Another Tranny noise post

I have a 99 C4 with 97000 miles on it. It has been increasingly stubborn about going into 1st at stops. It stays in gear when I get it right, but sometime it is like the detent did not slot all the way together and pops out. What really bothers me is this: It’s starting to develop some part throttle noise. The sound is like there is excess end play letting the gears move on a shaft. Steady speed, acceleration, and decelerating do not generate the noise. If this was the tranny in my Triumph GT6 I would say that a thrust washer had dropped on the lay shaft and was letting the laygear move. I’m going to drain the lube today see what it looks like, but the GP is on now so it’s a good time to send this. I was hoping to drive down for PDX Burgers and Beers this Thursday if it is on, but I’m getting a bit paranoid about more than a drive to work and the chance that it might do something extremely expensive instead of just costly. Thanks Lance

I changed the gear lube after the F1 GP. The lube looks like a mix of gear lube and never-seize Dark gray with a silvery sheen to it. The sludge in the sump around the drain was thick with a lot of very fine magnetic metal flake. The good thing is I couldn’t feel any chunks or large particles. A magnet did not pickup any chunks and none washed out with the fluid. I don't think i need a fortune teller for this one. Now if i could just afford to do all i should do while I when I drop the the engine and tranny.

If you made it that mileage on that gearbox without a rebuild consider yourself lucky. The sealed bearings in that box have a history of failing in the 40-50k mi range. The 1st gear popout issue is also well documented and can be remedied when it's rebuilt. Just be sure you take it to someone who knows this particular gearbox. It's not like any other gearbox found in other Porsches. It requires a really big press and some special tools even most transmisson experts don't own. The skills to rebuild one are becoming more common, but just make sure whomever you talk to has done them before. You don't want to be someone's learn-as-you-go customer.

Thanks Matt If anyone has any shops they recommend or think i should avoid, I would appriciate a PM with your thoughts. I'm planning on a road driver rebuild, not a race ready build for a higher output engine. Now I just have to force myself to keep it in the garage:-(

research, research, and more research http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/212373-most-trusted-transmission-rebuild-guys-4.html This site and threads, and a few youtube videos Thanks everyone! we can put this thread to bed.