2003 Cobra Transmission

[silver cobra]

I just traded in my 01 GT for a 03 Cobra. Performance and handling are not even in the same class as my old GT. However I have noticed a vibrating, rattling and grinding transmission noise. Sounds like it coming from the shifter or below. It occurs in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear, usually below 2,000 rpm's, but not in reverse. The transmission is also very loud and clunky when shifting, accelerating or letting off the gas. Even at idle with the clutch in and in neutral, no noise, but when I shift into 1st I hear a slight rattle that gets worse as soon as I take off. I know this is a different clutch and transmission than my 01GT, however the noise is pretty noticeable and annoying. I have read some posts suggesting that after installing an aftermarket shifter transmission noise was more noticeable, however this is completely stock. I would like to hear from any Cobra or GT owners that may have the same problem or suggestions. I only have 250 miles on the car and I noticed it on the way home from the dealership.

Thanks

Silver Cobra

 

[toofast4u]

You need to get your trans serviced soon everything you are describing sounds destructive. My trans was completely quite when it was stock. Some people are complaining of a clunk in 1st gear, but not to the extreme you are explaining. Even with a Tri-Ax on mine now it is extremely quite the only noise I have is some gear noise which I really like it is kind of like the blower, but from the trans nothing destructive.

 

[MORTGAGEMAN]

are you sure the shifter handle is tight- ome times mine will loosen up after a hard day pounding at the track. if it is throw some lock tite on the threads so it never happens again

 

[Mackie]

Edited

 

[silvercoffin]

trans/clutch

Hey will you do me a favor and email me or post here if they say they will work on your trans/clutch?

The head tech noticed that 1st and rev were very difficult to get into and said that it felt like my clutch isnt disengaging, but then the service manager said SVT says not to work on it until 5000 miles break in! He said that SVT says all sorts of weird things can and will happen during the first 5000 miles. I called SVT to ask if this was true and they have no idea.

I then brought it to another SVT dealer but had since put in the pro 5.0 and they called me at the end of the day to tell me the whole problem is my shifter. I went the next day and reinstalled the stock shifter but after sitting all night the car shifted fine. Then by the time I got it home (45 min drive) 1st and rev were terrible!

My steering wheel also vibrates/shimmies up and down at 100 since Fullerton Ford redrilled my camber plates. They wont even look at it they said because they cant drive it that fast. They also put 20 miles on the car doing two alignment test drives, scratched the strut towers and then scratched the front bumper valance all the way accross when they pu tit on the flatbed to bring it to their bodyshop to repaint the engine bay which they started touching up with chrome yellow paint. uhhhhhhhh here I go heheheheh so I dont really want to go back to them anyway..

Why would the steering wheel be moving up and down at high speeds after they did an alignment?

 

[Blue03Cobra]

silver cobra,

My car has never exhibited a vibration in any gear above first (nor reverse). I call first gear "Rock Crusher" because it does have a very mechanical sound to it. After getting home, after a 200 mile drive from the dealership, my car had a significant vibration/rattle climbing the driveway in first. The dealer said it was typical and would "break-in". In the last 500 miles, the vibration has completely disappeared when the car is cold or driven easy, only exhibits symptoms when hot/run hard, again slight and only in first. Almost like a slight clutch chatter from a glazed spot. No worse than the T-45 on my '98 Cobra (with 50,000 miles) and getting better every day. My car had the nubbies on the back tires, so I think burnouts by the loaders didn't happen. If you have these symptoms in second and third, I would take your car in and ask them to check the clutch disk. First is going to be loud, mechanical, rock crushing sound, but your car shouldn't vibrate/rattle as you described.

YenSid had a bad first and reverse gear vibration that was fixed with a new clutch disk. They said it was "out of alignment", whatever that means...

Good luck, a clutch or tranny can be replaced, the smile on your face when the boost comes on...priceless :-D

Good Luck

 

[silvercoffin]

why?

So if dealers are working on peoples trans /clutches why would Fullerton Ford in Somerville, NJ be telling me that SVT specifically told them not to touch the trans or clutch until 5000 miles break in period?

They are going to make money on the job either way right?

I didnt even initially complain about my shifting problems, but when their head guy took my car out for a spin to check the alignment which I had complained about, he said it felt like the clutch wasn't disengaging! Then we go inside and they say they wont work on it! I called again and they sai dthe same thing!

I still love the car,

but i am so pissed at the service, quality and FOrd in general. I will never buy another ford! Have had fewer troubles with my 199,000+ mile VOlvo which has been in the family since new.

