Official Tremec 3650 Issues Thread

#181
I had my 1-2 shift fork replaced within the first 1000 miles. They replaced it with a "redesigned" shift fork. The new shift fork made no difference at all. When the car is cold, I make it a point to guide the car into gear.

The Steeda Triax I just had installed seems to make a big difference. The car now easily goes into second gear whether it's cold or not. Even with the new shifter, any thoughts of power shifting are gone. Too many visions of grenading my transmission because Ford didn't get this one right. "Quality is job one". Yeah, right.
 
#182
MHarmon said:
I had my 1-2 shift fork replaced within the first 1000 miles. They replaced it with a "redesigned" shift fork. The new shift fork made no difference at all. When the car is cold, I make it a point to guide the car into gear.

The Steeda Triax I just had installed seems to make a big difference. QUOTE]
thats funny, when I installed my tri-ax, that 1-2 grind became even more noticeable than before! 1-2 is HORRIBLE on the tremec 3650.
Click to expand...
 
#184
OK guys, I've talked to some people in Dearborn and they don't know for sure if there will be a recall but it is probable. I talked to a guy that was dealing with Tremec, they know of the problem and know why or what is causing it. The 3650's went to a brass sychro and blocking ring sets as the old trannys were carbon or some other paper-like material. Well when the 3650 gets hot the brass is expanding and/or warping causing the notchy shifting at first then causing more serious issues afterwards.

There is a current TSB out telling dealers tp put GM Synchromesh fluid in it, but the guy I talked told me "off the record" that he put a high quality fluid (royal purple, amsoil, etc..) in it with a little bit (1/4 tube or less) of the friction modifier that they use in the rearends in it along with a properly installed/adjusted shifter. I did this about 500 miles ago after having my third warrantied tranny in 14,000 miles put in and I noticed a huge differance.
 
#185
We got a 02 cp and a 03 vert both gt 5spd. got the same problem, but it just seems to be "notchy". no grinding or anything. but like all you other guys, its fine when it warms up. i had an 88 w.o. this problem, and a 90 ranger w.o this problem. i thought tremec was supposed to be the better of the tranny co.? please, keep me informed on what you guys find out. thanks
 
#187
I posted in the above thread, but I wanted to clear something up with this post.
My problem is as follows...
When I first start the car and get it in gear, the shift into 2nd is VERY notchy. It was also notchy going into 3rd, but not as bad. There was a tendency to miss 3rd once it was at a high rpm as well. I purchased a Tri Axe for the 3650 and the 3rd problem went bye bye. It is still however, VERY notchy in 2nd. I have experienced no grinding sounds at all though in any gear thankfully. I have over 8,000 miles on my 2003 GT and it has done this since day one. It is finally starting to wear on my nerves and I have about reached my limit. I talked with one of the guys at my dealers lot about it, and was told that if they couldnt get the car to duplicate it, then there was really nothing they could do. The same was said about the occasional off idle I experience at start up, and the occasional missed start. Once the car warms up it does great most of the time, and only rarely will it notch once its been driven a while. This is great for the dealer since I live in Cary NC and I bought the car in Kernersville NC, a good hour and half drive away! Sorry guys, I guess it was just my time to vent :bang:
 
#190
StangLou said:
Has anyone that has put on a Tri Ax been able to get theirs covered under warrenty, or are they going to try and give me crap that the Tri Ax is the reason?
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Well if they don't know you have it yet go ahead and take it off. In the end it don't matter if THEY do say it's because of the shifter most people don't know any better and suck it up, but if THEY do go that route you can fight it because by law when THEY go that route THEY have to prove that the paticular aftermarket item caused the failure.

I've played this game and although it sucked having a disabled car in the garage for 18 months in the end I won and THEY had to fix my car anyway and THEY still got sued(long story) What the kicker is though is my car is bone stock and I work for Ford
 
#192
psnous said:
OK guys, I've talked to some people in Dearborn and they don't know for sure if there will be a recall but it is probable. I talked to a guy that was dealing with Tremec, they know of the problem and know why or what is causing it. The 3650's went to a brass sychro and blocking ring sets as the old trannys were carbon or some other paper-like material. Well when the 3650 gets hot the brass is expanding and/or warping causing the notchy shifting at first then causing more serious issues afterwards.

There is a current TSB out telling dealers tp put GM Synchromesh fluid in it, but the guy I talked told me "off the record" that he put a high quality fluid (royal purple, amsoil, etc..) in it with a little bit (1/4 tube or less) of the friction modifier that

I did this about 500 miles ago after having my third warrantied tranny in 14,000 miles put in and I noticed a huge differance.
Click to expand...

Do you have the TSB?
And what adjustments are available on the shifter?
 
