Guidance on my shift quality?

[JoeFromPA]

Hi all,

99 boxster, 59k miles, easily driven most of it's life.

Here are my symptoms:

Overall, shifting is decent. But the first to 2nd shift almost always takes about 2 seconds before the shifter slides into the gate. No grinding, or mechanical feel - just completely balks at going into the gear.

I thought this was definitively due to the front engine mount wearing out and pulling the cable, but there's no change with the new engine mount.

In most other gears, i feel some resistance but it's minor or could even be there from the factory.

It definitely feels cable related by nature - no grinding or mechanical sound/feel coming through the shifter.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for fixing this? I don't mind the long-ish throws and such....but I'm starting to shift 1st to 3rd because by the time I can get the shifter to move into 2nd, the RPMs have already fallen almost to idle.

Joe

P.s. It seems to get very slightly better once the car is warm, but it's still a balky shift.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

Hi all,

99 boxster, 59k miles, easily driven most of it's life.

Here are my symptoms:

Overall, shifting is decent. But the first to 2nd shift almost always takes about 2 seconds before the shifter slides into the gate. No grinding, or mechanical feel - just completely balks at going into the gear.

I thought this was definitively due to the front engine mount wearing out and pulling the cable, but there's no change with the new engine mount.

In most other gears, i feel some resistance but it's minor or could even be there from the factory.

It definitely feels cable related by nature - no grinding or mechanical sound/feel coming through the shifter.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for fixing this? I don't mind the long-ish throws and such....but I'm starting to shift 1st to 3rd because by the time I can get the shifter to move into 2nd, the RPMs have already fallen almost to idle.

Joe

P.s. It seems to get very slightly better once the car is warm, but it's still a balky shift.

I wouldn't rule out the syncro. From the description that's what it sounds like to me.

[clickman]

If it was a synchro, I would think that playing with the RPMs would maybe find the right spot to make the shift easier. You could give it a try.

[jaykay]

Double clutch with a throttle blip on upshifts. An improvement in shifts may point to synchro mesh problems. No change in shift quality may point to cable problems. How is your oil level?

[j.fro]

I know the 6sp and 5sp are completely different animals, but for the 6sp (Boxster and 911), replacing the factory detent with an updated version made by Gbox works wonders. Give Gbox a call and see what their thoughts are on the 5sp.

[Quickurt]

I believe if it were a cable problem, it would be the same feel going from third to fourth and even downshifting back through the gears. It would be stiff on every move from the forward to the rear knob position. That would be pulling the cable forward, out of the cable housing.
Is it the same balky feel when down shifting from third to second?