My friend needs help ! - possible botched clutch job

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defcondaze

Member

Nov 3, 2004

48

0

6

Sep 25, 2009

#1

• Sep 25, 2009

• #1

my firend has a 97 gt, brought it in to get the clutch replaced.
got it back and he said the shifter felt loose while in gear and it poped out of 3rd randomly
a few weeks later it now will only go into 2nd, 4th and R.
they have the car again working on it and are starting to blame the transmission syncros.

i know this could be the case, but his car wasnt doing this before the new clutch. anybody know what they could have done wrong to cause these problems ?

 

65ShelbyClone

Founding Member

Sep 9, 2000

4,675

38

119

Antelope Valley, SoCal

Sep 25, 2009

#2

• Sep 25, 2009

• #2

Did you perhaps intend to post this in the 4.6L Mustang Tech forum instead of Classic Tech?

First thing that comes to mind is perhaps the clutch disc is in backward or they forgot to put the pilot bearing back in. It's hard to diagnose over the interwebs.

 

2

2+2GT

10 Year Member

Apr 25, 2009

3,333

10

79

Southeastern Pennsylvania

Sep 25, 2009

#3

• Sep 25, 2009

• #3

You'll want to check that the clutch is fully disengaging. Check the fluid level in the trans while you are under there.

 

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tonytaylor85

Member

Sep 3, 2009

126

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17

Augusta GA

Sep 27, 2009

#4

• Sep 27, 2009

• #4

Does the car have an aftermarket shifter? if the stop bolts were improperly adjusted that would prevent the shifter from making it into 1st 3rd and 5th.

 

stangman11

Member

Feb 27, 2006

220

3

19

New Jersey

Sep 28, 2009

#5

• Sep 28, 2009

• #5

It will only go into 2nd and 4th? The only time I have seen that is if a shift fork is broken, how that happened after a simply clutch repacement is beyond me unless they beat the crap out of the car after it was done. I do have to agree with Shelby tho its really easy to forget to look at the clutch disc and put it in backwards which could cause this issue and would make more sense then a broken shift fork, but if that was the case it should still go in all gears. Is the car at a trans shop or a normal garage?

 

bhuff30

Founding Member

Dec 11, 2001

6,037

35

129

Olathe KS

Sep 28, 2009

#6

• Sep 28, 2009

• #6

It does not sound like a broken shift fork. There are seperate forks for the 1-2, 3-4 and 5-R. So you might expect 1 and 2 to not work... or 3 and 4.

 

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defcondaze

Member

Nov 3, 2004

48

0

6

Sep 28, 2009

#7

• Sep 28, 2009

• #7

Its at a normal garage, my friend is the type of guy who calls up and says

" i need clutch replaced in 97 mustang gt "

that will run you 800$

"ok ill drop it off"

i asked my friend " is that a performance clutch or stock ?, what else are they replacing ?"

and he goes

....well your paying for it ....

it may have a short throw shifter, but i dont know why they would play with the stops on it...
i was thinking ... maybe when they took it down, spilled tranny fluid and didnt put any back in ?

ill have to talk to him again today and see what the "shop" is saying now

 

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defcondaze

Member

Nov 3, 2004

48

0

6

Sep 28, 2009

#8

• Sep 28, 2009

• #8

well he got the car back ... still only 2nd 4th and rev, the shop says its the trans
he said he and his dad tried playing with the shifter ... but i dono

i want to look at it my self, im thinking the top stop bolt on it isnt adjusted right as someone suggested ...

 

4

40oz

Member

Jan 9, 2006

499

3

18

Minneapolis

Sep 29, 2009

#9

• Sep 29, 2009

• #9

that's pretty much why only me or Ford techs work on my car.

 

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usiskin99

New Member

Aug 29, 2007

26

0

0

Weston, Fl.

Sep 30, 2009

#10

• Sep 30, 2009

• #10

hey i had the same problem a few years ago.. same kinda shop same kinda deal. difference, my gears wouldnt engage at all, and mechanic blamed it on the tranny. i took it to the dealership, charged me 400 to drop the tranny, and oh surprise! wrong clutch! would double check that job... and compare old clutch with the new one.

 

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defcondaze

Member

Nov 3, 2004

48

0

6

Oct 7, 2009

#11

• Oct 7, 2009

• #11

ok, so i finally got to look at his car. it goes into every gear now ...
i checked the stops .. they all looked fine. so i dont know what it was, but i do know there is nothing wrong with the transmission .... so for the shop to say synchros makes me scarred ..... i wonder if they even changed the clutch

 

flstang65

10 Year Member

Dec 6, 2007

1,484

135

94

SE Georgia

Oct 7, 2009

#12

• Oct 7, 2009

• #12

Sounds like your friend has a shady shop he has been going to. I'm going with wrong or backwards clutch or low fluid.