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I'm on the stock shifter with updated OEM cables, very happy with the setup but wouldn't mind a GT3 shifter if I had lots of money to burn.
I find that dealer prices for parts, with the 10% Porsche Classic discount that my dealer gives me, is pretty equivalent to ordering from the USA once you factor in exchange and shipping. I got my OEM cable set from a local independent shop. You don't need to be a dealer to order parts from Porsche.
If you like a rifle bolt feel of the shifter, go with the Numeric shifter and cables. I’ve installed them in two track cars I’ve owned. I’ve not heard of anyone regretting it. You can choose between three different throw settings.
Update: In the end I went with updated OEM cables with lever and bracket and a Ben Automotive Design set up. I couldn't get the old lever off the transmission so I took it apart in situ and just welded it together. The new design just looks like the old design welded together anyhow.
option 1 came with my car.
The shifter cables get stiff in the cold
There isn't enough noise suppression somehow and it makes a lot of noise through the cables into the cabin. Yeah sounds weird, I know, but super annoying.
Support sucks. I've tried to get support on both issues and they will not answer me. I assume they know of the issues and don't want to tell me I just have to live with it?
I have been using option 1 for the past 3 years with no issue. This is not the option if you want a quiet shifter. The mechanical act of shifting is considerably louder but has a satisfying sound and feel. The stock setup is much quieter and has a softer feel.
With that said my priorities are a mix of street and track and sound from shifter is not much of a concern.
if I had the option to change my shifter again I would likely still do option 1.
One suggestion if you do go the route of option 1 is to add a weighed shift ****. Raceseng is local to me and made me a custom **** that helps smooth out shifts and couldn’t be happier.
I have been using option 1 for the past 3 years with no issue. This is not the option if you want a quiet shifter. The mechanical act of shifting is considerably louder but has a satisfying sound and feel. The stock setup is much quieter and has a softer feel.
With that said my priorities are a mix of street and track and sound from shifter is not much of a concern.
if I had the option to change my shifter again I would likely still do option 1.
One suggestion if you do go the route of option 1 is to add a weighed shift ****. Raceseng is local to me and made me a custom **** that helps smooth out shifts and couldn’t be happier.
Is there a video of the difference in sound? Why is this a talking point?
I can't compare to stock but the 987.2 2.9 I just bought has the older style numeric cables already installed. I then installed an ebay short shifter.
Shifting is great right now. I assume one day the nylon will wear on the bellcrank where the aluminum rubs against it.... But so far so good!
Shifting is direct, smooth and precise. With a satisfying rifle bolt feel and short throw. There is no worrying about what "lane" you are in 1st, 3rd or 5th.
I am not sure about the noise issue...everything I hear is great.
The. ebay shifter was not plug and play and needed a little fettling to get it in place. For $40 bucks it can't be beat.
I then added one of Manuel's Birch and Rosewood 917 style *****.
I've spent a small fortune and countless hours trying to find all around best shifting experience in my 987.2 Cayman. My goal was direct feel, very minimal play, and smooth shifting action. I'm convinced it's just not possible with these 987/997 cars, largely because of the cable design. There's too many components that allow for play and movement.
When I got my 2011 Cayman with 68K miles last October, it still had original cables and bushings. The shift action was pretty hilarious. I researched a lot and decided to go with the upgrade Porsche cables (987-424-042-12), pivot lever (981-424-023-00), and cable support (987-424-065-01) because I had heard too many stories of the Numerics being loud, difficult to adjust, hard to shift sometimes, etc. When installing the pivot, I took apart the original pivot and it had an internal rubber bushing which was severely shot where as the replacement one was a single piece of metal with no bushing. https://www.planet-9.com/threads/fyi...part-s.253640/ No bushing in the pivot means less unwanted movement and more direct feel. I also installed the Phenix Engineering shifter metal bushings at the same time.
The cables, pivot and support were great. They were quiet. The bushings though still allowed for too much lateral (side to side movement while in gear; ~1/4" movement) and aft movement (~1/8") in the shifter housing. It was not much better than the worn out plastic bushings I replaced. Plus the shift action was clunky/noisy and you could feel a slight stiction in the shifter action. There was also more feedback through the shifter which I think was due to the solid pivot lever and the metal bushings.
I then got a Shift-Right bushing kit from Function First. It was alright. It fixed the forward movement in the shifter housing, but the lateral play shift action was still there as was the clunk/noise and stiction and feedback.
I then added tungsten putty to the inside of my shift **** to add weight and hopefully reduce some of the feedback and clunk/noise. It helped a little.
I then got a metal/Delrin shift **** from Function First with hope of improving feedback and clunk/noise. It made things a bit worse than the stock shift **** with the putty. The stock **** with the putty went back on after a few months.
I then found one of the original Porsche shift shift kits $320 (rebranded B&M short shifter?) with the OEM plastic bushings. I installed the shifter with the Shift-Right bushing kit. Nope. Way too noisy. The shift action was great though. Felt way more meaty and direct in a good way. The lateral play remained. The stiction and feedback largely remained.
I then removed the Shift-Right bushing kit and installed all the OEM shifter components including the new OEM plastic bushings. Those plastic bushings made a huge difference. The bushings improved the clunk/noise, stiction, feedback, etc. by 50% or more. The lateral play remained.
I then changed out the transmission fluid from the standard Mobil 1 fill the Porsche dealer shortly before selling me the car and I went with the expensive ($120) and hard to acquire Mobilube PTX 75W-90. That fluid definitely improved the stiction and overall shift action.
It's taken me a ton of money and time to get to this point. If I were to do it over again, I think I'd just get the replacement cables/lever/support and get the more expensive OEM Porsche short shifter assembly for $550 and call it a day. The short shifter assembly is almost all plastic which would reduce feedback and noise. https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/99742498300.html
If I were to do it over again, I think I'd just get the replacement cables/lever/support and get the more expensive OEM Porsche short shifter assembly for $550 and call it a day.
That’s exactly what I did, including the tungsten putty. I’m pretty happy.
ETA, I also had my local Indy guy change out my transmission fluid. My ‘09 2.9 only has 49K miles but it is working on 15 years old. It made a significant difference.
11-01-2023, 11:33 AM
