Little concerned

[bella986]

Purchased my used 1997 2.5l boxster this weekend. Put plates on it a 7pm, taking wife to dinner, drove two miles and something happened. Shifted smooth into 1, ,2 ,3 4 and when shifting into 5th, I got third gear...Now the only gear it will go in is 3rd and 4th. Has no resistance left to right, feels disconnected, cannot get into 1,2,5 or R. Feels like something disconnected on the linkage. Please tell me the first three miles we have driven are not a foreshadowing. 99K on vehicle, perfect maintained , every document since it was put on the road November 4, 1997.
thanks in advance for any guidance.

[sb01box]

first of all, great looking car.. welcome

there are two cables connecting the shift lever to the transmission.
one is for the left-right, the other is for front and back motion of the shifter.
if you go to here

Porsche Original Parts Catalogue - Parts and Diagnostic Information - Porsche Service - Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

you can see the catalog for boxsters. select your model..

my best guesstimate is
it's the case of broken/disconnected "fastening part for cable adjuster" by the shifter or the "linkage adjustable" pieces by the transmission.

easiest is to look between the muffler and the secondary catalytic on the passenger side. there is an aluminum protection plate and the cable ends are behind it.
make sure that the parking brake is on, car is on level ground and place brick or 2x4 such that the car does not move.

get a person to move the shifter left-right-left and see if the upper linkage at the transmission moves.
if it moves then follow the linkages and see if it is moving a shaft in/out of the transmission.
if there is no motion, most likely is the cable adjuster by the shifter or a square block in the shifter assembly.
anything else... is... beyond the understanding of this Boxster owner.
hope this helps.. and good luck.

[Mark_T]

You could also have a look under the console to see if one of the two cables has popped out or broken.

Here's a thread with some pics:

DIY - 997 Shifter Install

If you need to remove the console to do the fix then these are good instructions for getting it out:

http://bmracing.com/wp-bnmcont/uploads/45135.pdf

[clickman]

I managed to break a small plastic rivet/retainer in the shifter housing under the console that holds on one of the cables, resulting in a situation similar to yours. Just pushing the shift cable back on worked, but it was a great excuse to upgrade to the 9x7 short shifter.

[bella986]

thank you for your responses.I will explore under the vehicle tonight, follow up with console removal. Very hopeful, with your responses.
very excited about this vehicle, as well as every document back to it's launching, factory tire change gloves, unwrapped Porsche leather key pocket, embroidered 986 mats, all came with vehicle
ironically it came with an EXTRA new black Porsche steering wheel with airbag inserts, new in box. is this worth anything??

[Mark_T]

3 spoke or 4?

[bella986]

steering wheel has three points of contact, obviously two to the sides, one down, airbag insert with pin connectors on the back, pretty heavy, Porsche symbol is embossed, not the gold shield like on the original, but box and packing looks like factory stuff

[Mark_T]

You could get a good price for a brand new 3-spoke steering wheel with airbag if you don't use it. The 97 would have come with a 4 spoke wheel originally. It's one of those things that we all pay big bucks to upgrade.

[BruceH]

Great looking car! Sounds like the shift linkage as others have said. That's a bummer your ownership started out like that, I am sure the wife is impressed! Hopefully it will be a simple fix and then try for dinner this weekend. Cars break, not just Boxsters, it happens. It looks like you got a well cared for car.

[Mark_T]

OMG!! He made a post under the (gasp!!) wrong heading!!! Ban him!! Fine Him!! Off with his head!! Make an example of him to others of his ilk!!

[BruceH]

Well looky there! Now you have a fund for future repairs!