B&M install advice needed - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Auf los! · 12-26-2011, 04:36 PM

Got the B&M for Xmas, and installed it today in my '01 S. Had a LOT of difficulty with it, until I realized that the pre-installed nylon inserts in the two big blue bushings were not installed far enough. Once I tapped them in below the rim of the bushings, the shifter went in fine.

When I had it in the car, and used the marks I made on the cable, I could not access reverse. O-kayyy... I started moving the two cables around in the links, and by positioning the left cable BACK, and locating the right one IN, I finally could get all the gears, whew. I finished the install and took it for a short drive.

HOLY COW, now this is more like it! I know it is supposed to be a 35% reduction in shift throw, but it feels more like 75%. It now shifts much more like my old Miata, and the shifter stays upright, instead of laid waaay back for 2nd, 4th, and 6th. Yes, there is more oomph needed to shift, but I feel it is now in keeping with the steering effort and braking effort...the original shifter always felt floppy and loose to me.

I think I need to adjust it some more, though. Getting reverse was never easy, and now it is about twice as difficult, and it feels like I am barely in there, the throw UP is tiny. When I go into 1st, 3rd, and 5th, the shifter is banging on something...it feels and sounds like metal on metal, or metal on thick plastic, anyway. It's almost like I now have a gated shifter, and the shifter shaft is hitting the end of the gate. In a way, I LIKE it...I am so used to NOT knowing when I am in a gear, that it is great to hit that "stop" and KNOW that I am in gear before letting up on the clutch, but I find it hard to believe that this is correct, mainly because there is no corresponding "banging stop" for 2nd, 4th, and 6th.

Those of you with B&Ms...can you give me some tips on adjusting this? Am I right in thinking that I should eliminate the banging stops? And will getting over and up for reverse always be a lot more difficult? Thanks!

blue2000s · 12-26-2011, 05:16 PM

You need to make sure the rod end isn't running into the housing both front to back and side to side. The end of shift travel should keep the ball joint from bumping anything. You can watch for it by running through the gears without the center console in place. Marking the cables didn't do anything for me, I had to readjust the cables completely.

Auf los! · 12-27-2011, 03:03 AM

When I was trying to find all the gears, I checked for interference at the same time, but I admit I was concentrating on what the links were doing. The funny thing is, for the hundred or more shifts I performed in the garage before finishing, I'm sure this bang-stop thing was not happening.

I chose to install the set-screw and nut on the aft (rear) bushing, not the front. This shoved the shifter all the way forward in the housing, and maybe this is why I am getting the bang-stop on only 1st, 3rd, and 5th?

Should I remove and reinstall the set screw in the other (forward) bushing? This would shove the shifter aft, "away" from 1st, 3rd, and 5th--maybe this will buy me a little room, and I won't get the bang-stop anymore?

Burg Boxster · 12-27-2011, 03:27 AM

Congrats on your DIY.

There shouldn't be any 'bang' stops, especially on only half of the gearbox. If there are look at two separate things:

- did you remove the shifter assembly's appendix (green plastic plate on bottom of housing)? If not, do so ASAP.

- adjust (shorten) the cable on the right (as facing forward in vehicle) one or two threads at a time until the banging ceases

Good luck

Auf los! · 12-28-2011, 02:32 PM

I never had the green plastic plate, so that's not the prob.

I guess I will just have to get at the thing again and play with the cable ends.

I'm kind of worried about reverse, though. Is it fair to say that part of the trade-off of installing a B&M means reverse is a lot harder to get into?

blue2000s · 12-28-2011, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auf los!

When I was trying to find all the gears, I checked for interference at the same time, but I admit I was concentrating on what the links were doing. The funny thing is, for the hundred or more shifts I performed in the garage before finishing, I'm sure this bang-stop thing was not happening.

I chose to install the set-screw and nut on the aft (rear) bushing, not the front. This shoved the shifter all the way forward in the housing, and maybe this is why I am getting the bang-stop on only 1st, 3rd, and 5th?

Should I remove and reinstall the set screw in the other (forward) bushing? This would shove the shifter aft, "away" from 1st, 3rd, and 5th--maybe this will buy me a little room, and I won't get the bang-stop anymore?

The set screw position will influence it a little, but it sounds like you just need to adjust the position of the cable in the rod ends. When the cables are right, reverse should come as easily as any other gear.

Auf los! · 01-15-2012, 03:33 PM

Just wanted to update the thread. Yesterday got the console off again to adjust the shifter. Switched the set screw and nut to the fore position and used it to force the whole assembly slightly aft, away from 1st, 3rd, and 5th. Then detached the cables, and reattached them to the marks I made on the cables. Excellent results!

The banging is gone, reverse seems to be the same as stock. I love the shorter shift action, which does improve as the gearbox warms up.

I should have done this the first week I had the car!

Homeboy981 · 06-07-2012, 07:07 AM

Thanks for helping me with my 2002 986 S install problem I was installing a SSK. The marks I had made were not done properly in the right place (I did them to the inside of the cable BOT outside where it mattered. So with the SSK installed I had to start over on the cable end placement. I had tried multiple options but will ensure the cable ends are where they belong.

Is there any downside from being out side the "sweet spot"? I KNOW someone is going off topic with that one but it is the easiest way to explain. If I miss the "premium shifting point" either by not taking enough slack in the cable, or, pulling cable too taught….will there be any negative effects? How will I be able to tell I am there (or is that another question that will get the "if you have to ask when you are there - then your trip is not complete, grasshopper" response). Or is it one of those things that "when it's right you know it". Today must be old cliche day, hmm.

Wish I could ask it a different way, maybe someone else can do better...

Auf los! · 06-07-2012, 05:08 PM

Homeboy, I think there probably IS a "sweet spot," but there are so many variables (the left cable, the right cable, how tight the set screw is, whether the set screw is fore or aft) that you could go crazy adjusting the thing forever looking for the perfect setup.

I'm sure that one thing that helps is to have a front motor mount that is in good shape. Since I doubted mine, I replaced it before installing the SSK.

I would like to be able to experiment with it, making one adjustment at a time and driving it for a few days, etc., but it is such a PITA to get AT the thing, that I will probably never do that.

Five months down the road, I am still loving the thing, but I am never going to totally happy with it, it being a cable shifter, and me having totally been spoiled by my Miata's direct shifter.

The best thing about it is that the shifter effort now more closely matches my Boxster's steering effort and braking effort.