Drivetrain 5 speed will not shift at all

M

Meadecomustang

New Member
Mar 4, 2025
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Kentucky
#1
I have a 1996 mustang gt, recently took it out and banged the gears. When coming to a stop sign the car wouldn’t go into gear but could get into 3rd gear only. No left or right play when clutch pressed or depressed even with car not running. You can force it into third but barely but will drive, that’s how we got it home. Checked that the clutch cable is engaging the armature on the side of the transmission, took. Shifter off of trans and someone had put in a B&M shifter. Does anyone know where to even start? The car is my
19 year old sons 1st mustang and he is frustrated. Thanks Stang fans
 
#2
Meadecomustang said:
I have a 1996 mustang gt, recently took it out and banged the gears. When coming to a stop sign the car wouldn’t go into gear but could get into 3rd gear only. No left or right play when clutch pressed or depressed even with car not running. You can force it into third but barely but will drive, that’s how we got it home. Checked that the clutch cable is engaging the armature on the side of the transmission, took. Shifter off of trans and someone had put in a B&M shifter. Does anyone know where to even start? The car is my
19 year old sons 1st mustang and he is frustrated. Thanks Stang fans
Click to expand...

Welcome to :SN: !

I'm not too familiar with the transmissions they came with, but I have some experience with T5s. Looking through CJ Pony Parts site, they say that the 96 started using the T45 which had issues with some of the shift forks. Here's a link to their page, they mention the transmissions about halfway down the page.


1741100180543.webp



So, if I had to guess, it sounds like your transmission will likely need rebuilt and/or replaced. I'm sorry, that's probably not the news you wanted to hear.... :hide:
 
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#3
Will the shifter move from side to side? What I mean the shifters will want to naturally return to the center which would be the 3-4 shifts. You pull it to the left for the 1-2 shift and to the right for the 5-Rev shifts.

How are you confirming that the clutch is fully disengaging the pressure plate? If in fact the clutch is fully disengaging the pressure plate then I would pull the shifter off the transmission and see if I can shift the transmission with a long screw driver. If it will shift then its the B&M would be suspect.

I had a Hurst short throw shifter on a T5 mess up and it acted like the trans would not shift. Ended up replacing it with a Pro5.0 shifter and it was a world of difference. Today if I were to replace the Pro5.0 it would be an MGW hands down.
 
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#5
The 1996 v8 transmssion is different than the t5s in the older sn95 and fox mustangs. Sounds like an issue with the shift rail forks inside the transmission. You may have also lost a detent tooth or broken a detent spring.
 
#6
AeroCoupe said:
Will the shifter move from side to side? What I mean the shifters will want to naturally return to the center which would be the 3-4 shifts. You pull it to the left for the 1-2 shift and to the right for the 5-Rev shifts.

How are you confirming that the clutch is fully disengaging the pressure plate? If in fact the clutch is fully disengaging the pressure plate then I would pull the shifter off the transmission and see if I can shift the transmission with a long screw driver. If it will shift then its the B&M would be suspect.

I had a Hurst short throw shifter on a T5 mess up and it acted like the trans would not shift. Ended up replacing it with a Pro5.0 shifter and it was a world of difference. Today if I were to replace the Pro5.0 it would be an MGW hands down.
Click to expand...
IMHO, Nothing beats the Pro 5.0 shifter so sweet.
 
Last edited:
#8
Noobz347 said:
Except that MGW he mentioned. It's an evolution, really.

It's as tough as a Pro-5.0, as smooth as my Tri-Ax, and has a lot more handle position options in one handle than both.
Click to expand...
Is this it? Looks pretty sweet, I have Never tried it,

MGW Aftermarket Racing Shifters — Toploader Short Throw Shifter

www.mgwshifters.com www.mgwshifters.com

​

only the Pro 5.0 shifter base​

​

with the Hurst shift handle​

​

With some blue 242 loctite​

​

To secure the SVE 5-Speed shifter knob and all the nuts and bolts.​


I love my setup, The best setup for me anyway...
 
