I love my 5.0...

[88 Fox GT]

I'm just HATE the tranny right now. Damn thing wants to grind all the time it seems like. Downshift to 1st, up and down into 4th, and always into reverse (unless slammed into gear). The shifter is very notchy and is almost too tough to downshift into 1st gear again. To keep it from grinding into 1st when slowing down from about 45-55mph, you have to coax it (with alot of strength) back into gear or else it will grind like a mofo. Also, when I'm really standing on it, I will usually miss the 1-2 shift because the shifter is so notchy and really doesn't want to go into gear much unless you granny shift or are going slow. As you can see in my sig, my 1965 coupe has the same tranny but it doesn't grind and it shifts smooth as silk. Yet it has more hard miles on it. Is there any possible way that it could be the clutch/pressure plate/throwout bearing causing this? I hope I can fix it for most of the part by replacing these things instead of having to rebuild the tranny.

 

[jpyjfrdmstng]

i guess the best way to rule out the clutch would be to shift when the engine is off, if its easy to shift while the engine is off, then i would imagine your clutch isnt fully disengaging

 

[EddieHaskell]

How many miles on the trans?

 

[88 Fox GT]

No, it's really not much easier to shift when the engine is off either.

The tranny has 125k on it.

 

[HardmanGT]

Adjust the clutch cable. Those are all simptoms of a stretched clutch cable. Try that first before you get a tranny.

 

[Paul Perreca]

my car is easy to shift when it is off, at least second gear is, someimes i dont even have to push the clutch in cuz i always put it in gear when i stop cuz my emerg brake sucks..... is my clutch Frucked?

 

[squeeeg]

Right now I don't think it is the tranny, at least not yet. You could be low on fluid or your clutch cable could be bad or going bad.

 

[88 Fox GT]

Thanks for the info. Where all can I adjust the clutch cable at? Just at the tranny or at the tranny and pedal both? I will try adjusting it as soon as possible because the grinding is really pissing me off. What I really need to do is get this thing on the hoist and replace the tranny crossmember bushings, check the tranny fluid, adjust the clutch cable and install the O2 sensors all at once.

 

[HardmanGT]

Assuming that you have a functioning factory cable and quadrant, simply lift up on the clutch pedal from the bottom with your toe. You should hear it click, maybe even a few times. The factory quadrant has a mechanism that will take up the slack in the cable as it gets stretched out over time.

That being said;
The factory quadrant rarely works correctly. So you best bet would be to install an adjustable setup from a quality company like Steeda.

 

[crazypete]

Even when they engage, those plastic gears will slip back to where they were within a day or two. I got to the point where I would lift up at each traffic light. Then I got the firewall-screw type manual adjuster. It was amazing. It ressurected an almost dead t-5 to the point where I could drive it around for another 1/2 year.

 

[PonyBoy90]

I don't know where you learned to shift, but 1st gear is ONLY for moving the car from an already dead stop!

Never, never, never downshift into 1st! At this point you should only be coasting in neutral.

Remember, the car should be at a dead stop when going into 1st gear. If your car is rolling at say 2 mph, safer to shift into 2nd and start climbing back up.

 

[illwood]

PonyBoy, that's why we do something called "RPM Matching."

Personally, I don't usually downshift into 1st, but if I do, I run down through the gears a bit first. If I'm in 3rd, I'll do a quick 3-2-1 where I'm only in 2nd long enough to fully release the clutch, then I'm back in on the clutch, bliping the throttle to prepare for the 1st gear shift.

My T-5 hasn't complained yet.

 

[1Stang2Go]

You downshift into first from 45mph?

 

[70lightning]

I don't know where you learned to shift, but 1st gear is ONLY for moving the car from an already dead stop!

Never, never, never downshift into 1st! At this point you should only be coasting in neutral.

Remember, the car should be at a dead stop when going into 1st gear. If your car is rolling at say 2 mph, safer to shift into 2nd and start climbing back up.

You can down shift into first.

 

[DJTR]

..... I was gonna say something but I honestly Forgot

 

[jpyjfrdmstng]

when im driving i always just throw it into first, it makes the wheels chirp and the muffler bang a couple times!

 

[88 Fox GT]

Who the hell downshifts into 1st when just driving down the road? I never said I did something like that. I am talking about slowing down to about 5mph to turn a corner or coming to a stop. For instance, if I don't want to use engine braking, I will coast to about 10mph or so and while pushing the clutch pedal, push it back into first gear, then RPM match while turning the corner at about 5mph or less. You can't tell me this is causing it to grind because I am pushing the shifter back into 1st gear at about 10mph and the clutch is still pushed in!

 

[crazypete]

Actually......it should give resistance even with the clutch pushed in. Ever missed and have it go into first? 1rst...rrrrr....2nd...rrrr.....grumble grumble why wont it go into 3rd...there it goes....RRRRRRRRR...bonk head on steering wheel as car drops 10 mph instantly.

I agree with the "first statement" you really should never put it in first unless the car is stopped. You dont need 1rst anyway if the car is already rolling. Hell, I got my mustang to take off in 3rd with 3.08's....well maybe not take off per se but it moved.

 

[88 Fox GT]

K, thanks.