How do I pre-load shift cables? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

JMINMD923 · 03-24-2014, 11:23 AM

I had to disconnect my shift cables on my 987 S and after reassembly the car will not go into reverse. HELP!!!!!!!!

Brad Roberts · 03-24-2014, 11:40 AM

which end did you remove?? shifter or trans side??

JMINMD923 · 03-24-2014, 01:46 PM

I disconnected the shifter side.

Brad Roberts · 03-24-2014, 02:33 PM

You missed the alignment on the left cable under the shifter. That's all

JFP in PA · 03-24-2014, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMINMD923

I disconnected the shifter side.

You need to insert the neutral alignment tool and reset the cables. Tool cost a couple of bucks from a dealer.

Brad Roberts · 03-24-2014, 04:05 PM

or.. 5minutes resetting the cables. The 987 can be a bit tougher than the 986's to set the cables just right.

You know full well.. LOL he put the center console back thinking he was done (I hope not, honestly)

I did that.. ONE time. Never again. Always row it through all the gears prior to center console install

JMINMD923 · 03-25-2014, 04:59 AM

No luck so far. How do I reset the cables?

I did not put the console back in as it has been out for 6 months so I could paint it but then the weather got to cold.

Brad Roberts · 03-25-2014, 07:58 AM

I'll show you in a pic a little later, may even shoot a video for you. Takes 2 minutes! Where the cable drops down into the connector for the shifter? Pull the cable back out f it and cheat it back just a little. Snap it back down, release the spring loaded cover and test it again

Bottom line? You don't have enough throw at the shifter for the trans to engage R

JMINMD923 · 03-25-2014, 08:30 AM

Thanks, I have parted out 4 boxsters so I have a lot of parts around. Let me know what you need and it is yours if it is shippable.

Brad Roberts · 03-25-2014, 10:23 AM

I've sent many racers to you for parts

I know who you are

Brad Roberts · 03-25-2014, 10:29 AM

Editing the pics now

Brad Roberts · 03-25-2014, 10:41 AM

The left cable controls the (side to side) of the transmission, think of it as "moving across the H pattern"

Our issue here is: it won't go into reverse

This means we do not have enough throw to make the transmission get into the detent for reverse (and the 987 6 speed is really finicky compared to the 986's)

In this first pic, I show you dirt from ChuckWalla (just kidding, the owner visits this site, he will know who he is

I'm showing you the two cables (bare with me, I'm explaining this like we are all in 4th grade) This is a 987 factory shifter in a 986.

Brad Roberts · 03-25-2014, 10:45 AM

In this pic, I'm showing how I push the cover up and expose the actual cable end. The cover is spring loaded. Push it forward on the cable and twist it when it comes to stop. This will keep it against the spring and not trying to jump back down on the cable.

You can also see how I use a yellow paint marker to "mark" it's location prior to removal (so I can put it back quickly at the track) I'm getting old (43) so the brighter the better especially in a black car!

Brad Roberts · 03-25-2014, 10:51 AM

In this next pic, You can see the actual "splines/threads" (they are not threads)

This is a male/female deal. The plastic piece attached to the shifter is "female" and the cable end is "male".

You can unsnap the cable end and cheat it forwards or backwards on those splines.

What JFP was explaining is a factory tool that we snap down into place to hold the shifter in a "neutral" position, and while the trans is in neutral, you can drop the cables into these plastic male/female receivers.

I like to "cheat" the shifter one way or the other from what the factory "suggests" by using their tool (I cheat them towards the driver so 4th-5th is easier to hit with the 5 speeds, and so 5th gear is not up under the dash on the passenger side)

Brad Roberts · 03-25-2014, 10:56 AM

See in the pic above where the "splines" are nearly back to those raised area's on the OUTSIDE of the plastic holder??

Move your cable so it looks like this one! I believe they all end up there (if you don't cheat the shifter like I do in some cars) This one is not cheated one way or the other.

JMINMD923 · 03-25-2014, 11:05 AM

Thanks, I will let you know how it goes.

JMINMD923 · 03-26-2014, 05:09 AM

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Thanks for everyones help. It turned out the the cable had become loose from the holder at the transmission so there was to much play in the cable. I popped it back in and wallah, I now have reverse.

Question. The cables have little silver clamps that hold the cables tight at the shifter end where they clamp in to the shifter platform. Should the cable also have one at the trans end to keep it from popping out as in this case?

Brad Roberts · 03-26-2014, 09:55 AM

They only provide the metal clips at the front for the plastic shifter base. On the trans end, the bracket is steel, so the clips snap in easily. I have seen plenty of them broken from people who just try to yank them out of the steel bracket at the trans.

On the 987B and 987C Porsche F'd up. I'm replacing 2-3 cable sets a year because of the tight radius they tried to make with the push pull cable on the drivers side of the trans. ALL the cables are breaking

FYI: on the race cars I drill two small holes on either side of the trans cable bracket and I safety wire the cables to the bracket. I've had them pop out when the tabs are broken on the cable housing's

JMINMD923 · 03-26-2014, 10:26 AM

Good idea on the trans end to secure the cable. I also broke a cable last year. My mechanic said the same thing about the 987 cables breaking. He did not see this issue with the 986.