 

[Leadhead]

I am not an expert about cars but high performace vehicles are always going to have problems. It's not like my civic where the engineers have figure out how to contain a wopping 120 hp j/k
When you get to hp and tq numbers like 400, The drive shaft, transmission, rear end, and even chassis are experienceing unimaginable stress.

As far as the inconsistacies with solutions to mechanical problems, I wouldnt say that it is all Ford's fault. This post for example looks more like alot of dealers don't know what to do so people are getting blown off. I think when you guys see these inconsistancies about the way similar problems are being handled, get this stuff in writing so your a** is covered. I do think Ford needs to be more proactive in querying people about their purchases, like a phone call asking you how your new purchase is panning out. Then I think that they would be more on top of this stuff.


Good god...I seem to be long winded this morning.

 

[silvercoffin]

call SVT

well call SVT and see if you like their response. 1-800-ford-svt They dont know anything but if you really press they will explain everything away. My alignment problem was no big deal according to them. They dont know anything about the trans/clutch trouble people are having.

Personally I dont think mine is any kind of common problem yet, I just want it fixed and so far they wont fix it. Friend of mine says he will get it into his dealer soon. I hope real soon cause I would like to enjoy the car before its winter and its put away for good.

I am hoping just rotating the tires maybe balancing them will do away with the steering wheel thing at 100mph. Its hard for even I to test drive the car that fast. theres not that many opportunities to go 100 but on my way to and from NC I did and the car was smooth aside from a little tire noise/vibration at 80. Since the alignment I dont notice that but the steering wheel moves pretty bad up and down.

 

[cobra0103]

I took delivery 8/21 and noticed the first gear vibe/rattle on the drive home. I don't get it in reverse and it is more noticible after car is warmed up. It is more noticible going up the driveway. The car had the nubbins on the tires as well when I picked it up and I even prepped the thing my self. I want to put on the shifter when it comes but not if I have to take it it because I'm sure they will blame it on the shifter. For now I will put more miles on (250 presently) and see if it decreases. Perhaps we can label this situation as the "first gear vibration" Other than this I totally enjoy the car. I have an 01 and it has no such vibe.

 

[sn8kbite]

Mine is very hard to shift,the 1-2 shift is the worst.When the car is at normal operating temperature you have to hammer the thing into second gear,however all gears are quite difficult to shift into when the car is warmed up.
i replaced the factory shifter with the Pro 5.0 shifter hoping it would help but the problem still remains.
Also one night i had the car idling in neutral and there was a gawd awful chattering sound coming from the transmission.
Sounded like the gears were gonna come flying out of the case,but it only did it that one night. :??:

 

[Vader]

I would take that baby back for a tranny replacement. I'm no big auto mechanic or anything, but it sounds like the synchro's in the tranny are screwed up. Either that or the clutch isn't fully engaging. Definately would take it in for some warranty work. :rollseyes

 

[silvercoffin]

hmmmm

Those sounds seem like the description that Fullerton Ford in Somerville3 NJ gave me of the strange things that will happen during the 5000 mile break in period that they claim SVT told them about.

I am hoping friend of mine is getting me into his dealer end of this week. If he doesnt have the time I am so close to really rasing hell. I have never had a dealer admit that something isnt right but then refuse to frix it. Their own mech confirmed that it feels like the clutch isnt disengaging. I am worried now cause I start work tomorrow which means the stang will sit in the garage and only come out on weekends when its nice out. When it sits the problem goes away.

Also I have 3600 miles cause i drove it all summer but Now i drive the volvo so I will not get up to 5000 until spring.

 

[harry gilbert]

My '03 Silver Coupe felt like the clutch wasn't disengaging, so I tried the "adjustment" in the owner's manual: car off; put into 1st gear; pull up on the clutch pedal; then press down. Clutch now seems better, and I can shift better. Have 186 miles on car; it's not yet broken in, too soon to tell if stiff shifting will stay or go away. No bad vibrations or noises, tho.

 

[sn8kbite]

Harry,try running the car up to 80 MPH and maintain that speed for a while to see if you have the vibration.
I also did the clutch adjustment and it did help somewhat however it is still hard shifting.

 

[harry gilbert]

No vibration up past 90 -- car is rock steady. Awesome. From personal experience (I'm an old dawg who started on a Model "A") Fords do like their break-in. I love my '03 Cobra, and my wife likes her '02 Zinc Yellow GT Coupe -- it's really smooth as silk.

