997 shifter install question??
 

I went ahead and bought the stock 987/997 shifter assembly. I am almost ready to put it in. I have patiently taken the center console apart according to some very detailed instructions I found posted here - I believe they are the install instructions for the B&M short shift kit... they made it very easy to figure out how to get my center console out w/out breaking anything... although i did find it very hard to pry the actual center console out once I had everything else removed - it was a very tight fit between teh seats and the emergency brake.... lets just say it didn't "lift right out".

1) was it supposed to "lift right out"? I followed the instructions exactly... and I felt like I had to "bend" it somewhat to wedge it out.

2) my next question is this..i notice in teh B&M instructions it says the "mark" the positions of the shifter cables before I disconnect them. from my quick read of other people's threads who have put in the 997 shifter assembply (what I have) they just disconnected the old ones, and reconnected the new ones and no adjustments of any kind were done. am I supposed to adjust anything - or CAN I adjust anything - or am i supposed to just unhook the old cables and then rehook up the cables to the new console?

tonight when I get home from work - i'm hoping to finish this and get the new assembly installed and then put the center console back in. :)

I'm dying to try this thing out.... I will be sure to post a thread with some thoughts once it's in....

From what I recall the rear comes out first. Just make sure your handbrake is engaged or else it won't come out.

I marked my cable position but you should also make use of the shifter centering tool as well.

does the rear section of the center console come out FIRST?? :) if that's the case, then I was stupid and took the whole thing out in one piece... okayyyyyyy... live and learn.

when you say the centering tool - do you mean that green thing that is affixed to my shifter when i bought it? there is some green plastic thing snapped on to the metal shifter stalk...i have no idea what it is...

The centering tool is that green plastic part that was attached to the shifter when you got it. It's purpose is to hold the lever exactly vertical when you attach the cables. The cable still may need to be adjusted, even if you marked them.

I recommend that you install the shifter and cables but wait with the armrest. Drive the car around a little to make sure that the lever isn't knocking into the base in all positions so that you get full cable extension before you put the armrest back on.

I'm not really sure what i'd be marking if I were to "mark" the cables...

i know there are two cables, but it's obviouslynot as basic as which one is on the left and which one is on the right... it must be something to do with how far up they connect with the assembly or something.

i'm just going to go out there and take a stab at it and hope that I don'e fubar my shifter...

thanks for the suggestions..i'll report back... :D

another small question - once i removed my stock shifter housing, I noticed that there was a "neon" green / lime green colored plastic piece on the stock housing that was NOT on my new 987 housing - but the new housing clearly had hte exact same fittings/cut outs so that the piece off my old housing woudl come off the stock one and snap right onto the new one.

if you've done this mod you know what i'm talking aboutg - in the B&M insgtructions they call it something like the shifter floor plate... it's about 2" x 2". and it has 3 little pronts that insert/grab the base of the plate... it's bright green...

the B&M instructions say to remove it - but that's part of the process to get the shifter out and put in their new shifter kit..but i never see any info to say to put it back in...

since my new housing has a spot for this thing, i am assuming it's supposed to be there, and i'm supposed to transplant it off the old hosuing onto the new one...

did you guys keep this part? does it really do anyhthing? shoudl I remove it and NOT use it on the new shifter?

the passenger side shift cable seems to rest on it - but so did my stock one..not sure if that is good/bad... i have rowed through the gears and there is no sticking or problems..it seems to shift into each gear fine...

Leave it off.

i left it off.

it's almost back together.

I think I am going to like this shifter... full report to follow....