What can cause shifting problems.. (other than trans, clutch and adj?)?

[silvercoffin]

What else...other than the trans itself, the clutch, and the clutch adjustment, can cause sloppy and inconsistent shifts?


Maybe my new RPM Level V trans will be great once I get to the track. 3rd to 4th is obviously better and that must have been what was wrong with my old trans.

but it still shifts sloppy...and not all the time.. 2nd gear almost grinds occasionally not the usual slop that the car had when it was new.. this is worse. When its cold the extra bump into 2nd is worse.. 3rd is occasioanlly sloppy too.. like I can feel the shifter hit something before it actually goes in. I would think trans if I had not just got a new one and its the same problem as with my old trans.

I had two new clutches installed this summer spec 3+ and now the 2 and new flywheel and new insert each time.

What else could cause problems? Cable? (i still have the stock one)...how about the shift fork. Could that be bent?

I think it might be great at the track. I had all these problems before and my real problem was 3rd to 4th....not getting into gear but actually getting into 4th...it would try to go to 2nd instead..

but this bothers me after a new trans and new clutch...i expected it to shift like new and IM sure I didnt have shifts like this when the car was new.

I have the clutch cable adjusted correctly....and i adjusted it different ways to see if that made a difference and it did not.

 

[CobraRyan]

so after you rebuilt your trans its still shifting bad??? I would have said your synchros but you said you just got it rebuilt..maybe your clutch is still not properly adjusted..

 

[Posi]

What kind of shifter do you have?

You need a aftermarket clutch kit. Check out Lethal Performance for the Fiore and get a new shifter. That should fix your problems if it's happened with both tranny's.

 

[silvercoffin]

...

I already have a clutch adjuster and quadrant and it is adjusted properly. I also have a pro 5.0 shifter.

I bought a new trans from RPM Transmissions and my 3rd to 4th shift problem seems to be gone. (i think a shift fork had broke on my old trans)

The bumping almost grinding into 2nd on occasion and 3rd gear going in smooth is still there. I am starting to wonder if its just the T56 but i am positive my 2nd gear wasnt always like this.

I have had three different clutches this summer and it was the same with each one. The new TRans and its the same slop..

Maybe im just being too picky? but like i said 2nd gear definetely wasnt always like this.

Whats left that could be changed? The cable isnt too hard to change. Im thinking about getting another Ford cable.

I want to change everything at this point.. I spent thousands on a trans might as well be sure everything else is perfect.

Im hopin to get to the track this friday and that will be the real test, but on the street im not impressed right now. Sometimes it shifts smooth like butter...other times it bumps into gear like a shift stop is in the way (which it isnt i checked that first)

 

[lloyyd]

Haven't you only put a few miles on it? It'll need some break in time.

 

[RealBadDude]

was this tranny actually "new" or was it rebuilt. if it was "rebuilt" or "re-man'd" then i would question the quality of the work.

Also fluid can cause some shifting problems. stick w/ the factory ATF.

slop is usually shift rails, and clunks, grinds and "stops" are usually synchros.

i am no tranny expert, but i have had a few apart in my day.

just to let you know the cobra spec t-56 is "notchy" and a slight "bump" as you describe it between 1st and second is actually normal. cobra gear boxes don't have the tripple cone synchros the vett and viper boxes have, so they don't shift smoothly like they do. you can get vette and viper parts but they are tall coin.

a short throw shifter such as the mgw or pro 5.0 actually makes the notch between gears actually a bit more noticable in my opinion.

the notchiness i wouldn;t worry about too much unless it is worse then when you first got the car. the slop is a different story.

 

[SpectorV]

when I first got my 03 the clutch petal was WAY to far down I took up the slack in it and it shifted 100x better.

 

[ShelbyGuy]

and what is 'properly adjusted' to you?

 

[silvercoffin]

....

geeze....with my original trans

I adjusted it to 1/4 inch free play inside the inspection cover...an inch of pedal play or less.

Then after my 3+ clutch this summer which i got hoping to fix shifting issues... my mechanic said just adjust from the firewall same thing 1/4 inch or even less space.

I went to a trans shop with my original trans and they said I should have more free play so I tried that. Still didnt shift properly.. Back then my main concern was 3rd to 4th though....the car wanted to go 3rd to 2nd

Even now I have tried a little less free play and a little more and there is no change. The car shifts well from 3rd to 4th with the new trans but its the every other sloppy shift into 2nd and in to 3rd that bothers me. It might be fine at the track...i dont know becuase it wont stop raining:bored:

It very well may be bad quality but its strange that I had the same complaints with three different transmissions. Would make me think adjustment if I wasnt so sure I have that right...or something else other than clutch or trans.

