My newly acquired 01 Cobra with T3650 has a quirk I can't quite diagnose. No matter the situation, it almost always clunks into gear when I move the shifter with the clutch entirely depressed. It's more of a quick thud that slightly vibrates the whole car for a split second every time. It's not a grind. I can be at a dead stop and put it into first and clunk. The worst is first to second. Get rolling in first, push in the clutch entirely, gently try and put it into second, and always a vibration/thud as it slides into second. The car does make a similar clunk if I don't perfectly rev match (which is pain rowing thru the gears and trying to do so with that obnoxious rev hang that makes you wait an eternity between shifts). Local mechanic says it's just a loud clutch, but idk something about it just seems too weird. Again there's no grinding, and yes I know how to drive manual. I've owned and daily driven manual cars for many years, including an 02 GT with the same trans that did not do this. The fact that it'll do it in first when the car is entirely stationary, as well as the lack of an actual grind, and the fact a similar clunk is heard when releasing the clutch pedal if the revs are not perfectly matched leads me to believe there's another issue within the drive line than the transmission itself. Could anyone help point me in the right direction of where to start the diagnosis. As a side note I have ordered a Ford Performance adjustable clutch cable to kit to install to hopefully eliminate the probability that it's the clutch not fully disengaging
Transmission clunking into each gear
- Thread starter gateguard1
- Start date
you should learn how to check the backlash on the rear gears. if it has too much backlash it will cause the clunking sound. you will need to rebuild the rear gears to get the backlash into factory specs. also, rock the diff up and down to check the bushings and make sure the diff is firm and doesn't move around.
You might want to research the Cobra clunk. It's a known issues with the IRS.
This clunk was addressed in the 99's. The rear sway bar was walking lateral and hitting something in the rear. Ford put clamping collars on each side of the bushings to stop the movement.
Good call on something to check, although not drive line related.
All Cobras still have it. A lot of guys find the front cradle bolts are too small from the factory. My 01 had it. And my 04 had it until I did all the bushings.
I had a similar issue 15 years ago on my GT. Mine was more of an issue with with not wanting to go into gear and a clunk especially on the 1-2 shift
Ended up being two things.
1. The clutch cable was stretched and I was out of adjustment on the factory quadrant.
Replaced the cable, re-adjusted the quadrant and 90% of the problem went away.
The other issue was either the fluid was crap or it was over filled.
I changed the oil and filled it to the new lower level and the trans shifted smooth.
One issue that never went way was a clunk going into 1st especially when it was cold.
Ended up being two things.
1. The clutch cable was stretched and I was out of adjustment on the factory quadrant.
Replaced the cable, re-adjusted the quadrant and 90% of the problem went away.
The other issue was either the fluid was crap or it was over filled.
I changed the oil and filled it to the new lower level and the trans shifted smooth.
One issue that never went way was a clunk going into 1st especially when it was cold.
Fulltilt boogie racing irs and diff kit. Along with larger irs cradle bolts and you will still have a very slight clunk. Ask me how I know. LOL. Oh and make sure you get the low profile bolts I case you want to change your wheel set up.
I appreciate you all. Definitely will start with the clutch cable since I already have the new Ford one. I guess fluids would be step two, and then bushings and upsized cradle bolts. My mechanic said bushings looked okay but given the situation I really think this particular issue is just something being loose. I read that if it's a clutch thing you can tell by waiting a period of time after depressing the clutch pedal before putting it into gear for the clutch to slow down and the noise will not be present if the clutch is properly disengaging. And if I do hold the clutch in for a little bit, no noise going into first. So I'm guessing it's just the standard clunk that is supposedly just part of these cars being amplified by more play than you'd want, causing more of a shift and in turn the accompanying clunking noise to be much louder
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