A little off the Y blocks but I am sure someone here can probably help me out. I stopped the other night in my 94 mustang to wait for a train to pass, the shifter prior to that was working great, when I went to go I could barely get it in gear. My clutch is working fine so its not that, its like I lost my syncros right there or the shift sliders got bent or something.

Anybody have similar experiences and can point me in the direction to start first, is it something I can fix from the top or will I need to pull the tranny and go through it?

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

Hey Bill;

I think I can help you with this one. Had the same exact thing happen to me when I tried to downshift coming off I-95 for an exit ramp at Newport. I don't know what shifter you are using (I'm using a Hurst Billet Plus) but all of them have a shifter stop set screw and lock nut that you need to set. My issue was that the lock nut backed off and the set screw got out of position. A very easy fix if you don't have a console to take off. I just have a shifter boot to get out of the way. Once I got the set screw positioned correctly I used blue Locktite so the vibration wouldn't cause the problem again.

Are you back from Pennsylvania??

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

Hi Ron, I am back, got home today. I forgot about those screws, I have worked on those before for other people. I will be at the shop tomorrow if you want to pay a visit.

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

The T5 in my firebird does it some times, as well as the one in my truck. I think it may be the nature of the beast. This is without any special aftermarket shifter. But this is not a regular occurrence, maybe once or twice a year each.


Lawrenceville, GA

Are your screws coming loose Charlie?

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

I haven't checked. Like I say, it doesn't happen much, and since it does happen with the only two T5s I've ever had with about 130000 miles and 21 years difference between the two, I really haven't considered it a problem worth looking into. The one in the truck was real bad with reverse when it was new. Now that it has a few miles and has loosened up, it's much better. When it happens, I'm usually able to go into another gear and then go back to the one I want.


Lawrenceville, GA

In addition to the potential cause provided by Rono, my T-5 manual lists the following causes (some pretty obvious) for "hard shift or control lever will not move into gear": 1) clutch not releasing; 2) improper or low transmission lubricant; 3) shifter shaft or shaft rail binding; 4) binding of sliding synchronizers or gears; 5) if reverse only, seized backup switch; 6) worn or damaged flywheel pilot bushing; 7) bell housing misaligned. Hope its not these and Rono is right.

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

Well after digging in to it, I think its one of the latter. No problems found up top, I don't have any adjusting bolts, its in a stamped cover. Relubed everything and it appeared to be working fine until I started the motor and backed out. I then suspected the clutch wasn't releasing enough so I shimmed the cable with washers to get more throw and still the same. It appears that something is still turning the trans even though the clutch is working fine. I am starting to susspect the pilot bearing is hanging up although there is a new one in there, I changed the motor back in october or november and the motor I used was from an automatic so I know I put a new bearing in there.

Thanks for the info.

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

Are you able to get it into any gear at all when it's running?



Both of my shifters are stamped steel oem variants.


Lawrenceville, GA

When you swapped motors did you dial in your bell housing? When I got my T5 the vendor was emphatic (for warranty purposes) that I dial in the bell housing. I had to purchase offset dowels to get the bell housing within .010" total.

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia