB group members confirmed it looked like theirs. I it is equivalent to the B&W short shift too.

Still running original shift cables and they are attached to the trans. couldn’t find part numbers to check if they are the 5 speed instead of the 6 speed.

Attachment at the gear boy looks fine.

The only thing I can think of is the cables are too short or routed incorrectly. Or maybe the shifter was set up wrong/too high?

Looking to get numeric cables, but would like to save the shifter. Otherwise will just go for full numeric set up.

Anyone have ideas?

10-26-2025, 01:42 AM	#1
Hilly_2xo Registered User Join Date: Apr 2025 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 5	OEM short shift hits side wall going into reverse. 2001 boxster S 100k kms. Factory short shift rubs against inside wall when shifting into reverse. Cable alignment doesn't solve problem. Help please! I always noticed reverse was pretty terrible to get into, really had to force it across. 1-2 were pretty hard too. I took out the console centre console to align the cables. I looked inside the housing while shifting and saw that to get into reverse the black RHS (right hand side) cable ball joint runs against the inside of the shifter housing. The Porsche alignment tool didn't fit the shifter, so l used geometric center as a reference point - took off one cable at a time and marked the travel extremes, measured this, then reattached in the middle. Both for blue, side to side, and black forward and back. I also found neutral between 3-4 and marked that. Neither position got rid of the rubbing with reverse shift.They made1- 2 better though. I noted that in these centred positions the lever looked centred, but the shift cable barrels with groves that pop in and out of the shift arm were pretty much on their last/ lowest grove (closest to seats). I am 99.9% sure it is the factory short shift kit for 997/996 installed by previous owner in 2005 by Porsche. Looks purple in these pictures. In the pelican parts guide the factory kit looks black but on one of the pictures you can see the purple tint and the /P in a triangle logo /p. Also a few FB group members confirmed it looked like theirs. I it is equivalent to the B&W short shift too. Still running original shift cables and they are attached to the trans. couldn’t find part numbers to check if they are the 5 speed instead of the 6 speed. Attachment at the gear boy looks fine. The only thing I can think of is the cables are too short or routed incorrectly. Or maybe the shifter was set up wrong/too high? Looking to get numeric cables, but would like to save the shifter. Otherwise will just go for full numeric set up. Anyone have ideas?