Air-cooled Porsche 911 915 Gearbox Shift Coupler DIY Adjustment

Porsche 911 DIY Repair Blog: joe-engineer.com/
Easy way to adjust the shift coupler on your air-cooled Porsche 911 equipped with a 915 gearbox.
Additional Notes:
1. The purpose of the center console removal is mainly to help you pull off the shift boot easily without damaging it.
2. If you have worn coupler or shifter bushings, it may take a couple of tries before you get the adjustment right.
3. Please take all necessary safety precautions. Not responsible for any personal injury or vehicle damage.
Video editing by John Lewis (www.zonoscope....)
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[@VintageWanderer]

Perfect. Just replaced my shift coupler in 20 minutes with only 2 adjustments. Cheers.

[@ArrowheadGarage]

Good video on the shift coupler on the 915!

[@gmonvoisin]

Thank you for this Joe. Very helpful. I just replaced the bushings on my shifter coupler and followed your directions. I did not remove the centre console though for the adjustment - I just lifted the rubber boot on the shifter and that worked fine for the adjustment. Car now shifts perfectly - 1978 911SC Targa.

[@tonymiller8616]

You might want to consider doing the same video for the ‘88-‘89 911 with the G50 shifter assembly.

[@verdeboyo]

To be honest the best place for that is in the old parts bin. WEVO and STOMSKI racing do a much improved coupler, eliminating the need for those bushes, 'costa molti soldi' but worth it 100% for sure

[@diogeneslamp8241]

Hi, I watched your sunroof repair in entirely and I must say you are definitely as precise as the old school Germans I once knew, years ago. My comment is about your shift coupler. I went on eBay and there is a 0 tolerance billet red linkage and I went on their site and they said 0 tolerance is only good for solid and semi solid engine mounts-rauch and spiegel is the brand. Having it too tight may bend your transmission shaft? You are the engineer- this is my guess- they said it should have oval bushes for the engine flex- check it out. Maybe pull out those washers? Sorry, but since you were so generous with me with knowledge, I thought I would say something- I have a 1980 911 sc weissach black- one of 63 left ...New Jersey Nick

[@JoeEngineer]

Thanks for the kind words. I dont have any experience with solid or semi-solid mounts so I cant comment on the effects on shifting. My setup has OE transmission mounts, OE cup/collar bushings at the shifter, rebuilt OE shifter unit (this helped A LOT), and the brass coupler bushings. The coupler is the only component that is tighter than OE. I do agree that if you take the flex out of everything (especially all at once) you are going to have a tough time getting the shifting dialed in. The red R&S coupler has delrin bushings. Just me, but I would try replacing the bushings on the OE coupler first with $10 round-hole plastic versions before shelling out for the red coupler, which is a machined version of the same thing.

[@reidejensen4990]

Great video! Very easy to follow. Thank You!

[@mirkodemarinis1769]

Might be old but… I just tried this in my 1972 2.4 T. It seemed to work but now… I can’t get into reverse gear! Did as you said, lever in the middle and left. Is there a way I can make the car work again without calling the mechanic? Hahah

[@JoeEngineer]

Depending on how worn out the rest of the linkage stuff is it might take a few tries. Try varying the adjustment in one direction or another and see how it affects all the gears. You'll find the sweet spot.

[@marionfisk7926]

Great videos Joe enjoy your videos but I have a question on this video I can’t remember I haven’t watched all of it but when you very first start to adjust the coupler do you have the transmission in first gear or in neutral to begin the adjustment of the coupler.? Thank you Marion Fisk

[@diogeneslamp8241]

Who do you like to rebuild your shifter? I may want to send mine out but don’t know who to trust... I can just go with stock bushings for now or I may try one of those stomski racing couplers- look pretty good and still can wiggle with the engine shake. Please tell me who you used for the shifter rebuild....

[@JoeEngineer]

I rebuilt my own 915 shifter housing with factory short shift kit P/N 91142493100. Its pretty easy to do.

[@Mark-ve5gr]

Hi, I've watched this adjustment video and I got it to shift better than before, however, it will sometimes still catch reverse when I'm shifting from 5th to 4th. I noticed that with the ''wrong'' move I'm able to shift it into reverse without the metal pin on the shifter engaging with the housing (the metal plates you have with 5th and reverse) Got any idea what that might be or what I'm doing wrong? Every gear engages perfectly. Thanks!

[@JoeEngineer]

I ran into that same situation a few times on my early adjustments. On my worn gearbox (and shifter and bushings) it seemed as I improved engagement in some gears it reduced engagement in others. Or it seemed like I got it dialed in but then later on I would nick a gear or two. This improved once I redid all the bushings, and improved even more once I rebuilt the shifter itself. I eventually got it to engage all 5 forward gears, get the reverse lockout to work correctly, but the drawback for me is that I will occasionally nick reverse gear when intentionally shifting into it. This was a good compromise for me because I want all 5 gears to engage at speed and the lockout to prevent me from shifting into reverse while moving forward. When I want to back up (which is much less often) I can avoid nicking reverse if I quickly shift into 1st then back into reverse. While this is not perfect it will have to do until I can rebuild the box itself. Hope this helps!

[@akihasaka]

Great vid! To summarise basically, make sure the the coupler is at its most counter clockwise position, while having the shifter in the 1/2 shift plane?

[@cesaraxl2523]

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[@raphaelzion1366]

@Cesar Axl Instablaster ;)

[@cesaraxl2523]

@Raphael Zion thanks for your reply. I found the site through google and I'm in the hacking process now. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@cesaraxl2523]

@Raphael Zion It did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thank you so much you really help me out!

[@raphaelzion1366]

@Cesar Axl Glad I could help :D

[@francescobertelli8588]

i dont understand why you use the Netley as reference but you actually don't use their instructions... the way you do it seems like you are not really resetting it no?

[@zonoscopePictures]

Highly recommend doing this if you have a 915 transmission.

[@worldwidesports4k]

Thank you sir👍

[@chuckwatson6230]

How do you set the position of the transmission rod before starting this? I am reinstalling engine and trans and so I don't know what shift position the transmission is starting at.

[@JoeEngineer]

Oh man good question. Going off of memory here but I think you want to be in the middle radially and axially to be in neutral. Regardless when you get it in the car and clamp down the coupler set screw on the rod, the shifter lever will move to whatever gear you are actually in. Then you go through iterations of repositioning the clamp on the tunnel shift rod to make sure it goes into all gears.

[@gtbarnes11]

YOU SERIOUSLY DID NOT REPLACE THE 2 COUPLER BUSHINGS WHILE U HAD THAT OUT??? They were worn out! should have NO play in any direction and they are cheap 10:30 That is terrible play!!! THOSE 2 black bushings are TIGHT when new, no play . Even better hard urethane or bronze. Press the pin out easy with air hammer. New ones go in by hand with some go-jo(slippery stuff/white hand cleaner) then knock the pin back in. You will really feel the difference.(except in a 914, but it helps)

[@JoeEngineer]

The bushings in the coupler are only 500 miles old but I saw what you saw and am rebuilding an extra one. How do you like the bronze bushings?

[@davidward4620]

Does this adjustment work the same with the dog leg gearbox of a 1969 911 ??

[@JoeEngineer]

To be honest I am not sure. Maybe one of my long hood 911 subscribers can chime in. I can tell you that this seems to be more of an issue with 915 gearboxes so I would start by verifying all your bushings are in good condition and see if improvement is still necessary.