Explaining The Gate Shift Kit Page 1 of 3		Next
	wwThere has been talk about a better alternative to the factory shifting mechanism. Anyone who has driven a 911 with a 915 transaxle knows there is some room for improvement in the shift category. Porsche does many things right, but the aftermarket sometimes provides a better solution.
	wwEveryone who has a '72-86 911 has or should have a conscious or subconscious fear of mistakenly downshifting into 1st or 2nd from high speed, the results of which are both noisy and expensive. Due to the distance from transaxle to shifter, shift feedback is less than ideal. Should an erroneous shift be successful during the course of spirited, (even normal) driving, upon clutch engagement the engine will over-rev. If one is quick with the clutch pedal, no damage will occur. If not, a higher than normal engine speed will result causing the valves to travel open further than normal, creating a painful (and expensive) "touch" with one or several pistons. Broken rocker arms, bent valves and worst-case, piston hole-throughs/disintegration may be the result.
	wwSome attempts/claims were made to find the $.99 solution but no one has yet produced one that works at all levels. Being somewhat frugal (cheap), I set to work designing an alternative to products currently on the market and at a more accessible price point. A conversion kit by Robotek was the first on the market with something like a bullet-proof mechanism to save us all engine rebuilding monies. It looks like a well engineered product, however, the several hundred dollar cost is beyond what I (and others I think) would like to spend while at the same time mildly paranoic at the possibilities of a future mis-shift.
	Page 1 of 3 Next     Updated: 5/14/02
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