Drivetrain 5 speed will not shift at all

Meadecomustang · Mar 4, 2025

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

LILCBRA · Mar 4, 2025

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

Welcome to !

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.

https://www.cjponyparts.com/resources/1996-mustang-specs#:~:text=The%20Mustang%20GT%20and%20Cobra,for%20the%20V6%20Mustang%20models).

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....

AeroCoupe · Mar 4, 2025

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.

General karthief · Mar 4, 2025

Can you get it into a gear with the engine off?

90sickfox · Mar 5, 2025

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.

Mindseye007 · Jul 27, 2025

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.

IMHO, Nothing beats the Pro 5.0 shifter so sweet.

Noobz347 · Jul 28, 2025

Mindseye007 said:
Nothing beats the Pro 5.0 shifter so sweet.

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.

Mindseye007 · Jul 28, 2025

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.

Is this it? Looks pretty sweet, I have Never tried it,

MGW Aftermarket Racing Shifters — Toploader Short Throw Shifter

www.mgwshifters.com

only the Pro 5.0 shifter base

https://cfc7329ad537523a5de1-b21544d490ba797ec9de9d17e947de3d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/pro-7210t5_7499.jpg

with the Hurst shift handle

https://ad4062394301f5213879-385273f35a1492ed75ad0e23ea945a34.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/hurst-mustang-competition-plus-5-speed-shift-handle-bezel-kit-87-93-5380036_bccd9274.jpg

With some blue 242 loctite

https://media-www.canadiantire.ca/product/fixing/paint/surface-prep-maintenance/0670036/threadlocker-blue-removable-adhesive-loctite-764afec9-fd15-4ea5-b03a-c4d93eb566ca-jpgrendition.jpg?imdensity=1&imwidth=1244&impolicy=gZoom

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

https://cfc7329ad537523a5de1-b21544d490ba797ec9de9d17e947de3d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/sve-7213h_ed47407a.jpg

I love my setup, The best setup for me anyway...

Noobz347 · Jul 28, 2025

Mindseye007 said:
Is this it? Looks pretty sweet, I have Never tried it,

MGW Aftermarket Racing Shifters — Toploader Short Throw Shifter

www.mgwshifters.com

only the Pro 5.0 shifter
https://cfc7329ad537523a5de1-b21544d490ba797ec9de9d17e947de3d.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/pro-7210t5_7499.jpg

with the Hurst shift handle
https://ad4062394301f5213879-385273f35a1492ed75ad0e23ea945a34.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/hurst-mustang-competition-plus-5-speed-shift-handle-bezel-kit-87-93-5380036_bccd9274.jpg

With some blue 242 loctite
https://media-www.canadiantire.ca/product/fixing/paint/surface-prep-maintenance/0670036/threadlocker-blue-removable-adhesive-loctite-764afec9-fd15-4ea5-b03a-c4d93eb566ca-jpgrendition.jpg?imdensity=1&imwidth=1244&impolicy=gZoom

to secure the SVE 5-Speed shifter knob.
https://lmr.com/item/SVE-7213H/mustang-cobra-shift-knob-5-speed-sve-79-04
I love my setup, The best setup for me anyway...

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...

gkomo · Jul 28, 2025

MGW FTW! Wouldn’t buy anything else, love these shifters.

AeroCoupe · Jul 28, 2025

I bought one for the TKX that I just finished up installing here:

Thread 'TKX Install in the Coupe'

Apr 12, 2025

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

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...

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.

Mindseye007 · Jul 28, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
I bought one for the TKX that I just finished up installing here:

Thread 'TKX Install in the Coupe'

Apr 12, 2025

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

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...

AeroCoupe

Replies: 48

Forum: 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-

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.

How come you did not buy theT56 Magnum 6 speed with 2.95 first gear?

AeroCoupe · Jul 29, 2025

Well my pockets were only so deep and I could not justify the additional $1000 for one more gear.

limp · Jul 29, 2025

Mindseye007 said:
How come you did not buy theT56 Magnum 6 speed with 2.95 first gear?

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)

Mindseye007 · Jul 29, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
Well my pockets were only so deep and I could not justify the additional $1000 for one more gear.

Dam that's expensive.

Mindseye007 · Jul 29, 2025

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)

An extra gear to help with gas milage if your running 4.10 or 4.30 gears maybe even 4.56 ....

Noobz347 · Jul 29, 2025

Mindseye007 said:
An extra gear to help with gas milage if your running 4.10 or 4.30 gears maybe even 4.56 ....

Or you happen to have a ton of torque and just need that 200 MPH gear

AeroCoupe · Jul 29, 2025

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.

Drivetrain Thread 'T56 Magnum Install '89 Fox'

Nov 1, 2019

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)...

Drivetrain 5 speed will not shift at all

New Member

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Wasn't a pretty sight...and I've got big hands

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

MGW Aftermarket Racing Shifters — Toploader Short Throw Shifter 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.​

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

MGW Aftermarket Racing Shifters — Toploader Short Throw Shifter 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.​

now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Drivetrain Thread 'T56 Magnum Install '89 Fox'

Similar threads

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Privacy & Transparency

MGW Aftermarket Racing Shifters — Toploader Short Throw Shifter

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.

MGW Aftermarket Racing Shifters — Toploader Short Throw Shifter

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.