Shifter or tranny at fault?

TheFleshRocket · Jan 16, 2004

When I downshift from second to first while rolling (this happens often since I have tall factory 2.73 gears), the tranny grinds. If I push the shifter towards first and give it a split second to let the synchros kick in, I get a nice, grind-free downshift. I also occasionally notice a bit of grinding on quick shifts to second gear.

I still have the terrible factory shifter. (A new Tri-Ax is showing up next week.) I realize that it is pretty likely that my T5 has issues, but is it possible that a crappy shifter is causing these problems, or should I budget for a better tranny in the not-too-distant future?

TIMMY2734 · Jan 16, 2004

That my friend, sounds like the drivers fault. I believe that first gear is not syncronized so you will never get a "clean" downshift. There really is no need to do it either

ashford · Jan 16, 2004

either synchros getting week or fluid is gettin old and decrepid

TheFleshRocket · Jan 17, 2004

TIMMY2734 said:
That my friend, sounds like the drivers fault. I believe that first gear is not syncronized so you will never get a "clean" downshift. There really is no need to do it either

Really?

I had a '93 LX I had a couple years back and I don't remember having any problems downshifting to first while rolling with it.

TheFleshRocket · Jan 17, 2004

ashford said:
either synchros getting week or fluid is gettin old and decrepid

I've thought about new fluid. I'm sure it's posted somewhere, but what's the T5 take?

ashford · Jan 17, 2004

first through fifth gear is synchroed

ashford · Jan 17, 2004

atf i also mix in limited slip additive but i dont think that would help your situation

TIMMY2734 · Jan 17, 2004

i just thought that i had read soemthing liek that soemwhere.

ashford · Jan 17, 2004

probably thinking about the truck 4 speed 1st isn synchroed neither was the early 60's and before 3 spd manuals

TIMMY2734 · Jan 17, 2004

i wasnt thinking about the truck. I just remember a similar post where somebody did the same thing. SOmeone said somethign about the syncros and i couldve sworn that was it. Oh well

ashford · Jan 17, 2004

some people take them out for racing purposes but it makes for a horrible street tranny unless your a truck driver

HISSIN50 · Jan 17, 2004

there was a huge fight about this not too many months ago (regarding whether first has synchros). its gotta have a synchro, as i have kicked it down before. ive had cars with no synchro and you cant even attempt it (and if first and reverse are together, i even had to go slow into first to avoid knicking reverse).
however, its not something i would do. and if you do, i would really match revs carefully so the synchro doesnt have to do much. just me.

the T5OD takes 2.6 quarts, IIRC. i personally run redline D4. seems to work fine. personal choice.

good luck.

stangbear427 · Jan 17, 2004

TheFleshRocket said:
When I downshift from second to first while rolling (this happens often since I have tall factory 2.73 gears), the tranny grinds. If I push the shifter towards first and give it a split second to let the synchros kick in, I get a nice, grind-free downshift. I also occasionally notice a bit of grinding on quick shifts to second gear.

I still have the terrible factory shifter. (A new Tri-Ax is showing up next week.) I realize that it is pretty likely that my T5 has issues, but is it possible that a crappy shifter is causing these problems, or should I budget for a better tranny in the not-too-distant future?

Your synchros are going. Yes, a t-5 has a fully synchronised 1st. If it's the drivers fault, it's that you waited too long to order the TriAx. That should improve the situation, but the damage has been done. Even if it had a good shifter protecting it all along though, it's only a matter of time- T5's aren't beefy enough to hanlde modified engines, despite the fact that so many people swear by them (and keep rebuilding them) It would make a good core towards a G-force, then you can keep the new shifter. Just my $.02

TheFleshRocket · Jan 17, 2004

stangbear427 said:
Your synchros are going. Yes, a t-5 has a fully synchronised 1st. If it's the drivers fault, it's that you waited too long to order the TriAx. That should improve the situation, but the damage has been done. Even if it had a good shifter protecting it all along though, it's only a matter of time- T5's aren't beefy enough to hanlde modified engines, despite the fact that so many people swear by them (and keep rebuilding them) It would make a good core towards a G-force, then you can keep the new shifter. Just my $.02

I just bought the car two weeks ago (73K miles on it) and ordered the shifter two days after I got it home.

I take it a G-Force is an upgraded version of the T5? If so, where do I get one, and how much do they cost?

Conversely, do you know how big of a deal it is to simply drop the trans and replace the synchroes? In case, yanno, a G-Force ends up being a couple-thousand-dollar proposal.

TheFleshRocket · Jan 17, 2004

Well, I found more info about the G-Force transmission at 5speeds.com but at $1800 for a complete tranny, that's definitely more than I want to spend. I'm in the process of upgrading my suspension so that I can autocross semi-successfully in the spring so I don't have any room in the budget for a $2000 transmission.

I found a T5 rebuild kit for $169 on the same site and I think that's what I'll do, since the only problem with the tranny is the 1st and 2nd gear synchros. I'm not a dragstrip kinda guy--I might go one day and make maybe a dozen runs just so I can bring back some 13-second time slips to wave in Kierstad's face--so I'm not too concerned about having a tranny that can take 5000RPM clutch drops and powershifts. I just don't wanna be making grindy noises when I'm driving along on the street.

stangbear427 · Jan 17, 2004

Have you looked at Liberty's? That seems kinda high for what I understand a G-Force to be, when $400 less will net you a TKO with road racing gears installed... but I'm hearing good things about Liberty T5's in here, and I know they are cheap. Oh, even if you pay someone else to rebuild your T5 it shouldn't be too painful.

HISSIN50 · Jan 17, 2004

I agree with stangbear on that one too. here is a link i saved with info for liberty. probably the route i would go were i not to do it myself.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?p=3554389

good luck. let us know what you do and how it works.

TheFleshRocket · Jan 20, 2004

The Liberty tranny seems like a good deal. In the thread Hissin50 linked to, a guy there said he got a Liberty T5 for $681.40, shipped. (Albeit after shipping in his transmission.)

The only thing I might have a problem with is shipping them my core. I can't really afford to be without my car for a couple of weeks 'cause it's WAY too cold to rely on my motorcycle.

Anyway, I sent them an email. I hope they can help me out!

HISSIN50 · Jan 20, 2004

go get a boneyard trans and send that to them. then when you get your trans back, install time. just an idea.
good luck.

stangbear427 · Jan 21, 2004

TheFleshRocket said:
The only thing I might have a problem with is shipping them my core. I can't really afford to be without my car for a couple of weeks 'cause it's WAY too cold to rely on my motorcycle.

What's wrong with the baby TransAm? I'd think that would be a decent winter car, what with the engine right over the driving wheels and all. Small cabin to heat too...

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