Early 901 shifter mechanism spring replacement

Hi

Does anyone have an idea how I can get the two springs back into the base of the shifter? I need to compress them from about 3 inches to 2 inches and nothing I've tried works so far!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Stephen

Mount the shifter upside down in your bench vise. Use a drift inserted from outside into one of the holes, but not out the opposite hole. Place the spring on this drift and compress until you can slip it inside the shift housing. When you get this compressed spring lined up with the empty hole, slide the pin in and follow through pushing the drift out.
Good luck.

First, take a sterile sharp object and give yourself several cuts on your right hand.

These will match the ones you are about to inflict on your left, and people will think you are an artist, not a Porsche enthusiast.

Next: Take a $50 Hazet Screwdriver and grind $49 off the tip so it looks like the illustration below.

Coat the springs, pins and circlips with grease so the circlips are sticky and can't fly very far. In a pinch, rendered duck fat will work fine.

Insert the pins with circlips on one end through the lever housing and slide the springs over them. Then, using your modified screwdriver, push the springs and pins back inside the base of the housing so they align with the holes. Remove the screwdriver and discard. Then carefully push the springs over the holes in the other side until the pins engage. Use needle-nose pliers to affix the circlips. Wipe off grease and you're done.

Important: if your modified screwdriver contains Galliano, it's properly referred to as a Harvey Wallbanger. Substitute Peach Schnapps (you do have Peach Schnapps in your Hazet Assistent/Cocktail Cart, don't you) for a Fuzzy Navel. In any event, consume to blunt the pain of the cuts on your hand and in triumph over this fine example of Porsche engineering.

I used vise grips to compress and hold the spring and a small phillips head screwdriver to hold the spring in place until i replaced it with the pin. Wear safety glasses in case the spring gets away from you. 2 minutes and done.

Make sure that there are no cars, kids or pets anywhere near you when you try to put the springs back in.

and wear safety glasses!

Guys, what can I say, but "thank you"! I wore safety glasses and welding gloves and didn't break skin at all (which is highly unusual for me)... And I didn't use a Hazet screwdriver, but a $5.99 Mastercraft one, so I don't feel so bad...Attachment 296516Attachment 296518... once I worked out what y'all told me it worked like a dream, so many thanks to all!!!

Well done, they can be a bugger.

Which grease is recomended? I used some aviation grease I had and its horrible. Makes the mechanism notchy when shifting. I was going to use wheel bearing grease when i disassemble it again. Thanks,

I followed factory instructions and used lithium grease... So far so good though I am sure others have their favourites...