#193
I have been fighting and researching the 1-2 grind issue since June of 2001. The vast majority of the problems are identified as a problem when cold and the poroblem goes away when warmed up. For some people that is 10 minutes for others it may be longer.

People have had their transmissions replaced, same problem
People have had their 1-2 shift fork replaced, same problem
People have had their transmissions rebuilt, same problem

Do you really think Ford is going to recall something they have not been able or willing to fix already if it involves major maintenance?

Do you really think Ford is going to recall a major component for a problem that basically goes away when the car warms up.

I have tried 3 different synthetic fluids in the tranny with different levels of success. The GMsynchromesh is not synthetic so I did not try it.

The latest Service message I saw from Ford was #15669 and they were very clear in making sure that you do not fill to the fill hole but instead ONLY fill with 4 quarts.

In the beginning of this thread it is mentioned that the fill is 3.8 liters and a Tremec tech suggested to underfill it with 3.2 liters. Checking my shop manual they had the fill down as 3.7 liters. Clearly there was second guessing going on.

If you had filled your tranny with 3.8 liters and you wanted to try it at the 3.2 level, you would need to drain off 20 ounces. This represents a 15% reduction in fluid. Did not seem too radical to me. Example, this is the same as running your oil at 4 1/4 qts instead of at 5 qts.

Problem solved....

If this becomes the fix, maybe they will have a recall and keep your car all day while they drain some of your fluid off.

I would rather do it myself and know what has been done.
 
#194
S.D.-Stangman said:
Here is the funny thing though: I started noticing it the night that I put in a set of upper and lower control arms. Coincedence?
Click to expand...

Probably not.

Let me restate something I posted earlier that was ignored: transmission alignment, and the overall positioning of your drivetrain, can affect shifting. I have many old service manuals here at the house, and one of the first troubleshooting steps for notchy shifts is to check the alignment of the transmission, driveshaft, motor, etc. When I originally posted this, my suggestion was to check the motor / trans. mounts and maybe go with some firmer aftermarket parts. Lord knows the Ford parts are sloppy as hell, probably for NVH reasons.

Has anybody tried this?? The natural assumption is that these alignment / mounting issues don't affect shifting, because the connection isn't obvious. But think about the shift process holistically: the shifter is at a fixed point in the cabin. The transmission position is determined by the motor / trans. mounts and the orientation of the driveshaft. The shifting rails connect these two points (shifter and trans.), wherever they may be. If the trans. is mis-positioned, the shift rails will take a much different angle, and the shift throws will start and end at different positions.

Oh, but my explanation is too simple. It doesn't require a class action lawsuit, or make Ford or Tremec look bad. The main problem here may simply be that Ford is not paying attention to mount issues: material differences, fatigue, tolerances, etc. In my experience, some "mechanics" will call motor mounts good until the point where the motor is almost falling out. And you really can't tell by looking at the mounts... you have to look for SYMPTOMS like clunking, and (in a manual-shifted car) shifting issues.

Just my 2 cents. I have ruined a few sets of motor mounts in my day... it's a natural result of driving a V8 with even modest intensity.
 
#195
DHG388 said:
Do you have the TSB?
And what adjustments are available on the shifter?
Click to expand...

I'll check on it tomorrow(Monday) when I go back to work.

the adjustments I was referring to are the ones that come in the instructions with the shifter that you do with a feeler gauge or some shifters provide one for you.

I'd check your bolt(s) for tightness from time to time also


As far as the amount of tranny fluid I put 3 quarts in and almost a 1/4 tube of friction modifier. I've put about 1,000 miles on it since the rebuild and it shifts better than it ever did *fingers crossed* I just hope it lasts until my plans are done. I want an 03 Cobra but if Ford is gonna be like they were(which in my case it wasn't Ford it was the dealer) with me and alot of other people I don't want to chance spending 29K(A-Plan) on a car that I may or may not be able to get warranty work on. So instead I'm buying a wrecked 03 Cobra and putting the motor,tranny,and rearend in my car along with a 03 style hood and front bumper cover, and just learn how to work on my car myself with the help of my friends and the good peeps here on Stangnet, and never ever take my baby back to a dealership again.
 
#196
Found this..................

Tremec Transmissions
Service Bulletin 03.01


Subject:
Aftermarket Shifter Stops


Transmission Models Affected:
All

Severe damage may be caused by installing an aftermarket shifter with "shift stops" on any TREMEC transmission. All TREMEC transmissions are designed and manufactured with built-in shift stops to prevent over shifting. Therefore; shift stops on aftermarket shifters are totally unnecessary when used on a TREMEC transmission. TREMEC "TR series" transmissions have multiple shift rails with shift stops on the gearing. TREMEC "T series" transmissions have a single shift rail system with stops built into the guide plate.

