Official Tremec 3650 Issues Thread

2002BLKGT · Jun 10, 2003

Warranty Voided due to Triax

I went to Ford to complain about the grind issue as well as the tranny being extremely jumpy since purchase and their answer was to void my warranty due to having a Steeda Tri-Ax shifter installed. The thread is below..

I am Jake and my 2002 GT has 33,000 miles!
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=332646

2002BLKGT · Jun 10, 2003

***Update***

I got a phone call on my cell at lunch from the Ford Litigation Intervention Department. An attorney was forwarded my email. I stated my case to him and he basically said he would call me back. He may offer an independant inspection of the transmission. If this happens and the fault is found to be with the Tremec, this would set a precedent for everyone else experiencing the same issue. I'll keep you posted.

2002BLKGT · Jun 10, 2003

***Update***

I got a phone call on my cell at lunch from the Ford Litigation Intervention Department. An attorney was forwarded my email. I stated my case to him and he basically said he would call me back. He may offer an independant inspection of the transmission. If this happens and the fault is found to be with the Tremec, this would set a precedent for everyone else experiencing the same issue. I'll keep you posted.

slomod · Jun 10, 2003

I registered to this site just to join in on this. I have a 02 GT with under 6K miles. There has always been a slight bump from 1st to 2nd, but I never gave it much thought. I go to the track 2 or 3 times a month and have never had a problem until last week. The car would not shift from 2nd to 3rd under high rpms. Every shift to 3rd felt like it was hitting something. I made 5 passes to see if it was my error and I got the same result everytime. I took the tri-ax off and could not find anything wrong with it. I went back out on the highway and same thing, but only on a high rpm shift. I love this car but I'm getting worried after reading all these posts. Has anyone had this exact problem?

NUKEPLANT · Jun 10, 2003

Slomod my trans has done that a couple of times also at higher rpms. 2-3 or 3-4. I had to double-clutch to continue shifting.

JoeySperz · Jun 11, 2003

I HATE MY TRANS.
2002 GT.

8,000 miles, problem of shifting from 1st to second and grind started to get bad.
11,000 miles, trans destroyed and replaced
13,000 miles, prolem of difficulty to shift from 1st to 2nd started... AGAIN
17,000 Miles, Grinding started to get bad.
CURRENTLY 20,000 miles, waiting for this one to blow so i can start over again on another trans.

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BOTTOM LINE- This trans is garbage and we should do something so ford has a recall and gives us a trans that works.

Kobramorder · Jun 11, 2003

Have you all gone to Dewayne's thread about the lawyer? It is in the tech forum. Should be near the top. Or: http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?threadid=332530

CuddaWuddaShuda · Jun 12, 2003

Re: Warranty Voided due to Triax

Originally posted by 2002BLKGT
I went to Ford to complain about the grind issue as well as the tranny being extremely jumpy since purchase and their answer was to void my warranty due to having a Steeda Tri-Ax shifter installed.

Niiice... voiding your warranty over that is BS. Can't the shifter companies get their product certified as "direct replacements" or something? I know there is a federal law against voiding warranties over non-OEM parts of equal quality.

And I agree about the jumpiness. It's pretty easy to make the new 5-speeds chatter and fling the shifter from side to side when letting out the clutch in first. You have to use more clutch and/or less throttle than many cars I've driven. Soft motor mounts explain a lot of the shifter vibration, I guess. I don't know if I am just learning how to drive the car, but this problem seems to be going away.

2002BLKGT · Jun 13, 2003

**Update 2 **

I just received a call from Ford Motors Customer Service. The representative is stating that they will allow me to take the car to a Ford dealership where they will break down the transmission to verify the actual root cause of the grind and jumpiness. If it is determined that my shifter is the root cause, I am then financially responsible for both the diagnostic, repair, and re-assembly time. Which could possibly go into the $2000.00 range. What do you guys reccomend I do? Since it's their mechanics, do you think I have chance for an impartial, unbiased examination or will they go into this knowing they're going to find fault with the shifter before the first bolt is unfastened?

-Jake

JERRYC · Jun 13, 2003

I don't trust it. The Ford mechanics are not exactly non partial. A $2G hit is too big of a risk to take with these bozos. Also, you have to remember that they have been very careful to not aknowledge these Tremec problems so I see them getting ready to play the blame game.

Just my .02

4.6MustangSteve · Jun 13, 2003

I've had mine since May 19 and the coldest it has been here since then is about 59 degrees. The tranny feels reluctant to engage 2nd gear, sometimes it wants to kick back out. It clunks and clanks when it goes in, and occaisionally it will grind. 2-3 seems to be fine, however it has grinded once or twice even with the clutch pedal all the way to the floor. 3-4 have no problems what so ever.

