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Bret’s Por Sha Follies.

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Bret

Bret

Yoda
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Hey folks,

Ok part of me didn’t want to share this because of all the ridicule & warnings I got form some of my fellow BCF members when I purchased my 928.

So at risk of having a few of my friends say “I told you so” here is what happened – I just had what I would consider a minor mechanical failure a week or so back when the transmission linkage came apart. I was leaving the supermarket parking lot and had just shifted into third gear and was about to shift into fourth when I about put my fist through the center console. Stick shift was flopping around and I couldn’t get it to change gear. Luckily it was in third and was able to milk it home about two miles away.

Upon inspection what had happened was that the front linkage ball socket of the shifter linkage had popped off of the ball at the front of the torque tube – that connects the engine & the transaxle in the rear.

Here’s a picture of the culprit that caused me so much pain:

picture_004_copy1.jpg


I had to drop the exhaust & the heat shield to access this and let me tell you it was a real PITB to get at it. Without going into the sorted details I will tell you that it was way harder than I figured on but must say it allowed me to do some house cleaning on the underside due to years of neglect. Mismatched & rusted hardware & replacing the toasted exhaust gaskets.

Anyway I am impressed with the overall improvement in how the shifter works after my repairs. Guess I didn’t realize how crappy the shifting was until I replaced that one component. Also it seems to have cleared up an annoying mystery vibration that the car would do under load at 3000+ RPMs. I guess the ball socket pictured above was the root cause of this.

I guess I'm just happy she's running again. But must admit that I am very aware that had I not been good under the bonnet with a "spanner", I probably would have paid a small fortune to get this problem fixed.

As it is I think I spent less than a $100 for parts (ball socket, hardware & exhaust gaskets). All is good. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
Bret, any day you can get away with less than a $100 repair on a 928 is a good day. Good Job!
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif Ya ought to try replacing an Alfa fuel pump without jacking the car up. I unfortunately parked it on a small grade in a grassy part of the yard, and everytime I jack it up it slides backwords downhill - even with wheel-chocks. So I've been fighting with it all day today, and just now got the blasted hoses on it, only to find out I need the rubber spacer for the mount bracket (which is still on the old fuel pump on the porch.) Ahhh, maybe next weekend. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Yeah Shawn, That’s what I was telling myself too. But the car was up on jacks for about a week & a half while I tried to make time to fix it. I was just a little miffed at the problem for happening in the first place. Other than that she seems to be working great. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
A) It didn't leave you stranded.
B) Cost of repair was more than acceptable.
C) You've gained knowledge of your car.

All GOOD in my book. IIRC, there are some bushings at the business end of that rod you may want to look at as well.

And if you need an alternate parts source (with some VERY knowledgable and helpful folk) lemme know.
 
[ QUOTE ]
A) It didn't leave you stranded.
B) Cost of repair was more than acceptable.
C) You've gained knowledge of your car.

All GOOD in my book. IIRC, there are some bushings at the business end of that rod you may want to look at as well.

And if you need an alternate parts source (with some VERY knowledgable and helpful folk) lemme know.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats for the intel Doc! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif I'll be sure to look at the other end of the linkage this weekend.
 
Kenny,
Turn the car around and jack from the downhill side. Problem solved.
 
Bret, there will be no ridicule from this quarter. Agree with all that Doc has said, and I might add that this is an older car, and you must expect these things. It IS a good job that you are handy with Craftsman's finest, which is why the 928 is a more practical proposition for you than it would be for, say, my brother /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif (He has a 911 which my SIL has nicknamed "the money pit")
 
Thanks Steve.

Yes you are correct that with any older car it should be expected that problems would arise from time to time. But when I said I was "miffed" at it happing at all, I was really referring to the poor timing of it more than anything else. Have way too many pots in the fire right now. But I would really be quite the "wizard" if I could plan my breakdowns wouldn’t I? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Anyway, I took the old gal out for a good long test drive yesterday. Everything seems ok with none of the vibration I had before at the higher (3000 +) RPMs. But I get a slight whining at anything over 100 mph? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

But if I had any complaints I think I need to make some minor adjusts to the linkage as its a bit stiff getting it into or out of some of the gears. She slips into gear find if I go from first into third. But when I go from second to third it's pretty stiff and a little clunky. Also down shifting isn't as smooth I would expect. But then this isn’t as my MGB and is really more akin to my dad’s old truck than what you’d expect from a passenger car. But all & all – minus the vibration & occasional binding I experienced before the linkage failure, this is pretty much the same as before.

The Shark is still a fun car to play around with. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
Have you looked for the real factory workshop manuals? If you could find those you'd have a lifetime car... they ain't cheap but they are THE best info. E-bay? I'll "sniff about" too, if you'd be interested.
 
I don't have hard copies of the manual, but the previous owner gave me the CD and have copied them over to my laptops hardrive. While the soft copies are nice, I'd much prefer a hard copie. But as you've suggested I've been keeping an eye on ebay and yes they pop up once in awhile. But sadly I've never managed to have the winning bid.

There is also a number of websites where you can download the manuals as well as the parts lists too. If you or anyone is intrested I can provide some of those links.
 
Here is a site I downloaded some of the 928 Manuals. Lots of other stuff but they do have a couple of downloads for the 911.

Manuals

They've got some Workshop Manual for 1972 - 1983, and for the 1984 - 1989. Hope this helps.
 
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