Hard to get into gear
 

I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions or solutions. My Boxster seems like it has been progressively harder to get into gear (all of them) since new. I've tried different shifter setups, different gear lube ect to no avail. It's the worst when cold, but doesn't get much better even when warmed up. It's to the point now where I almost avoid driving the thing because it's such a chore to shift. I recently drove a fellow board member's 04 Boxster S which is nearly identical to mine and it shifted like a hot knife through butter compared to mine. Could it be the shift cable? Trans linkage? Any thoughts?

Oddly enough, your front motor mount may be the culprit. When the bushing falls apart and the front of the motor drops a bit, it can make shifting stiff.

If it's never been replaced it most certainly needs it from all I read and have learned from Pedro's Garage (a forum member and web site you should visit if you're not familiar with it).

Adam,

You may want to investigate the condition of your engine mounts, especially the front one. As I recall, an engine mount problem can lead to difficult shifting. The thing has a big polymer web which deteriorates over time. Do your tailpipes move a lot when shifting? Get somebody to follow you..

....ahhh Mr. Randall beat me to the post I see! As you were....carry on

Thanks guys. I've heard of the motor mount issue as a cause for difficult shifting but it totally escaped me these past few days when thinking about it. I'll check out Pedro's site and a few others and price a front mount. I bet you guys are right because it has just gotten progressively worse over the years. Hopefully it's a fairly easy DIY. Thanks again fellas!

I've been researching this motor mount deal a little bit. Pedro takes cores and fills the bracket in with his own rubber/poly insert. That's one option. Have any of you guys tried the Cheetah mount? $125 out the door.

http://www.cheetahonline.com/products/c8037.html

It's a press in poly insert. Just goes right into your existing bracket. No core charge and you reuse your original metal bracket.

After doing some research I'm not convinced yet the motor mount is the cause of the hard shifting. The motor and transaxle are married together and the transaxle is cable actuated. If a mount failed then I would think the flex in the cable would compensate for this? How exactly does a failed mount cause difficult shifting? Also, it's difficult for me to get into gear even when stationary and not under load and there is no strange vibration around 2-3,000 rpm as many people report with a failed mount. Has anybody else on here cured the same issue I'm having with a front mount swap? I'd like to hear from you.

Installing a new OEM front motor mount should transform your car from a hassle to drive to a joy to drive. I also recommend the Gbox shift detent modification.

How exactly does a failed mount cause difficult shifting?

You know, it makes ZERO common sense to me, but everyone who has replaced their motor mount exclaims, "Shifting is like butter now."

Go figure.

I know for a fact my motor mount is shot due to age and I do not have the vibrations that are a tell-tale sign of a worn mount. Yet I will replace it this summer for sure.

I have the same shifting issue but no other reported motor mount issues. I have the mount in the garage and will be swapping it out as soon as the weather gets nice, I'm hoping it fixes the problem!

Front engine mount was a culprit for me.
It was really hard to shift especially when the car was cold.. lower gears were impossible
I did however have a vibration around 3k rpm
Changed my mount to 987 one and shifting is much easier now.. it's a simple DIY just make sure you have a flexible head 15mm wrench..
The only hard part was supporing engine with scissors jack while working on mount.. it's scary as hell:)

Thanks
Sasha

Well, my back is pretty much up against the wall and the mount sounds like the culprit so I'll probably end up swapping the front mount soon...probably just go with the 987 mount....don't really want the whole car vibrating like crazy all the time with an aftermarket unit. Just hope it works....I hate throwing parts at a car when I'm not certain it will cure the issue. I'll let you guys know, please do the same when you get yours installed Tawheed. Thanks guys!

Adam,

Look forward to your findings with this! I won't be doing mine for a couple of months yet, I was contemplating DIY'ng it but it seems like it'd be a pain to do on stands vs $150 in labor quoted by my local porsche indy.. If this works for you I'll have some hope! I'm the same way, I can't understand how it's the engine mount, I'm just hoping it is!

Thanks!

I would think the torque reaction of a loose engine trans. assembly rotating about the axles would load up the transmission drive path in a way such that makes shifting harder. Perhaps this motion prevents the selected gear's synchro load...just a guess

Agreed, I meant moreso because I only have 52K kms or something, can it really go bad that quickly?? The owner before me was the type who never revved past 5k rpms..