DIY - 997 Shifter Install
 

Hi all,

After looking at few options with regards to a better shift action I decided to fit the standard 997 Shifter on my 986 like quite a few others on this forum. I was contemplating the 997 Short shifter but prices for these are about $800 in australia, delivered from the USA would be about $600 so I optioned for the standard 997 shifter from Porsche which was $320, reasonable I thought.

You basically need 2 tools for the entire job, a Torx screwdriver set and a 10mm socket. Will take a couple of hours at an easy pace. You can take the console off without taking the lower dash piece but i found it easy enough to unscrew 4 extra screws so I could see what I was doing.

It's a great mod and the gear change feels much better after it. It does slightly reduce the throw but shifts are more positive a bit more Rx8,s2000 like although not that good :-)

1) Remove leather gear boot, the Torx screws from under the ash tray, under the storage compartment in the centre console and one toward the front of the console.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...rker/step1.jpg


2) Remove the sides of the console. The carpet and plastic pieces clip out. Behind them there are 2 Torx screws on each side.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...rker/step2.JPG


3) Using a 10mm socket, remove the 4 nuts that hold the shifter cradle to the car.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...rker/step4.JPG

4) Disconnect the two gear linkage rods from the shifter chassis. To do this simply push back the blue and the black plastic ends against the spring. You can then turn them a fraction to hold them in that position. Then push the threaded metal rods up, they should then pop out.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...rker/step5.JPG

5) Undo the gear cables from the shifter cradle by removing the metal clips then lifting the cables out.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...rker/step6.JPG

6) You can now remove the shifter cradle from the car and put the new one in and secure the 4 10mm bolts that hold it.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...rker/step7.JPG

7) Now you need to align the gear stick so that it sits in the middle of the gate then you can push the metal connecting rods into the plastic tube. When the rods are sitting snugly in the plastic tub, you can then twist the blue and black ends to release them, the spring will push them over the metal rods.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...rker/step8.JPG

8) Now assemble in the rest in the reverse order you disassembled.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...rker/step9.JPG

9) Job done! I had previously removed the console and got it sprayed arctic silver by a professional. Came up looking really good!

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...ker/step10.JPG

There is a pic of the old on the left and the new on the right.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/kraco...er/shifter.JPG

Awesome write-up! Makes me want to do the 997 shorty on my 987!

:cheers:

BTW: I know the 987/997 shifters are the same, does anyone know how much of a reduction the 997 short-throw is to the stock 997/987S?

This might help:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=7371&hl=

What is that equipment in the console with the 4 LED's?

I think you're looking at the cheezy Porsche CD holder. Those red things aren't LEDs, they're just mechanical indicators that there's a CD in that slot.

Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but what gear do you put the car in to change out the shifter? Do you leave it in neutral?

Yes, put the car in neutral before you remove the old shifter. The 997 shifter comes with a tool to hold the new assembly in the correct position to install the 997 unit.

And if you buy a used one, you can get the alighment tool for under $4 from sunset imports.

i just bought on from a 2007 911 on ebay any install suggestions?

Take your time. Follow the FIY instructions posted here several times, it's really pretty easy.

I just bought one without the tool. I wonder if it's really necessary. Does anyone have the part number.

I can't find the tool part number at the moment. But if you give Sunset a call they can fix you right up.

Part no. 000 721 961 91

Part Name SHIFT CABLE LOCK BRI
MSRP $3.28
Online Price $2.52
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[IMG]http://www.****************************************************.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/997%20shift%20alignment%20tool%20987%20boxster%20c arrera%20cayman.jpg[/IMG]

Sorry to dredge up an old thread but does this used 997 shifter look complete?

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...ps19530561.jpg

It appears to be missing the passenger side cable connection within the shifter cage itself. According to the pics in post #1 of this thread theres two cables and both come out of the shifter cage. Just looking at buying this one used and hoping it will drop right into my 986 as is. Never done it before and dont want any surprises.

You can pop the old one off your old shifter and reinstall it onto the new shifter. The plastic "ball socket holder" that clips onto the ball end of the shifter is one of the pieces that can wear out though. If your old one looks good you are probably good; otherwise you might want to get one.

Transmission Control Manual Transmission

It is either part 10 or 11 from this diagram.

