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Notchiness and lockout in T45 after burnout

  • Thread starter Thread starter TonyG
  • Start date Start date Apr 17, 2007
T

TonyG

Founding Member
Apr 12, 2002
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Owings Mills, MD
Apr 17, 2007
#1
  • Apr 17, 2007
  • #1
Right after a burnout, my T45 is very notchy. I try to loosen things up by shifting through all the gears (with the clutch pushed in) right before staging. It helps, but I still have intermittent problems getting locked out of gear during high-rpm shifting.

The problem seems to be related to the burnout. If I do a very light burnout or no burnout at all, the tranny shifts like butter.

Any ideas?
 

HoustonGT

Gilded Gelding
Apr 6, 2003
1,418
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Houston
Apr 17, 2007
#2
  • Apr 17, 2007
  • #2
Sounds to me like more of a clutch issue instead of a transmission issue. How many miles on the clutch?
 
T

TonyG

Founding Member
Apr 12, 2002
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Owings Mills, MD
Apr 17, 2007
#3
  • Apr 17, 2007
  • #3
Its a SPEC 3 clutch, with about 15 k miles and about 80 passes on the strip. I also have a UPR quadrant and Fiore adjuster.

But I don't think thats it -with the clutch pedal pushed in, I can feel the notchiness in all the gears.

Can the burnout be heating up the tranny too much and somehow cause the synchros to misalign?
 
S

stang2004

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Sep 23, 2001
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Northern Jersey
Apr 17, 2007
#4
  • Apr 17, 2007
  • #4
did you try changing the fluid?
 
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TonyG

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Owings Mills, MD
Apr 17, 2007
#5
  • Apr 17, 2007
  • #5
stang2004 said:
did you try changing the fluid?
Click to expand...


Yes. I had Redline D3 ATF in there for a while. Then when the notchiness started, I changed the fluid and put in GM Sychromesh. I didn't get the notchy feeling on my next trip to the track, so I thought the problem was solved, and caused by the old redline fluid (it was in there for 15 k miles and 80 passes). Now this is my 2nd trip since the fluid change, and the notchiness returned.
 

COramprat

...I can take it. I think.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 2, 2003
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1,463
223
Sea of Tranquility
Apr 17, 2007
#6
  • Apr 17, 2007
  • #6
Maybe a bend shift fork? I'm just guessing. Is it notchy in all gears?
 
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TonyG

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Owings Mills, MD
Apr 17, 2007
#7
  • Apr 17, 2007
  • #7
COramprat said:
Maybe a bend shift fork? I'm just guessing. Is it notchy in all gears?
Click to expand...

yes, in all gears
 

Rusty67

20+ Year Stangneter
Dec 3, 2002
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LA, CA
Apr 18, 2007
#8
  • Apr 18, 2007
  • #8
Put the car on a fairly level surface and then put the e-brake on. Shut the car off. Now try shifting through the gears, if its not notchy then turn the car on. Clutch in and shift through the gears.

Let us know what happens.
 
T

TonyG

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Apr 12, 2002
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Owings Mills, MD
Apr 18, 2007
#9
  • Apr 18, 2007
  • #9
Rusty67 said:
Put the car on a fairly level surface and then put the e-brake on. Shut the car off. Now try shifting through the gears, if its not notchy then turn the car on. Clutch in and shift through the gears.

Let us know what happens.
Click to expand...

I tried this and it shifted smoothly in both cases.
 

Mike97gt

it doe snot
Founding Member
Jan 26, 1999
10,633
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89
the people's republic of massachusetts
Apr 18, 2007
#10
  • Apr 18, 2007
  • #10
Sorry I know you disagree but I think this is a clutch/adjustment concern. What I think is happening is after your burnout your clutch air gap is reduced to the point that you start to have that notchy feeling and lockout. Even with your foot to the floor on the clutch pedal your still not 100 percent disengaged.

Maybe during your burnout you are getting a lot of clutch slippage and this is causing a reduction in air gap right after the burnout.

It's could also be a fluid issue or syncro issue but I doubt it, that should be worse with the engine cold, not after a burnout.

TonyG said:
I tried this and it shifted smoothly in both cases.
Click to expand...

This also is a sure fire indicator that it's a clutch and or adjustment issue. Thats why he had you do that test
 
T

TonyG

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Apr 12, 2002
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Owings Mills, MD
Apr 18, 2007
#11
  • Apr 18, 2007
  • #11
svttech76 said:
Sorry I know you disagree but I think this is a clutch/adjustment concern. What I think is happening is after your burnout your clutch air gap is reduced to the point that you start to have that notchy feeling and lockout. Even with your foot to the floor on the clutch pedal your still not 100 percent disengaged.

Maybe during your burnout you are getting a lot of clutch slippage and this is causing a reduction in air gap right after the burnout.

It's could also be a fluid issue or syncro issue but I doubt it, that should be worse with the engine cold, not after a burnout.

This also is a sure fire indicator that it's a clutch and or adjustment issue. Thats why he had you do that test
Click to expand...


Thanks for your insight. Do you think that it would help if I set the firewall adjuster to increase the air gap -i.e., so that the clutch grab at a higher pedal position?
 
S

stang2004

Founding Member
Sep 23, 2001
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Northern Jersey
Apr 18, 2007
#12
  • Apr 18, 2007
  • #12
Clutch quadrant and Firewall adjuster. Try fiddling with those and see what happens.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but i dont think your "supposed" to run GM Synchromesh in the T45 or T5.
 
T

TonyG

Founding Member
Apr 12, 2002
200
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Owings Mills, MD
Apr 18, 2007
#13
  • Apr 18, 2007
  • #13
There are mixed opinions about synchromesh -and I'll probably switch back to Redline D3 ATF or Mobil 1 ATF. But this problem started before the synchromesh.
 

Rusty67

20+ Year Stangneter
Dec 3, 2002
3,749
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109
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Apr 18, 2007
#14
  • Apr 18, 2007
  • #14
I'd say its a clutch problem as well.
 

Mike97gt

it doe snot
Founding Member
Jan 26, 1999
10,633
7
89
the people's republic of massachusetts
Apr 18, 2007
#15
  • Apr 18, 2007
  • #15
TonyG said:
Thanks for your insight. Do you think that it would help if I set the firewall adjuster to increase the air gap -i.e., so that the clutch grab at a higher pedal position?
Click to expand...

Maybe.

If your at a stop how far from the floor does the clutch start to engage if you let out really slow at idle. it should be a minimum of three inches from the floor.

If the air gap is not enough then maybe after the burnout the tiny bit of reduction in air gap as the clutch heats up could cause this problem.

OR... if the air gap is too much the clutch maybe slightly disengaged even with your foot off the pedal causing excessive heat and this can cause your concern too.
 
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