Fox Shifting Problem When It Rains

moe9853 · Dec 12, 2014

Ahhhhh!!!!!!! I need help guys. For some reason, my foxbody doesn't like to shift when it's raining. I have a 1988 5.0 lx witha manual transmission. It's a stock T5 transmission and the only mods my car has, are CAI, shorty headers, 3core radiator and lowering springs. So here's the story:

When the rain comes, my Fox doesn't like to shift. it doesn't matter what gear im in. If I'm in first going on second or second going on third, etc. Sometimes if I "double clutch" it will shift. Otherwise I sometimes just have to skip a gear altogether. It's the weirdest thing. But this only happens when it rains. On nice, sunny days, it shifts and runs great. I'm wondering if it's my clutch cable but I'm not sure. Any ideas??

addermk2 · Dec 12, 2014

Well, are you having a difficulty pressing the pedal, or physically moving the shifter from gear to gear?

When was the last time you checked/changed your trans fluid?

7991LXnSHO · Dec 12, 2014

Short of having rheumatoid arthritis, what would make rain affect the systems involved in shifting? Does the clutch disc swell in high humidity?? Maybe your left knee and hip do not work as well in the rain?
I would check the cable and quadrant, and then adjust the cable for more clearance.

elarm1 · Dec 12, 2014

I think I know.....
View attachment 107717

jka · Dec 12, 2014

Could be moisture on the cable/rust causing it to shift harder. Does your car still have the inspection/dust cover on the bell housing?

moe9853 · Dec 13, 2014

So I checked the fluid and the fluid is ok. I checked the dust cap on the bell housing, and it's also ok. I'm thinking I need a new clutch cable. But it's so weird, I only have problems in wet weather.and no, I don't have arthritis. I'm 22 people. Come on. Lol

jetmech807 · Dec 13, 2014

Car telling you it's ready to be a sunny day cruiser only?

addermk2 · Dec 13, 2014

I'll ask again since it seemed to have missed the mark the first time. When was the last time you CHANGED the fluid.

moe9853 · Dec 17, 2014

jetmech807 said:
Car telling you it's ready to be a sunny day cruiser only?

Yeah I think so. Lol

moe9853 · Dec 17, 2014

addermk2 said:
I'll ask again since it seemed to have missed the mark the first time. When was the last time you CHANGED the fluid.

Depends. Lol! Haven't changed it in a few years but I've changed it about 20k miles ago. I just started driving the car again as my daily. Didn't drive it much before

tos · Dec 18, 2014

So when its raining and you drive it around and start having the problem - Have you tried stopping the car, turning off the engine then seeing how it shifts? Does it shift ok when stopped and engine off?
Under normal conditions where does your pedal release at (where does clutch start engaging?) , Just off the floor? Or up near the end of travel (up high)?
Sounds likes maybe your clutch is getting wet and not releasing completely. Your cable is probably stretched from age and in dry/warm weather is probably just barely releasing and the moisture during rain is just enough difference in clutch friction to keep the clutch and input shaft spinning slightly.
This is an interesting problem and that's the only idea I can think of if I understand your problem correctly.
If this is the problem then adjust the clutch to engage closer to the floor and it should solve the problem.

moe9853 · Dec 18, 2014

Sounds like you understand my problem perfectly. As far as I'm concerned, however, I'm not going to do anything about it. I'm planning on doing a coyote swap in the future along with an irs swap. All I'm doing how is leaving a bit earlier when I drive. Then, when it's raining (or wet outside anyway) and the shifting issue occurs, I just plull over. I press and release the clutch a couple times and it's working fine again. During the dry season, the car runs perfect.

moe9853 · Dec 18, 2014

It's so weird. And the car is too old and has too many miles to try and fix it. I've decided to just deal with itfor now.

90lxwhite · Dec 19, 2014

moe9853 said:
Sounds like you understand my problem perfectly. As far as I'm concerned, however, I'm not going to do anything about it. I'm planning on doing a coyote swap in the future along with an irs swap. All I'm doing how is leaving a bit earlier when I drive..

Just curious but how near is the future?

moe9853 · Dec 19, 2014

90lxwhite said:
Just curious but how near is the future?

Not very near
Gotta save some green and find quality parts

moe9853 · Dec 19, 2014

90lxwhite said:
Just curious but how near is the future?

I also live in California so I have to find out about all the emission laws and stuff before I tear the car apart. Real pain when it comes to CARB

kdando87 · Dec 19, 2014

Go for a one piece quadrant and adjustable cable for starters, if a coyote swap are in your not so near future then go for a new cable now, they are as cheap as cheap can get, IMO

revhead347 · Dec 20, 2014

I've run into that before. The clutch disk swells a little with all the moisture. The clutch cable gets slack in it's old age and you have to take the slack out of it. The proper fix is to replace the cable and put a metal quadrant and firewall adjuster in it. If that is going to cut into your future mod budget to much I totally understand. I would hate to see that $140 keep a Coyote engine out of a real Mustang. The get buy fix is to buy a few of those fat washers from Home Depot. I believe you need a 5/8" hole, and they are about 1 and 1/4" in diameter. You remove the cable from the quadrant and pull it through the firewall Stack a few of those washers between the cable and the firewall and reconnect it. Should cost you are round 30 cents.

Kurt

90lxwhite · Dec 21, 2014

moe9853 said:
Not very near
Gotta save some green and find quality parts

So you're gonna ride around w a bad clutch or whatever until "one day!?" Often times young lad "one day" or "the future" never comes.... Fix your car

25thmustang · Dec 23, 2014

Clutch cables are not too bad to replace. Get a stock replacement and enjoy the driving the car rain or shine, in my opinion.

Fox Shifting Problem When It Rains

moe9853

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addermk2

7991LXnSHO

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jetmech807

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tos

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90lxwhite

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Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

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