Official Tremec 3650 Issues Thread

LaserRedGT · May 31, 2003

I have a 2001 GT with a 4/4/01 build date and the Tremec 3650. 1-2 shifts must be done very slowly (2-3 seconds) or I can feel it crunching/binding attempting to go into 2nd gear. Feels as though something is blocking the shift attempt. When cold (below zero up to 55 degrees) I must wait to allow the stick to move into second with light pressure or it grinds. 2-3 shift is similar, but not nearly as bad. My dealer has also told me this is normal (I'm the 2nd owner and car has 16,600 miles on it). I'm concerned about being rear ended by a soccer mom in a minivan leaving traffic lights from a stop as I do not want to break the tranny! Help!

Am considering a switch to Redline D4 and a Tri-axe.

Dave

JF02GT · May 31, 2003

Originally posted by LaserRedGT
I have a 2001 GT with a 4/4/01 build date and the Tremec 3650. 1-2 shifts must be done very slowly (2-3 seconds) or I can feel it crunching/binding attempting to go into 2nd gear. Feels as though something is blocking the shift attempt. When cold (below zero up to 55 degrees) I must wait to allow the stick to move into second with light pressure or it grinds. 2-3 shift is similar, but not nearly as bad. My dealer has also told me this is normal (I'm the 2nd owner and car has 16,600 miles on it). I'm concerned about being rear ended by a soccer mom in a minivan leaving traffic lights from a stop as I do not want to break the tranny! Help!

Am considering a switch to Redline D4 and a Tri-axe.

That's exactly how it is for me!!! I too am concerned about being rear ended...seriously! And again after 20 minutes of warming up it shifts perfectly with no grind so I refuse to believe I have bent shift forks or bad synchros.
I switched to Redline D4 ATF and the Tri-Ax and the cold 1-2 grind issue was unchanged.

JERRYC · May 31, 2003

JF02GT You are dead on. That's EXACTLY how it is for me too. I guess since summers coming and we're not going to have this problem for awhile we are suppossed to forget about the fact that we know somethings not quite right with this Tremec.

asmazda · May 31, 2003

I have a 2001 GT and I have the 1st to 2nd grind/clunk problem. Mine doesn't seem weather related, it just has to do with shifting too fast but only sometimes. So basically, each time I launch the car I have to worry about grinding 2nd gear, which defeats the purpose of buying a Mustang. Ford needs to be forced to do a recall and give us all new trannys.

Armeen

WERM · May 31, 2003

I do not like this transmission

Had the shift fork replaced, and I think also the 1-2 syncros.

On a warm day (after the engine is warm) it shifts fine. When the engine is cold, it doesn't like to go into second so I have to gently nudge it in or it will grind. When it is cold, it doesn't like to go into second at all, and if I don't take like 4 seconds to shift it will grind.

I also get a little bit of a grind on the 2-3 shift.

Other than the transmission and the fact that my car should have come with 275+ HP as they originally claimed, it's been really good to me.

Blk01gt_ · Jun 1, 2003

now couldnt this thread be shown to someone at ford who can do something for us, or at least to a lawyer who can help mustang owners force ford to do something?

jprez22 · Jun 1, 2003

2003 Mustang GT, has had the problem since day one. It was orginally purchased in November here in TX. In cold weather it was a bear to get it into second with out grinding. Shifting second to third would also produce a grind but much much less.

Changing fluids from stock to Redline did little good. I doubt changing shifters would help but thats just my $0.02. Ford said problem couldn't be found. They suggested synchros or bent shift fork but I disagree as when the car is warmed up there isn't a grind. My first FORD, apparently my last too, having to wait for a car to warm up is hard to avoid shifting problems is hard for me to accept.

claytucc3 · Jun 1, 2003

3650

I have had a few problems with mine. It is very hard to shift in the mornings from 1 to 3 and 3 to 4. When it warms up it starts to work better. I have been down the track a few times with slicks at 12.0 so I attributed the tranny problems to this but it looks like it is an ongoing problem. So add my name to the list

clay

1moreblackgt · Jun 1, 2003

Same 1st to 2nd and the problem from second to third. I have a triax and I have missed third gear twice. During normal driving it is not as bad but my car does not want to go into third gear at high rpm. I am waiting for my 15,000 mile service to get it checked out. I also have leaky windows.

