986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post

jakeru · 11-05-2015, 05:50 PM

I just got a 9x7 shifter and also look forward soon to installation in my 2001 5-speed with 110k miles (and no doubt the original, worn out 9x6 shifter).

You can easily identify that it's the "right" 9x7 shifter by visual inspection - make sure the plastic part at the base of the shift rod is black (and it will have a steel plate screwed to the side). The version with white plastic at the base is the 9x6 style, (and I believe it may have been used on some 9x7 5-speeds... I don't have all the details there, but I would shy away from those.)

Also, don't overpay for a used shifter. You can get a brand new 9x7 shifter from a discount Porshce dealer for a hair over $200, FYI. You can get new joint fittings that go underneath the shifter from a discount Porsche dealer for about $30. (These are included with a new dealer-ordered shifter, but sometimes not an eBay shifter).

I found a neat video on blueprinting the factory shifter here:
http://youtu.be/iJv0wI72aRg

I found on my basically brand new 9x7 shifter, the .005" flat spacer was beneficial, but there was no need yet for the washer spacer. (Perhaps that will wear with miles).

I also found a new aftermarket Porsche shifter accessory that I'm curious if anyone's tried? It looks similar to the aluminum bushings in a 997.2 GT3 shifter:
https://phenixengineering.com/shop/porsche-997-gt3-style-billet-shift-bushing-kit/

The factory plastic bushings here (which the aluminum versions would replace) actually seem pretty solid. But then again, Porsche with the 997.2 GT3 shifter used similar aluminum bushings, so if there wasn't some sort of benefit, one would wonder why they went to the trouble?

One clear benefit to the aluminum bushings is the plastic bushings seem near impossible to remove without destroying in the process (with no known direct match replacements being available), whereas the aluminum versions would be reusable. (But I actually managed to install my .005" shim stock in the side "ball cage" assembly without taking the whole shifter apart, so am not sure if I will need or benefit from this product.)

Hope this helps - best of luck! PS - I plan on changing my trains fluid soon too. (No knowing if the stuff in my box is still original with 110k miles! I can say that my synchros seem to be working well when warmed up, but pretty poorly when cold).

11-05-2015, 05:50 PM	#4
jakeru Registered User Join Date: May 2015 Location: Greater Seattle, WA Posts: 534	I just got a 9x7 shifter and also look forward soon to installation in my 2001 5-speed with 110k miles (and no doubt the original, worn out 9x6 shifter). You can easily identify that it's the "right" 9x7 shifter by visual inspection - make sure the plastic part at the base of the shift rod is black (and it will have a steel plate screwed to the side). The version with white plastic at the base is the 9x6 style, (and I believe it may have been used on some 9x7 5-speeds... I don't have all the details there, but I would shy away from those.) Also, don't overpay for a used shifter. You can get a brand new 9x7 shifter from a discount Porshce dealer for a hair over $200, FYI. You can get new joint fittings that go underneath the shifter from a discount Porsche dealer for about $30. (These are included with a new dealer-ordered shifter, but sometimes not an eBay shifter). I found a neat video on blueprinting the factory shifter here: http://youtu.be/iJv0wI72aRg I found on my basically brand new 9x7 shifter, the .005" flat spacer was beneficial, but there was no need yet for the washer spacer. (Perhaps that will wear with miles). I also found a new aftermarket Porsche shifter accessory that I'm curious if anyone's tried? It looks similar to the aluminum bushings in a 997.2 GT3 shifter: https://phenixengineering.com/shop/porsche-997-gt3-style-billet-shift-bushing-kit/ The factory plastic bushings here (which the aluminum versions would replace) actually seem pretty solid. But then again, Porsche with the 997.2 GT3 shifter used similar aluminum bushings, so if there wasn't some sort of benefit, one would wonder why they went to the trouble? One clear benefit to the aluminum bushings is the plastic bushings seem near impossible to remove without destroying in the process (with no known direct match replacements being available), whereas the aluminum versions would be reusable. (But I actually managed to install my .005" shim stock in the side "ball cage" assembly without taking the whole shifter apart, so am not sure if I will need or benefit from this product.) Hope this helps - best of luck! PS - I plan on changing my trains fluid soon too. (No knowing if the stuff in my box is still original with 110k miles! I can say that my synchros seem to be working well when warmed up, but pretty poorly when cold). Last edited by jakeru; 11-05-2015 at 06:21 PM.