bad pilot bearing? vibrations in shifter

[beaver2489]

I have horrible vibration through the shifter on my 88 gt 5speed convertible. I just replaced the harmonic balancer yesterday, it helped a little. I sometimes hear a clunk in the rear when shifting to 2nd, but only when its cold? I just bought the car 2 weeks ago and it has done it the whole time. There was a new clutch, pressure plate, pilot bearing, and throwout bearing installed about 4 months ago the guy said. the clutch is really stiff too. I can't even spin the tires in 1st??? I can take it to 3grand and dump it and it just kinda goes. Is the clutch maybe not engadging/disengadging all the way? does a bad pilot bearing or bad install make a bad vibration like this? thank you very much guys

 

[ponyboy19]

My guess is that if the clutch was replace they may have taken too much off the flywheel and got it out of balance and that is causing your bad vibration.. On my first resurface it had a little vibration but nothing much.. the second resurface it was a nightmare and I had to tear it right back apart and put in a new one in which made the car run smooth as ever.. If you dump the clutch at 3000 in 1st and it don't break the tires loose my guess is it's out of adjustment or it's shot and possibly wasn't given a 500 mile break in or something.. Either way if it was mine and vibrating I would pull it apart and order a 99 dollar FMS OEM flywheel and a 279 dollar Mcleod clutch kit and reinstall everything. Atleast you would then know what was in it. Do you have a firewall adjuster or adjustable cable.. you may be able to adjust some more clutch but if it's been ran this long slipping then I'm sure you've burnt the clutch and scored the flywheel already.. I'd replace it

 

[beaver2489]

Ok, I just went to the gas station and tried to break the tires loose and I did all through 3rd but it still vibrates...When I installed a new speedo cable last night I had my hand on the DS and it moved alittle like it was loose. Then I went over and felt the DS under my 89 with an AOD and it was solid...I don't know why I forgot this. I should make sure the bolts haven't come loose on it, then driv'er again. If that doesn't fix it I'll have to do the whole flywheel, clutch kit install

 

[stangbear427]

Something's definately wrong in there, better pull it apart. I'd talk to Perky about a SPEC clutch kit before dumping over $200 into one from somewhere else- although the McCloud is an awsome package, you don't really need it in this car yet and the SPEC stage I is good to over 400HP. Definately sounds like it's not locking up good for you though. Could be a bad brake in, if somebody did the clutch and resurfaced the flywheel and didn't wait 500 miles or so before they went and hammered on it than the flywheel wouldn't dress right and the disc could glaze. It could also be a defective pressure plate, sticky throw out bearing, hitch in the clutch cable. Do you smell anything? That clunk sounds kinda strange too, are you sure it's coming from the rear of the car? Does it go into 2nd ok, and are you positive it's only 2nd that makes the noise? It bothers me a bit that the vibration got better with a new balancer, I wouldn't say you're getting a vibration from the pilot bearing although this vibration isn't doing the bearing any favors because it's really soft. It's possible that the tranny wasn't properly alligned, but not very likely if it's the stock T-5. It's also possible it was just a botch clutch job- which is most likely. It's relatively easy to do a clutch yourself, it's also just as easy to screw it up. Rip it apart and take a look.

 

[stangbear427]

Ok, I just went to the gas station and tried to break the tires loose and I did all through 3rd but it still vibrates...When I installed a new speedo cable last night I had my hand on the DS and it moved alittle like it was loose. Then I went over and felt the DS under my 89 with an AOD and it was solid...I don't know why I forgot this. I should make sure the bolts haven't come loose on it, then driv'er again. If that doesn't fix it I'll have to do the whole flywheel, clutch kit install

Universal joints? That would explain the clunk too. Stop dumping the clutch until you know what's wrong, you don't want to F^(& up anything inside!