 

[silvercoffin]

...

Or maybe this is just how a T56 is?

Does everyones T56 shift smooth into 2nd gear? and third?

I'm pissed because it's gpt tp be something...its rediculous that I spent all this money and still dont have a car that shifts like new.

 

[rsnyder]

Mine has ALWAYS (since bought brand new) been very "notchy". Sometimes it shifts buttery smooth, but sometimes it feels like it "hits" a little metal notch or something going into second and occasionally third. This seems to get worse with cold weather, but I have noticed this with other manual trans' in other vehicles I've had in the past. I honestly don't think it is a specific problem. My conclusion is that if you buy a rudimentary, manual cable clutched "caveman" Mustang, then this is what we get:shrug:. This simply means that it takes some muscle to drive the hell out of these things. When my wife drives, she just can't seem to drive it smoothly like I can. I think this is just because I am so familiar with Mustangs. Go hop into a Vette with a t56, and geeze, it's a world of difference with the hydraulic clutch and all. It feels WAY more refined. Oh well, I still love these "caveman-mobiles"! :thumbsup: When people drive a manual mustang for the first time, usually they say the shifting is notchy........I just say "ya, it's a Mustang". I say stop killing yourself trying to find a non-existent problem. Just accept the fact that the car is a hairy beast.:-D All three Mustangs I've owned have all felt the same shifting-wise.

 

[silvercoffin]

...

I am guessing you are probably right... i guess its just in my head that is used to shift better...

The reason I got the new trans was because the shifter wanted to go 3rd to 2nd and that seems fixed now but ill know for sure wed night when i finally get back to the track.

I am going out today to get some more miles on the trans and clutch...really want to get back to racing before the season is totally over.

 

[jbrown1238]

I Know it sounds crazy but it may be as simple as the trans fluid. I have had similiar issues with various types of ATF. These transmissions can be very funny about the fluid they "prefer".

 

[silvercoffin]

...

Yeah.....

Well I just have regular ATF in there now. I am getting it changed before the winter just to be extra safe. I think I am going to try Royal Purple ATF..

I checked my clutch adjustment under the car today as I was changing oil. I noticed a new clamp that was on the oil cooler radiator hose...one of those screw tightened clamps was actually cutting into the clutch cable. The cable was resting on the extra metal that sticks out of the clamp. It had only gone through the first layer of cable rubber... That is under the car where there is a double layer around the cable... So i dont think that could have been causing any problems yet.

I did notice that the shift fork has the usual forward to back free play but that the fork also can be moved in and out slightly. When I moved it one direction there was no free play in it at all front to back. I have no idea if this is normal.

I also noticed that there was almost no free play under the car. I had the firewall adjuster set so there was a little less than a 1/4 inch space between the firewall and adjuster when you tug on it. (i have the LDC free play kit in)

So I loosened up the clutch cable a bit.

I want to know if the shift fork can be damaged or broken?

The car does shift better at higher RPMs, but 2nd and 3rd are really rough every once and a while during normal driving.

I have about 430 miles on the clutch so looks like Ill be trying out the new clutch and trans wed night at etown.

 

[silvercoffin]

....

Does anyone have a diagram of how the clutch assembly is all put together? I want to understand how the fork is installed.

 

[Martinrulz]

Ya I am have the same problem with my 1-2 shift as well. Feels clunky going into 2 only when the car is cold then it'll come out of it for the most part when it warms up. Synchros were bad is what I have been told as well.

 

[LuDamiKE81]

mine gets stuck...sometimes in 1st or wont go in reverse and 2nd is ungettable at the track with dr's on the streets its fine when it acts right it definatly has pms.... i changed to royal purple synchro mesh and it helped some also i have a tri ax and stock adj,quad. the throwouts going out though i could bang the hell out of the tri ax ( cf2,pp,billet steel fly, stock adjs )in the gt powershifting and all...buy the cobra isnt nearly as smooth as the gt

 

[silvercoffin]

...

The only think of is a bent clutch release lever/fork. Or that the tabs the hold it onto the bearing are worn. Its only a $40 part but what do you need to do to get the relase lever out?