Steve

Steve is correct. But, if you purchased this from someone, they should have included it. When buying the shift consoles from Porsche dealers these parts are included.

I just got a new one and it came with both of those cable end parts. I haven't gotten around to putting it in, and I am curious as the condition of those sockets as I have a fair amount of "slop" for want of a better word in my shifting. From looking at the steps on this thread it does not look too tough.

If I have the green tool that locks things the shifter into the neutral position does that mean I don't have to mark my cable ends with a sharpie to make sure I get them back into the same place?

Steve

IIRC when I did it I marked the ends, but it was pointless, as the green tool locks the shifter in the right place to allow correct installation of the cables.

Cool, thank you.

OK....question for those who have actually done this mod.....

Is there a huge difference? My '02 Boxster shifting is extremely stiff compared to my '08 Cayman (ie: Rifle Bolt). I assumed that was all in the tranny vs the actual shifter. If I could swap the shifter out and get the Cayman feel in the Box...man that would be GREAT.

Feedback?

The 997 shift console will be a nice change. However, if you want the rifle bolt feel look at the Numeric shift console and cup cables. I had a 997 console then changed to the Numeric set up. I am not sure if just the Numeric colsole without the cables would do it. Very nice.... & pricey! IMHO, well worth it.

A nearly-new one from a 987.2 is on the way...so I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for the info.

Good deal. I am betting it will be part number 997.424.010.00. I don't believe that the standard shifter was changed from 997.1 to 997.2 with the exception of the GT3.

I got mine installed yesterday. (2000 S with 113,000 miles)

Previous to this I had a lot of trouble getting it into reverse unless the car was really warmed up, to the point where when I parked I would put it into reverse, and always park in such a way that that I would not have to engage reverse unless I could park with it already in reverse. Plus it just felt "sloppy" and I had trouble sometimes binding up on the way from 2 to 3. (Note: I realize that if there was legitimate transmission problems that a shifter change would not fix them)

Taking everything apart... Fun times. After I had the console out, I went ahead and took out the lower center cubbies (the piece that gets removed in a GT3 console delete) because it was really hard to maneuver the center console out around that which made it easier to put the center console back in.

I marked the shifter cables with a sharpie before taking out the old shifter, and once I took it out this is what I found:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1409618875.jpg

I believe the cables were set in such a way, combined with the slop due to wear, that the side of this connector was rubbing against the side of the shifter and peeling off. The more it peeled, the more it would bind up. The ball was still in there relatively tight but it popped out with not too much force.

I put the new shifter in, clipped on the tool that sets the neutral position, and tried to put the cables back in (I was curious to see if it would line up with the previous locations.) They did not, the forward/backward one was pretty close, but the left/right was so far off that the cable would not even connect to the clip.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1409619198.jpg

The red lines show the end of the clip, and the end of the connecting piece on the cable. It could not be reassembled in this configuration.

What I ended up with is the left/right cable end at the maximum end of adjustment, and the other cable pretty close to the line. It works well, does not rub, and is waaaay better than before. I took it out on a test drive to verify after a few iterations of shifting in the driveway and adjusting the cables.


In this picture the red lines mark the end of the connector piece so you can see how it related to the cable marking from the previous configuration.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1409619883.jpg

I got everything all buttoned up, and it was a little tougher than I thought to get the screws lined up on the center connector. Today I went to take my son for a ride, and when he went to put his seatbelt on... the fastener end was missing...

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1409619502.jpg

It was under the edge of the center console (where the outline is marked) .... DOH! I had to take of all the screws for the console except the front one and was able to slip it out from under there... That solved the mystery of why I had a hard time getting the screws to line up when I put it back together yesterday.

I am really liking the new shifter so far, and I don't feel like I am about to break something every time I go into reverse...

Steve

Yep.....installed the 987.2 shifter tonight. Nice improvement and I really didn't get the Swepco tranny fluid up to temp to feel the full difference. (Cold Swepco = Bad)

Initial impression is that it's about a mid-way improvement between the stock Box shifter and the Cayman shifter. Very happy and can't wait to get this damn Swepco out and go to something that isn't molasses when cool.

Thanks for this thread. It's been very educational and helpful. Pic is mid-way in the project.

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1409713807.jpg