Question for the gear shift experts: big scrap in R-1st shift plane on side shifter Options

[raynekat]

I've got a 71 914-4 that I converted to a 914-6.
The problem is a very loud annoying squeak when I'm in the R-1st plane.
Something is really scraping badly.
Pulled the shifter which looks to have been changed out from an early shifter to a later shifter.
Greased it very well and that didn't seem to help.

So I looked a bit deeper and put a flashlight in the tunnel where the shifter sits pointing backwards.
Using a small mirror about 6-9" rearward, I see that the shift rod goes through a circular opening in a small bulkhead that is welded into the tunnel.

Looks like the scraping/squeaking is when the rod is hitting the edge of the circular opening in the bulkhead in the R-1st plane.
If you don't pull the lever all the way to the left, then you don't hear the scrape.

Is this typical of a side shifter conversion for an early 914?
Am I shifting incorrectly by pulling the lever hard to the left for the R-1st plane?
Does that bulkhead need to be removed by opening up the shift tunnel from above?

Any thoughts or ideas are welcome.
Thanks in advance.

[mepstein]

A magnet might work well to clean up the shavings.

[raynekat]

A magnet might work well to clean up the shavings.

Yes, have been using that as well as a shop vac and small paint brush to move all the chips to the suction.
Comical how much the vacuum misses that the magnet finds.
Must have pulled the magnet out of the tunnel 10 times with this amount of metal filings attached.
Good to get most of that out of there.



Afterwards I used a small paint brush and applied a couple of coats of etching metal primer to the edge of the hole I enlarged in the bulkhead and also along the edges of the access panel I cut out.
Then went in with some of my "touch up" paint in a spray can and hit the tunnel and the access hatch.



After this all dries, I'll install the access hatch top and begin putting the interior back together.
Nice to get this job behind me.
Have needed to get this done for over a year since picking up my completed project.
Always thought the scraping/squeak was in the shifter itself, but multiple times greasing it never eliminated the noise.
Now the reason is apparent why that never worked.