 

[beaver2489]

hey thanks! The clunk only happens going into second in the morning (cold) when I leave my house. My driveshaft feels looser compared to the one in my 89 AOD so I'm gonna check the DS bolts tonight. it that doesn't do anything I'll have to get all new clutch and flywheel stuff. when I sell my 89 I'll be getting a tremec or another WC T5 so I'll just do it all at once. the tranny is about shot too, it pops out of 2nd after downshifting to turn. bad synchros I believe and reverse is a bitch to get into. I have to go to 1st then reverse or it grinds real bad. thanks guys, hopefully I can sell my 89 soon so I can get this fixed

 

[tvmango]

correct

Universal joints? That would explain the clunk too. Stop dumping the clutch until you know what's wrong, you don't want to F^(& up anything inside!

that's what you need to check, your u joints, and your clutch sounds out of adjustment..... Is the pedal all the way out when the car is starting to go.

 

[beaver2489]

Universal joints? That would explain the clunk too. Stop dumping the clutch until you know what's wrong, you don't want to F^(& up anything inside!

thanks, I didn't have to dump the clutch this time. I just got on 'er. maybe it was just me...I hadn't driven a 5 speed for a looonng time before I bought this car and the clutch is real stiff compared to the 5speeds I've driven in the past. I'll check the DS bolts and the universal joints. maybe the did a ****ty clutch install and messed everything up lol. the guy that did the install let the speedo cable rest on the h-pipe and it melted through lol. had to install a new one last night

 

[beaver2489]

that's what you need to check, your u joints, and your clutch sounds out of adjustment..... Is the pedal all the way out when the car is starting to go.

no, I don't have to let the clutch all the way out to go. The pedal feels really stiff so it feels like I have to push it all the way in, but the car moves after letting off the clutch about 1/4-1/2 way off the pedal. when I sell my 89 I'll just get an aluminum DS, new tranny, and flywheel clutch kit. Then should be set. Thank you guys for your help, I'll just have to drive it easy till I can get the money

 

[stangbear427]

Sounds like you've got a Motorsport clutch in there, if it grabs right off the floor and feels stiff. Not necessarily, but that's been my experience with them, and I've heard several cases of the same about them while pretty much every other clutch out there has a pretty good reputation. It's an inherently bad design for a pressure plate, but lot's of people swear by them too- including D&D Motorsports, the largest Mustang transmission dealer in the country. Oh well. According to every other clutch manufacturer I've talked to, you should able to change gears by just tapping the pedal, implying grabbing pretty high off the floor.

 

[Blk91stang]

I just installed a F/M King cobra clutch for 180 bucks in my stang with no problems. Clutch is easy to push in, smooth, and grabs quicker than my stocker

 

[stangbear427]

I'm sure it does grab quicker than your stock one. Much quicker- like pretty much as soon as you move your foot off the floor it's already grabbing, yes? When I first put my King Cobra in I thought that was cool, but give it a some time. Once the pressure plate starts to get pooped, your pedal effort starts multiplying like crazy. By the time I took it out I was the only one who could drive my car. It was smooth, I'll give it that- but not for long. and for another ten bucks you could have a SPEC stage I that'll handle 400HP, work even easier and grab better and where it's supposed to. When your powershifting and you have to clutch to the floor to get through the gears instead of tapping it through, it gets old fast. But then, it was a lot better on my T-5 than it was on my TKO. As long as you like it, what do I care? Maybe I just don't have good luck with FMS parts.

 

[Schlodes]

Harmonic Balancer?

If its the stock, original one, chances are the rubber is all cracked and it might have *****/be *****ting the bed.. Along with a visual inspection, have someone crank the car over with the coil wire unplugged, and watch to see if its wobbling as the engine turns over.

Bad balancer will cause what you are experiencing and could cause REAL DAMAGE if left like it is...

Just a thought. Good luck [P.S. the rubber was all cracked and my stock balancer wobbled badly at only 85000 miles so..]

 

[Deths91Gt]

I have the same problem with the vibrations from the shifter--its either your driveshaft or your tranny mount is shot--i replaced driveshafts with one i had laying around and its alot better but i still plan on getting a Aluminum one--those things are great!