When installing an aftermarket shifter on a TREMEC transmission it is best to remove the shift stops to avoid miss adjustment, and the potential of the screws vibrating lose. A misadjusted shift stop can cause an under-shift, which may lead to a gear jump-out situation. If the transmission jumps out of gear, the shift fork can be bent causing permanent damage to the transmission. Shift forks can also be damaged by "clash shifting". A clash is caused by a missed shift.

Neither an "under-shift", nor a "clash shift" can be prevented by shift stops. TREMEC shift forks are designed to take loads up to 1,000 lbs. However, a gear jump-out may well exceed 1,000 lbs. of force, which may result in a permanently damaged transmission.
 
#197
:bs: That is about the biggest line I've ever seen. I have a good friend is works at a dealer, so he has seen loads of these trannys come in broken. If you drive your 'stang like an old man, the 3650 is your tranny. however, if you drive your pony like most people do(including me), the stock shift stops on the 3650 are JUNK. An aftermarket shifter is the single best upgrade you can possibly do to a new 'stang. The T-5 had good sychros, blocking rings and shift forks, but the gears themselves were junk. Now the 3650's gears are good, but the sychros, blocking rings and the shift stops are junk. I'm saying this from expierence, i've got 6000 miles on my pony, and have had the tranny rebuilt once. I think TREMEC stuck out on this tranny. :fuss:
 
#198
1fastford said:
:bs: That is about the biggest line I've ever seen. I have a good friend is works at a dealer, so he has seen loads of these trannys come in broken. If you drive your 'stang like an old man, the 3650 is your tranny. however, if you drive your pony like most people do(including me), the stock shift stops on the 3650 are JUNK. An aftermarket shifter is the single best upgrade you can possibly do to a new 'stang. The T-5 had good sychros, blocking rings and shift forks, but the gears themselves were junk. Now the 3650's gears are good, but the sychros, blocking rings and the shift stops are junk. I'm saying this from expierence, i've got 6000 miles on my pony, and have had the tranny rebuilt once. I think TREMEC stuck out on this tranny. :fuss:
Click to expand...

I agree 100% the first two times my tranny broke it never shifted smoothly and really never "felt" good, but now after the shifter installed and good fluid I love it smooth as silk and the shifts are very "positive" feeling, haven't been to a 1/4 mile but I just now after about 1000 miles on this rebuild got on hard on the street and no problems what so ever, it took a while getting use to the shifter but now that I got a good feel for it I'm not nervous about it at all. Hopefully it'll live til the T-56 goes in this winter ;)
 
#199
OK so the manufacture would rather tell you NOT to SPEND YOUR money and put in a shifter to protect THEIR transmission. Is that how you figure it?

There is about a 20 thousands gap between the stop and the shifter. So when you smack the crap out of it, what is it hitting on first? The internal stops right? So you what good do the stops on the shifter do?

By the way I got this from a place that sells the shifters...................
By posting this information they are conceding one of the selling points for the shifter. Guess maybe they thought it would be funny to cut into their own sales.


6000 miles and a rebuild? Would, could or did the aftermarket shifter with stops, protect you?

32,000 miles on the Bullitt, Tri-Ax since about 4,000. No transmission issues. Guess I just don't drive it like most people do. Thank you.

By the way your buddy probably sees lots of broken cars because he works at a place where they service broke cars......... :bang:
 
#200
1fastford said:
:bs: That is about the biggest line I've ever seen. I have a good friend is works at a dealer, so he has seen loads of these trannys come in broken. If you drive your 'stang like an old man, the 3650 is your tranny. however, if you drive your pony like most people do(including me), the stock shift stops on the 3650 are JUNK. An aftermarket shifter is the single best upgrade you can possibly do to a new 'stang. The T-5 had good sychros, blocking rings and shift forks, but the gears themselves were junk. Now the 3650's gears are good, but the sychros, blocking rings and the shift stops are junk. I'm saying this from expierence, i've got 6000 miles on my pony, and have had the tranny rebuilt once. I think TREMEC stuck out on this tranny. :fuss:
Click to expand...

I agree with the TSB about shift stops. I wonder why so many people believe a few specialty aftermarket companies know so much more than Ford about Ford product. One word: HYPE.

Besides, my stock 2001 GT has been down the quarter mile almost 90 times, always powershifting, with the stock 3650 and the stock shifter. Believe me, I don't shift it like an old man. It ran 13.9 stock, and you really have to shift fast to do that. I've driven cars with the T5, T56, and the T3650, and the 3650 is the best overall transmission of the three, by any reasonable standard. It's not as strong as the other two, but it has higher ratios and shifts much easier.
 
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