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#9
Mindseye007 said:
Is this it? Looks pretty sweet, I have Never tried it,

MGW Aftermarket Racing Shifters — Toploader Short Throw Shifter

www.mgwshifters.com www.mgwshifters.com

​

only the Pro 5.0 shifter​

​

with the Hurst shift handle​

​

With some blue 242 loctite​

​

to secure the SVE 5-Speed shifter knob.​

I love my setup, The best setup for me anyway...
Click to expand...


Yup. That's the one. I don't have one either. I drove a friend's car with version 2 some years ago. It was easily as smooth as my Steeda shifter. Now, my shifter is in a great position for me which is why I never spent the money to get one.

If I ever need another tho...
 
#11
I bought one for the TKX that I just finished up installing here:

AeroCoupe

Thread 'TKX Install in the Coupe'

I finally pulled the trigger and bought a Tremec TKX (2.95 first and 0.68 fifth) for the Coupe. I haven’t been driving the car the last couple of years like I want to due to the 331 making more power than I am comfortable with having the T5 in the car.

Have a pile of parts in the garage and got the car up on stands

1744480950983.webp


Drained the trans fluid, pulled the drive shaft, removed the shifter handle and primary boot. Then I got the clutch cable disconnected along with the reverse lights and NGS switches. Pulled the T5, bell housing and RAM HDX clutch set and stacked all that up...
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Hands down the best shifter I have ever owned. Will never knock the Pro 5.0 as it is a solid shifter but the MGW just makes the shifts feel more natural.
 
#12
AeroCoupe said:
I bought one for the TKX that I just finished up installing here:

AeroCoupe

Thread 'TKX Install in the Coupe'

I finally pulled the trigger and bought a Tremec TKX (2.95 first and 0.68 fifth) for the Coupe. I haven’t been driving the car the last couple of years like I want to due to the 331 making more power than I am comfortable with having the T5 in the car.

Have a pile of parts in the garage and got the car up on stands

1744480950983.webp


Drained the trans fluid, pulled the drive shaft, removed the shifter handle and primary boot. Then I got the clutch cable disconnected along with the reverse lights and NGS switches. Pulled the T5, bell housing and RAM HDX clutch set and stacked all that up...
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Hands down the best shifter I have ever owned. Will never knock the Pro 5.0 as it is a solid shifter but the MGW just makes the shifts feel more natural.
Click to expand...
How come you did not buy theT56 Magnum 6 speed with 2.95 first gear?
 
#14
Mindseye007 said:
How come you did not buy theT56 Magnum 6 speed with 2.95 first gear?
Click to expand...
I can give you my reason... Possibly will not fit due to size without cutting.. alot more money.... Why?? Two overdrive gears ( 5th & 6th) why??
All I wanted was an OD gear for some freeway cruising with a decent rear end gear which is why I went TKX.. I am using 3: 50 rear gears ( 9" if that number doesn't add up in a 8.8)
DSCF1095.webp
 
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#16
limp said:
I can give you my reason... Possibly will not fit due to size without cutting.. alot more money.... Why?? Two overdrive gears ( 5th & 6th) why??
All I wanted was an OD gear for some freeway cruising with a decent rear end gear which is why I went TKX.. I am using 3: 50 rear gears ( 9" if that number doesn't add up in a 8.8)
DSCF1095.webp
Click to expand...
An extra gear to help with gas milage if your running 4.10 or 4.30 gears maybe even 4.56 ....
 
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#18
The best you can do OD on the TKX is a 0.68 fifth. The T56 Magnum offers a 0.63 sixth gear (they quit making the 0.50) and it holds a lot more torque. Wth the front loading design there is no cutting of the trans tunnel (I have installed one in a Fox) and again just use a Stifflers mount. Drive shaftr will have to be cut and rebalanced.

CHILL347

Drivetrain Thread 'T56 Magnum Install '89 Fox'

Hey everyone. New to the forum but not new to the Fox Body world. Not an expert either by any means. I've had my '89 notch since 2005. I figured I'd share my experience with my recent T56 Magnum install. Bought the close ratio version as a kit in the spring that came with everything I needed except for a driveshaft. My engine is an R block 347 with AFR 185 heads NA. Dyno'd @370/362whp/tq. So nothing crazy but definitely too much for the infamous T5 the way I like to shift. (That's what it made with the stock A9L computer and SCT chip. I now have a MSPNP2 and am still currently tuning it)...
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