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Stock T-5 Rought Shifting?

  • Thread starter Thread starter fiveohlover
  • Start date Start date May 30, 2012
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fiveohlover

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Oct 13, 2011
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May 30, 2012
#1
  • May 30, 2012
  • #1
i have a stock t-5 with 75000 miles. it has been shifting rough and hesitates when i pass nuetral when i shift. i bought a steeda tri ax and a new bushing and it didn't help at all. Any ideas why it shifts so slow and rough?
 

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.
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May 30, 2012
#2
  • May 30, 2012
  • #2
Worn syncros
 

fiveohlover

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Oct 13, 2011
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May 30, 2012
#3
  • May 30, 2012
  • #3
what exactly is a syncros and how do i fix it or replace it?
 

MFE92

10 Year Member
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May 30, 2012
#4
  • May 30, 2012
  • #4
It's more likely that the clutch cable needs adusting. If it's all stock, hook your foot behind the pedal and give it a tug toward you to ratchet the adjuster. If it has a firewall-mounted adjuster, turn it out a few turns and see if that helps.
 

fiveohlover

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Oct 13, 2011
187
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May 30, 2012
#5
  • May 30, 2012
  • #5
ok i will try, i am not sure where the adjuster is exactly
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
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May 30, 2012
#6
  • May 30, 2012
  • #6
Could also need a fluid change...although stretched clutch cable is a good suggestion


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
 

jrichker

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#7
  • May 31, 2012
  • #7
Clutch adjustment
Do the clutch adjustment first before considering any other problems. With the stock plastic quadrant and cable, pull up on the clutch pedal until it comes upward toward you. It will make a ratcheting sound as the self adjuster works. To release to tension of the stock quadrant, use a screwdriver to lift the ratchet paw up and out of engagement with the quadrant teeth.

A binding clutch cable will make the clutch very stiff. If the cable is misrouted or has gotten too close to the exhaust, it will definitely bind. The binding common to adjustable cables is often due to misplacement of the adjusting nuts on the fork end of the cable. This will also cause the cable to wear and fray. Both nuts should be on the back side of the fork so that the domed nut faces the fork and the other nut serves as jam or locknut to the domed nut.

Clutch pedal adjustment with aftermarket quadrant and cable: I like to have the clutch completely disengaged and still have about 1.5” travel left before the pedal hits the floor. This means that I have only about 1” of free play at the top before the pedal starts to disengage the clutch. Keep in mind that these figures are all approximate. When properly adjusted, there will not be any slack in the clutch cable. You will have 4-15 lbs preload on the clutch cable.

The quadrant needs to be replaced if you use any type of aftermarket cable or adjuster. My preference is a Ford Racing quadrant, adjustable cable and Steeda firewall adjuster. The adjustable Ford Racing cable is just as good as the stock OEM cable. It allows a greater range of adjustment than a stock cable with a aftermarket quadrant and firewall adjuster. Combined with the Steeda adjuster, it lets you set the initial cable preload and then fine tune the clutch engagement point to your liking without getting under the car.

Using a stock OEM cable, firewall adjuster and a single hook quadrant may result in not having any free pedal travel before the clutch starts to disengage. I found this out the hard way.
See Summit Racing - High Performance Car and Truck Parts l 800-230-3030 for the following parts.
Ford Racing M-7553-B302 - Ford Racing V-8 Mustang Adjustable Clutch Linkage Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com Cable and quadrant assembly $90
Steeda Autosports 555-7021 - Steeda Autosports Firewall Cable Adjusters - Overview - SummitRacing.com Steeda firewall adjuster. $40
 

fiveohlover

Member
Oct 13, 2011
187
5
19
mn
May 31, 2012
#8
  • May 31, 2012
  • #8
Mustang5L5 said:
Could also need a fluid change...although stretched clutch cable is a good suggestion


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
transmission oil change?
 

fiveohlover

Member
Oct 13, 2011
187
5
19
mn
May 31, 2012
#9
  • May 31, 2012
  • #9
jrichker said:
Clutch adjustment
Do the clutch adjustment first before considering any other problems. With the stock plastic quadrant and cable, pull up on the clutch pedal until it comes upward toward you. It will make a ratcheting sound as the self adjuster works. To release to tension of the stock quadrant, use a screwdriver to lift the ratchet paw up and out of engagement with the quadrant teeth.

A binding clutch cable will make the clutch very stiff. If the cable is misrouted or has gotten too close to the exhaust, it will definitely bind. The binding common to adjustable cables is often due to misplacement of the adjusting nuts on the fork end of the cable. This will also cause the cable to wear and fray. Both nuts should be on the back side of the fork so that the domed nut faces the fork and the other nut serves as jam or locknut to the domed nut.

Clutch pedal adjustment with aftermarket quadrant and cable: I like to have the clutch completely disengaged and still have about 1.5” travel left before the pedal hits the floor. This means that I have only about 1” of free play at the top before the pedal starts to disengage the clutch. Keep in mind that these figures are all approximate. When properly adjusted, there will not be any slack in the clutch cable. You will have 4-15 lbs preload on the clutch cable.

The quadrant needs to be replaced if you use any type of aftermarket cable or adjuster. My preference is a Ford Racing quadrant, adjustable cable and Steeda firewall adjuster. The adjustable Ford Racing cable is just as good as the stock OEM cable. It allows a greater range of adjustment than a stock cable with a aftermarket quadrant and firewall adjuster. Combined with the Steeda adjuster, it lets you set the initial cable preload and then fine tune the clutch engagement point to your liking without getting under the car.

Using a stock OEM cable, firewall adjuster and a single hook quadrant may result in not having any free pedal travel before the clutch starts to disengage. I found this out the hard way.
See Summit Racing - High Performance Car and Truck Parts l 800-230-3030 for the following parts.
Ford Racing M-7553-B302 - Ford Racing V-8 Mustang Adjustable Clutch Linkage Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com Cable and quadrant assembly $90
Steeda Autosports 555-7021 - Steeda Autosports Firewall Cable Adjusters - Overview - SummitRacing.com Steeda firewall adjuster. $40
Click to expand...

how will the binding of the cable and the clutch effect how the car shifts?
 

jrichker

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#10
  • May 31, 2012
  • #10
fiveohlover said:
how will the binding of the cable and the clutch effect how the car shifts?
Click to expand...
It makes it hard to get the pedal pressed all the way to the end of its travel. If you press the pedal and it feels like it won't go any farther, you naturally think that the clutch is disengaged as much as it can get. If the cable binds, you may not press it far enough to completely disenage it. Hello grinding gears and hard shifting...
 

fiveohlover

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May 31, 2012
#11
  • May 31, 2012
  • #11
o ok i see. i tried to pull back on the clutch when the car was running and it make it shift really nice when i am not moving at all. But when i start to move and the clutch is out it shifts like crap again.
 

MFE92

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#12
  • May 31, 2012
  • #12
I'd invest a few bucks in a fresh clutch cable before I worried about trans internals being bad, but if it is the clutch cable and you leave it too much longer without addressing it the trans internals will be a problem. FWIW, it's about as rare as winning the powerball for all the synchros in a trans to fail the same amount at the same time. If it's giving you problems in every gear, chances are it's not the trans, it's something to do with the clutch release.
 

lxman

Member
Nov 5, 2010
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May 31, 2012
#13
  • May 31, 2012
  • #13
What fluid is in the tranny. You need to use ATF. gear oil or regular oil why people use regular oil i dont know but i have seen it. Those 2 are bad for the tranny and cause premature wear. the syncros are on the main shaft with the driven gears. They are what help/make the the tranny shift. If you are replacing the cable use an OEM cable. I have seem to many cases in personal experiences with side jobs and at work that when people use aftermarket adjustable cables they end up haveing more problems. I recommend a good aluminun clutch quadrant, firewall adjuster, and OEM clutch cable.
 

fiveohlover

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May 31, 2012
#14
  • May 31, 2012
  • #14
so my problem is most likely my clutch cable
 

fiveohlover

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May 31, 2012
#15
  • May 31, 2012
  • #15
would the steeda clutch cable with fire wall adjuster and aluminum quadrant be a good investment for $110?
 

MFE92

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Aug 25, 2010
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#16
  • May 31, 2012
  • #16
The steeda cable is just like every other adjustable cable out there, it's too long to begin with, so the adjustability is a moot point, and it adds to the force of pull, because it's not sheathed like the factory unit. What you need is an factory OEM cable or equivalent, but a firewall adjuster and a good quadrant are good investments.
 

fiveohlover

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Jun 1, 2012
#17
  • Jun 1, 2012
  • #17
will the factory be able to hold a race clutch
 

jrichker

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#18
  • Jun 2, 2012
  • #18
MFE92 said:
The steeda cable is just like every other adjustable cable out there, it's too long to begin with, so the adjustability is a moot point, and it adds to the force of pull, because it's not sheathed like the factory unit. What you need is an factory OEM cable or equivalent, but a firewall adjuster and a good quadrant are good investments.
Click to expand...
I have had excellent results with the Ford Racing adjustable cable on the two 5.0 Mustangs I have had. It is a Ford product, and is well made like the OEM cable.
 

TOOLOW91

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#19
  • Jun 3, 2012
  • #19
I purchased a maximum motorsports ford oem style cable with the quadrant and firewall adjuster and have no issues here well worth the money.
 

lxman

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Jun 3, 2012
#20
  • Jun 3, 2012
  • #20
At work we see people with clutch problems its almost always because of the adjustable crap. some people are lucky and dont have problems. Just going from a mustang performance shops view here thats all.
 
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