Official Tremec 3650 Issues Thread

brianmef said:

Just wait... the 05's will have problems also.

If I would have known the problems I was going to have with the transmission, and the BS I had to go though to get it fixed, I would have just got the automatic. This was my first manual and will definately be my last.

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Just got my car back from Ford. Transmission feels worse than before, ultra notchy and still does not go into reverse first time. This is the second transmission in 20k, I think I'm going to trade it for an SS or a WS-6 at least GM does not have crappy transmissions (with exception to the 4L60E)

Ken

Tremec 3650 Fluid Fix
I know there are differant problems with this trans. Most common seem to be 1-2 shift clunk. The other is grinding into gear.

Well here is my fix for a 1-2 clunk. When cold this was VERY noticible. Had to shift very slowly and ease it in gear. Would take 10-15 minutes of driving before it started to go away, even then I would hear it every once in a while.

Called Tremec. They told me two things:

- Dump the factory fill (was told by Tremec Mobil 1 syn). Replace it with Texaco (Havoline) Dexron III.
- Drop the fill amount from Ford's recommendation of 3.8 to 3.2 quarts. (3 liters)

They said this would fix the problem. I wasn't as sure as they were. What do you know, it worked. No clunk, even when I try to get it (pop the clutch a little too early). Dont' even get it on a fast downshift like a Iused to. Feels great. If anyone has a shifting clunk I would highly recommend the change.

Should take you more that 20 minutes to do:

- Warm up the and get it up on ramps or jacks. The higher the better as the fill hole is a little tough to reach.

- Use 3/8 inch ratchet to remove drain plu (bottom rear of trans).
- Clean / replace plug and remove the fill plug. Same type plug, higher up on passenger side of trans rear.
- Don't use a 2 hose hand siphon pump. They are garbage for this job, trust me. Go to Meijer and buy a pump that screws directly to the top of the trans bottle. Make sure the "fluid out" least 1 foot long to reach the fill plug. The "fliud in" line to the pump drops right down in the bottle. Makes it easy to pump out 99% from the bottle.
- fill with 3.2 quarts (3027 ML to be exact). Bottles are marked in ML's.
- Replace fill plug and your done.

I am extremely happy with how the Tremec is shifting now. I ran it through is paces hard, even cold and it is great. If anyone is going to try it has has a question, PM me.

Got my Stang back from the Ford house....man it shifts like night and day now. No grinding, no noise whatsoever. Definately loving this..should have been this way from day one. If only FORD would reimburse me for the 5 days of rental I needed.

Grrrr.

I am selling latest kit to fix tr3650's shifting problem on Ebay.

Click to view E-bay listing.

link

Please check it out. I am a Ford Tech and have done many of these and they are a complete fix for the problems that I list.

I am a for Tech and there is nothing hard about performing the TSB you are talking about. It can easily be done in 3hours.

wilke442 said:

I am a for Tech and there is nothing hard about performing the TSB you are talking about. It can easily be done in 3hours.

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Have you read an earlier comcerns that after TSB was performed that the problem comes back after 2k to 3k of new mileage. What is your take on the return of the problem?

tranny is strong

03 gt with 14k miles,made many runs at local dragstrip and have thrown down some very hard shifts and tranny has preformed flawlessly every time. have steeda short throw shifter and tranny feels very strong, except for occasional misshift (my fault) tranny has preformed flawlessly

Lightbulb75 said:

Have you read an earlier comcerns that after TSB was performed that the problem comes back after 2k to 3k of new mileage. What is your take on the return of the problem?

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I haven't had a single on of them come back! I think that says something.

Take it back

Well I take it back. After a few days of driving the trans began to feel better. By Saturday it only was missing the Reverse shift a few times. I was going to throw my tri ax back in anyways so i decided to try the redline fluid again. I picked up 3 liters of it and tossed it in the top before I put the shifter in. Let me say the trans shifts better than it ever has before. Downshifts nice, no clunks no grinds and reverse drop right in. It is like a new transmission. My only bitch is that ford did two things. One they did not use RTV to put the stock shifter back in, and two the trans fluid looked like it was metallic and dirty when it came out so it is a good thing I changed the fluid because this stuff was nasty and smelled like burnt old auto fluid. totally unrelated but I threw in a BBK catted X pipe saturday too and let me tell you that made a world of difference above 4k rpm! pretty easy to install too!

2001 Cobra Vert
Had the throwout bearings go a month after I got it. Had a slight grind 1st to 2nd and told them about it.
Noticed it only does it in cold weather or when the temp drops considerably.
Got the car back and they told me that they replaced the transmission with a borg warner high performance came from milwaukee warehouse. Then when I talked to another technician after 3 1/2 weeks I was told they were waiting for some replacement parts (forks) etc for the transmission and it was a planned recall from SVT for that transmission. Another week goes by and I call back and they were debating on putting an 03 T-56 in it. Ford declined to pay for it and they supposedly put the Borg Warner it it.
When I did get the car back I asked what they did and was told they did some upgrade work with some components for a recall. They could not tell me exactly what was upgraded nor would they give me any kind of paperwork whatsoever. That was a year or so ago. Im looking to upgrade EVERYTHING in this car now and get it up over par of the 03 Cobra. I call back and ask what type of transmission was put in the car and all they can tell me is he remembered them putting in a Borg Warner.
I say HORSE**** Ive still got the 1-2 grind when the car is cold.... after it warms up from running it seems to go away.
Damn thing seems strong.... takes whatever I throw to it

Lets do it