Ruffrider · Jun 2, 2003

I have 3600miles on my '03 Mustang GT and it grinds shfiting into second and 3rd but only once in a while. It really pisses me off, seams to do it when Im accelerating harder than normal.

-John Eidukot

SLOW 97 · Jun 2, 2003

Originally posted by JF02GT
The 1-2 cold shift issue is horrible!!! I live in Chicago and the weather is damn cold from November through April and I have to granny shift the damn thing for the first 15-20 minutes until the tranny warms up. I replaced the factory Mercon fluid with Redline D4 ATF and there is no difference!

When everything warms up, I have no complaints. It shifts flawlessly when warmed up so don't tell me anything about bent shift forks or any other BS! It is a design flaw!!!

I'd like to know how the hell this made it through Ford's and Tremec's testing??? Did they do all of the testing in frickin Mexico City in the summer time when it is 110 degF?

I'm seriously thinking about selling this thing for this reason alone because 6 months per year of this crap is total BS.

I don't care what kind of tranny it is. Every stick car I've ever driven has a hard 1-2 shift when it's cold. That is because the gear lube is very high viscosity and when it's cold it will be like sludge and it will be hard for the tranny internals to move and mesh together easily. The grind may be a problem but a hard shift when the tranny is cold is totally normal. Try moving the shifter through all gears on a cold morning to move the gear lube around in the tranny and warm it up before you drive, it may help a bit. Trust me, my Hyndai which I had for a winter car this year was bitch to shift when cold. In fact, I busted the shifter trying to muscle it in gear because it was below zero and that damn thing would not shift. After it got warmed up it was fine and that tranny was always cake to shift.

1fastford · Jun 2, 2003

How about posting just problems, i understand that some people got lucky and have no problems, but the majority of us have issues!!

wulffy · Jun 2, 2003

Same here......02' GT with 6500 miles. Has done the cold 1-2 grind ever since it was new. I figured with all of the problems, I would be wasting my time returning it to the dealer. Will wait until there is a sure cure or it breaks.

TRUEBLUEOVAL · Jun 2, 2003

2001 GT. First had problems in the winter, about 8,000 miles. Seems that if I hold the clutch down longer than usual first, then shift, it's not so bad. Once its warmed up or warm weather its fine.

Anthony

TorchRedGT02 · Jun 2, 2003

2002 GT, 5300 miles... and have also experienced 1-2 grind and it has been babied. Even after warm-up, it is still hard to put into 2nd gear sometimes (sporadic). Thank God I have a 2nd vehicle I drive, in the winter, here in Chicago.

Premium Speed · Jun 2, 2003

2001 GT, same as everyone else. 1-2 shift is rough and makes a "clunk" sound when cold. works great when warm. i also found that slowing my shifting helps but doesn't make it go away.

AC

JERRYC · Jun 2, 2003

CLASS ACTION SUIT

Twisted - I like what you've started here. How about taking it a step furthur and feelign out an attorney (on contingency) - who would launch a class action suit against Ford regarding this trans problem. - There's just too many people on here with this problem to not be a Tremec fault.

Thanks !

Jerry

Twisted · Jun 2, 2003

JERRYC

I am just trying to get a head count going here. I want to try and settle this "nicely" if at all possible. If Ford still refuses to address our problems, then it is time to get some legal representation.

Do we have any lawyers that can help us? Are we still to few to make an impact?

kirkyg · Jun 2, 2003

95% of ALL 3650 complains i've seen is a weak/defective/cracked shift frok that they put in these transmission. The tranmissino as a whole is much improved over previous ford 5 speeds. As soon as you get your shift fork replace put a short throw on with stop bolts to protect from over extending the shift fork because believe me its very easy especially with a defective part.

kirkyg

TorchRedGT02 · Jun 3, 2003

Actually it states here www.ttcautomotive.com/English/faq/faq.asp#15 that tremec transmission already have shift stops internally installed. I'm no mechanic and I am experiencing these problems also, but if it is a problem with shift forks, why would the grind go away when the tranny fluid warms up. I would think if it was a defective shift fork it would do it all the time?

Official Tremec 3650 Issues Thread

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