B&M installed, real sticky/gummy in neutral

Hi, Just had the B&M SSK installed (bought from Bumperplugs). And the neutral position is really 'sticky'. Normally in neutral, the shifter can move sideways easily, and the spring positions the shifter rest at the 3rd/4th gear position. In my case, once in neutral, the shifter feel slike it is sitting in chewing gum. Whatever gear it comes out of, that's where it sits in neutral. My shop had done numerous Caymans and Boxsters so I am sure they know what they are doing. They called B&M and they said that it could be that the bushings are just too new. Let it wear in for a few thousand miles, and it will be fine. The shifter shifts beautifully, and slides into each gear with similar effort as the OEM shifter. The throw is much shorter so I do like it a lot. It's just that the neutral position is a little' un-natural'. I will let it go for a few thousand miles. If it does not improve, I may need to do something else. May go back to the OEM shifter. Is this normal? If not, what else can I try, teflon coatings? Thanks. CP

Hm, that doesn't sound normal at all. My B&M shifter slides side-to-side without any stickiness in neutral and springs back to center when you let go of it. I'd get it checked out by the installer if you didn't install it yourself. What you're experiencing definitely should not be happening.

There is an adjustment to make when installing the shifter for the lateral play. Its a screw to tighten to reduce the play-sounds like they got yours too tight. It may loosen w/ time but if not, loosening this screw will do the trick. Unfortunately, getting the console out for the adjustment is a real chore. Its unlikely to be a defect from B and M as the lateral play is unrestricted until you tighten that nut. igor

Sound like the end caps are either too tight, or the bottom linkage is hitting on the bottom of the cage. Either way, it's not the fault of the B&M shifter. It's the fault of the installation. Going back to the EOM shifter will not be an easy or inexpensive fix. During the installation of the B&M, your original shifter cage was likely modified irreversibly. If so, you would need to buy a new complete shifter to go back. If I were you, I'd address this with the installer immediately, before you end up doing transmission damage.

Igor is right, the installer tightened the set screw too much, it makes the shifter not slide left-right in neutral as smoothly. The set screw reduces movement up and down, but if you over tighten just makes the shifter too difficult to move left to right. - Suneet

What Igor said.

no problem with mine. Shifts like a hot knife...

Stick with the Factory SS kit.

I love the factory SS kit too but the problem is people can't get it on their 07 models IIRC.

i had the b&m short shifter installed a month ago. i don't have the problem with the side to side movement, but mine seems hard to get into reverse. i did not notice it at first, so i wonder if it is a progressive problem. anyone have any ideas with this?

I never had issues with reverse on mine, I actually thought it was the best feel out of all the other gears, very positive and guided shift action. The B&M seems very install specific, I had to go back and mess with my set screw to get it exactly where I wanted it. - SS

My B&M reverse is a little harder than the stock one was, and I don't mind as other gears are just perfect. Playing with the screw should get you where you want to be with easiness/progressivness etc... that said, if it IS a problem with a screw set too tight, I would wonder where the installer's head was (probably on the track, with your car..)

that really doesn't sound right at all? Was it a DIY? There's a number of things that can make it feel that way, ranging from how it's adjusted, tightness or screws etc... how much lube. If there's someone else in the area that has one, try it out, they are crisp and far from gummy when done right. There's also some filing that needs to be done in order to get a perfect fit. Unfortunately B&M still won't fess up to the fact that the 997S/987S (2005 997 apart) are not exactly the same hence their 996 designed one needs a bit of tweaking to work just right.

I had a B&M in my last Cayman and the new one doesn't have an SSK, but will probably go with the B&M again. I thought I had a little too much left-right play in my B&M but when I felt the factory short shifter today, it did the exact same thing!!! A little bit of left to right movement while the car is in gear, 1-2mm. I guess it's just natural with cable shifters.