The 1-2 shift is utterly annoying, though. The amount of noise that the drivetrain makes is unsettling also. I often hear a clunk in the rear end any time I let off the throttle. I don't know if that is normal or not but I have never experienced it in any other vehicle.

grussr · Jun 13, 2003

Re: **Update 2 **

Originally posted by 2002BLKGT
I just received a call from Ford Motors Customer Service. The representative is stating that they will allow me to take the car to a Ford dealership where they will break down the transmission to verify the actual root cause of the grind and jumpiness. If it is determined that my shifter is the root cause, I am then financially responsible for both the diagnostic, repair, and re-assembly time. Which could possibly go into the $2000.00 range. What do you guys reccomend I do? Since it's their mechanics, do you think I have chance for an impartial, unbiased examination or will they go into this knowing they're going to find fault with the shifter before the first bolt is unfastened?

-Jake

Everyone,
check out the following site, http://www.dealersalliance.org
The root problem seems to be Ford not giving the dealers what they deserve and the dealers just trying to do their job. Maybe they could help you guys in giving information on the 3650, and what they really see.

As for your case, can't you just re-install the stock shifter and show that it happens with that. As for it being the "mechanics" opinion, yes he will try to side with Ford because then he gets paid more....

GTGene · Jun 13, 2003

02 mustang GT, grinds into second on occassion, feels like it is pushing against going into second when shifting.

Emmett Price
elgeneyo28@hotmail.com

20BlackGT02 · Jun 13, 2003

Originally posted by 4.6MustangSteve
The 1-2 shift is utterly annoying, though. The amount of noise that the drivetrain makes is unsettling also. I often hear a clunk in the rear end any time I let off the throttle. I don't know if that is normal or not but I have never experienced it in any other vehicle.

I have the same exact problems you do! I'm starting to think this sh^t is normal if a lot of people are experiencing the same problems.

2002BLKGT · Jun 13, 2003

Clunk

I know what you mean about the "Clunk". Sometimes I worry the tranny will drop out of the damn car! I dunno. The Tremec is supposed to be one of the best transmissions out there. Hopefully they will acknowledge the issue and issue a recall, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I wonder if some amsoil or royal purple transmission fluid would improve the situation?

svtsnake01 · Jun 13, 2003

Had it since car was new

Shift forks were replaced 2 months after I bought the car

Just picked the car up from the dealer today, had second gear replaced

killer55 · Jun 14, 2003

I have had 1st to 2nd noise problems since I took it off the showroom floor. Local dealer replaced 2nd gear,synchros,shift fork,pads and shift rail pin @ 2200 miles.

When that was done I replaced fluid with Mobil 1 Syn and it seemed to help the shift grind problem some.

At 3200 miles the trans messed up again and the dealer replaced the shift rail,shift fork,pin and pads. Said that the synchros were
good. The dealer put in Mobil 1 fluid at my request.

The transmission still grinds when shifting into second. When I discussed with the dealer the tech said that it did not grind when he test drove I told them that was fine and when it broke again
it would be back and they could replace the trans this time since they can not get it repaired properly.

From what I have been told Tremec knows of this problem and it is with the new type of synchros on this model (3650). This model has carbon fiber/paper on the synchros where the older trans has the solid brass type. I have heard Tremec is in the process of trying to fix but it is going to take a while.

DHG388 · Jun 15, 2003

Re: **Update 2 **

Originally posted by 2002BLKGT
I just received a call from Ford Motors Customer Service. The representative is stating that they will allow me to take the car to a Ford dealership where they will break down the transmission to verify the actual root cause of the grind and jumpiness. If it is determined that my shifter is the root cause, I am then financially responsible for both the diagnostic, repair, and re-assembly time. Which could possibly go into the $2000.00 range. What do you guys reccomend I do? Since it's their mechanics, do you think I have chance for an impartial, unbiased examination or will they go into this knowing they're going to find fault with the shifter before the first bolt is unfastened?

-Jake

How about this angle. Take the bet, under the provision that if you pay them to fix it, they keep the Tri-Ax shifter and when the problem reappears, they give you your money back, and the tri-ax and they get to do it again under warranty....................

psnous · Jun 15, 2003

Plus most dealers don't assume anyone knows the extent of the law. If they void your warranty due to the shifter they have to prove that the shifter caused the tranny failure.

#191 02' Saleen · Jun 15, 2003

I have a 2002 Saleen/Sc and my 1st-2nd is ok, it has a little of the clunk but not bad. Now my 3rd gear sycros. are gone I think. When shifting from second to third I have to let the rpms drop about 500 rpms or it will grind the **** out of it. I have about 8000 miles on it. I also have a Tri-ax shifter.

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