 

[david smilovic]

I hope they examined your transmission and motor mounts!!.If the input shaft the shaft which they make little nylon guide tools for the pilot bushing on the clutch is experiencing a bad geometrical angle due to a misaligned clutch off the assembly line or if the trans mount is bad or not tightened to correct spec it could have done irreprable damage and you may need a DS/trans or rebuild demand a trans/clutch,pressure plate through out bearing in other words every thing from the clutch on back could (if this is the problem) even need a new rear and gears etc...

If I sound like DR. Doom its only 'cause Thats Who I IS.But I working as a factory tech for Volvo and GM seen some amazing f ups and the more HI-PO the bigger the defects.I hope I'm wrong but 5000 mile clutch break in on a single disc set up is very shady sounding,thats why I shy away from Mcleoud and other twin disc applications.Once broke in ther better than mammaries but even the longest dual disc break in I have ever encountered in 35 years of wrenching is 1000 miles and I find 3-500 usually dies it.Imagine tunning a 750 rrwhp motor without pulling the motor to red line as often as needed,even though some people get initial mild tune even with turbos/blowers and we set there rev Ltr. to 4500 rpm on a 7500 rpm motor because most gear heads dont have the discipline it takes.
Im not a big break in fan but opinions aside I wish you were here and I woild gladly give you a free written report from a certified Ford Tech.Lots of luck in resolving your problem tell them to shove the 5000 mile theory dont hold no water in my glass,but who knows.I have 1 apart now and it is a single disc unit looks good for about 450-500 bhp so if your modding and working it hard as it should be ,be ready for a new clutch.Im going to check 2 things 1-a Spec unit probably a Star 4 if there made for the 03 and 2- I will bring it to my fabricator and see if I can modify it the way Lingenfelter did to the stock z06 clutch,this is the unit I use and I push through a hard 1200+ lbs. of tqe very often and very brutally!!!Best of luck David Smilovic.
PS I now have 6500+ miles on the LPE Clutch and I'm impressed.

 

[NDZ28]

I went to my local SVT dealer to look at an 03 Cobra he called me about. I did not get to order one so I called around until I found a dealer willing to talk. So now I'm asked to see if I want to take it for a spin. Didn't have to ask me twice. I've been driving nothing but sticks for 33 years. However this car was unbelievable. Hard to shit into first, 1-2 impossible and 3rd was a fight. Salesmen (young kid) tells me to get on the freeway and keep on going. Transmission did not feel any better. besides the shifting problem, a gawd awful chattering sound was coming from the transmission. I know for a fact that each time clutch was depressed to the floor. Salesman said all this was normal. He drove the last 5 minutes back to see what I was talking about. He concurred with my observations. Back at the dealership I asked him if a tech can look at the car. He called out the "General Manager" who starts telling me that this transmission is so fine that it needs time to be broken in-maybe 2000 miles of hard driving. To make a long story short, as this was the only car I could drive and they were unwilling to have anyone look at the car, I walked. The first salesman was going to call when and if they get another Cobra in. That was about 2 weeks ago. I got 2 calls from salesman. They had several people look at the car, but
no bites, (acording to salesman no one liked transmission) and car has not been looked at by tech. (The car is a silver convertible) However he tells me now that car has "miles" on it, they will sell it to be below MSRP. I know some of you think I'm an old fool for not buying , but if dealer is not willing to service car before sale, how is he going to treat me after sale? Unfortunatelly this is the closest SVT dealer and don't feel like spending hours getting to another dealer. I'll just sit and wait.

 

[2HORSE CORRAL]

Picked up my 03 on 8/29. Noticed grind noise in 1 and 2 gears driving at low speed in parking lots (not while shifting),could modulate this noise with throttle between idle and 2000 rpm. Was very loud at first but has somewhat diminished with about 400 miles on OD.Or maybe I'm driving it differently. Noise is remenisant of hi-po euro 6 speeds I worked on many years ago. This is my only concern with the car and I'll wait and see. ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS NOISE PLEASE RING IN OR SHOW LINKS TO PAST POST OF THIS PROBLEM. I just joined today, Thanks,
BTW Outstanding car I no longer yearn for a 911 turbo

 

[JoeAsheville]

I also have noticed this rattling or grinding noise in lower gears, I wouldn't put as much stock in that noise as being abnormal as the rear end clunk. My rear end clunk is a loose center section, which I am calling the dealer on a warranty tomorrow. Other than that, my only bad luck has been a leaky right rear tail light which fogs up when I wash it, which will also be a warranty replacement.

Y'know, it's funny...I've been on these boards for a while (only posting recently) and I don't remember a lot of chatter about a driveline clunk in the 99s or 01s...

:dw: