syncros going bad, please help me!!

[DerekStangGT]

so i get grinding pretty bad on my fast 1-2 shift. also, when im sitting at a light w/ the car in nuetral, then go to put it in 1st, it wont go. like theres somthing blocking the shifter from accessing 1st gear. somtimes i have to put the shifter in 2nd, then 1st. however, since today, 2nd has been the same way. i have to cycle 3-4, then to 2nd, then up to first. then i can drive regularly. im 75% sure my syncros are going bad. now, i had a shop install a new clutch about 1k miles ago. i noticed problems with the tranny the first week i brought the car home. now heres the question: could the work they did have ANY affect at all on the syncros? its strange that a new clutch goes in and all of a sudden the syncros start to crap out. i talked to them a little and alluded to this, and they said "well the T-45 tranny was never very strong in the first place" come on, ive got 27.5k miles on the car!!! the only reason im out of warranty is b/c its past 3 years old. is there a way i can prove the shop did any damage?
ive only been to the track twice, and dont drive too hard on the street. i realize that i am a broke college student with no money to fix what breaks, however things still seem to break!!! please help!

 

[billyfe390]

Re adjust your clutch and I bet that will fix it.

 

[DerekStangGT]

Re adjust your clutch and I bet that will fix it.

please be more specific. if you mean pull up on the clutch pedal to re-adjust the quad, thats already been done.

 

[billyfe390]

please be more specific. if you mean pull up on the clutch pedal to re-adjust the quad, thats already been done.

What kind of clutch did you put in it?

 

[DerekStangGT]

What kind of clutch did you put in it?

SPEC stg 2
UPR triple hook quadrant
UPR adj Clutch Cable
UPR firewall adjuster
MM clutch pedal adjuster kit

 

[billyfe390]

SPEC stg 2
UPR triple hook quadrant
UPR adj Clutch Cable
UPR firewall adjuster
MM clutch pedal adjuster kit

Get under the car and take off the plate where that covers the cable and look at it, I am willing to bet that it is fairly tight. Now go to the adjuster and loosen it up a little bit until you can move the bare cable somewhere between an eigth and quarter inch up and down without anything else moving. Then drive it and see what its like.

I am not sure what that clutch pedal adjuster kit is but with the firewall adjuster you dont need it since well thats the whole point of the firewall adjuster.

 

[DerekStangGT]

Get under the car and take off the plate where that covers the cable and look at it, I am willing to bet that it is fairly tight. Now go to the adjuster and loosen it up a little bit until you can move the bare cable somewhere between an eigth and quarter inch up and down without anything else moving. Then drive it and see what its like.

I am not sure what that clutch pedal adjuster kit is but with the firewall adjuster you dont need it since well thats the whole point of the firewall adjuster.

you mean loosen the firewall adjuster until there is free play in the pedal and at the clutch fork, right? ive been told that many times, but the shop (mustang specialty shop) swears that there needs to be some pre-load on the clutch, hence the reason there is no free play after they adjust it. i adjusted it myself once so that there was some play in the pedal and fork, but they just tightened it back up when they installed a new cable after it kinked. does the clutch need pre-load on it?

 

[billyfe390]

you mean loosen the firewall adjuster until there is free play in the pedal and at the clutch fork, right? ive been told that many times, but the shop (mustang specialty shop) swears that there needs to be some pre-load on the clutch, hence the reason there is no free play after they adjust it. i adjusted it myself once so that there was some play in the pedal and fork, but they just tightened it back up when they installed a new cable after it kinked. does the clutch need pre-load on it?

As for the exact specs I am not sure but I do know what works on my car and a couple buddies cars. The first time I did mine it had no play and it wouldnt shift for crap, same with my friends. When I put just a little play in the cable it shifted like a dream. Some clutches are more sensitve than others. If you have a warranty from them on the work take it back if not try it and see if it helps, its not going to hurt anything.

EDIT: The more I think about it I cannot think of any clutches that need preload. If you run the ToB tight on the fingers all of the time all you are doing is forcing that bearing to spin all of the time which will wear it out faster. I could be wrong but I just dont see it.