Before I even write anything, let me start by saying I have yet to find any forums where someone has had this same issue, and if it already exists, and you can find it for me and have a resolution, please let me know. With that being said, let me inform you of my issue…

From day 1 of buying my Mustang, it’s been nothing but problems. Starting out though, with my transmission, I had no problems with any gears except for 3rd gear, which was hard to get into at times, grinds whenever hard shifting above 4500 RPM, and overall just not pleasant. I thought “just the TR-3650 being the TR-3650 and I probably just need motor mounts, a new shifter, fluid change and maybe that synchro”. I never got around to doing any of that because I’ve had countless engine management problems, tuning issues, a/c issues, exhaust issues, been in a ditch twice now and cracked two different bumpers (one right after getting it painted), and then moving across the country. I’ve just now been starting to get some of these things done, and my problems just keep getting worse.

Now I have reverse lockout, 1st gear lockout, grinding into 2nd on hard shifts above 4500 RPM, 3rd gear hits a brick wall, and even in neutral at a stop, sometimes it won’t let me go into any gear, it will basically hit a wall instead of shifting into any of the gears, with clutch fully depressed to the floor. I will be at a stop light sometimes and when I go to select 1st to get going at the green light it simply will not go into gear, and the traffic builds behind me.

So far, I have replaced the stock shifter with the Hurst Billet Competition Plus short throw, which just intensified every problem, changed fluid twice now (RP MAX ATF and now currently Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF) with no difference, replaced transmission mount and motor mounts (Prothane poly mounts), and the only difference from changing the mounts is now I can actually get into 3rd, but it still grinds hard while going into gear, and 2nd gear grind remains the exact same with 0 improvement and every other problem remains. I was hoping the mounts would change things, more specifically the motor mounts, as a lot of people have gotten rid of 2nd and 3rd gear lockout at high RPMs after replacing the motor mounts.

Why I am having such a hard time with this is because the problems do not always occur, and I wanna rule out the clutch because every “clutch test” I do seems to pass.
Sometimes the shifter will feel smooth and go into all the gears (with the exception of 3rd where I think the synchro is just toast) and I can yank 2nd and chirp the tires, and it will slip into 1st and reverse with ease and overall the shifting feels great, and then other times all the problems from above occur. Like yesterday at a stop light I couldn’t shift into any gear except for 4th, which was scary because I literally can’t get up a hill in 4th, I mean, by the time I get going the clutch would be burnt to a crisp. Here’s the biggest thing, if I go to show you the problems I’m having, it won’t replicate it. It will either wait a while before doing it or simply won’t have the problems until you step out of the passenger seat and I go on. Like I said, the problems, with the exception of the terrible 3rd gear, do not easily replicate themselves. Wouldn’t a bad clutch or flywheel make problems occur all the time, not intermittently? Could it be a bad throwout bearing/slave cylinder? Bad clutch pedal? Air in the line? Pumping the clutch doesn’t seem to do anything though. I simply don’t know. And I don’t want to waste more money on the car that I don’t have to, especially if it’s not going to fix the problem. I mean, it’s high mileage, I’m the 4th owner, and I have 0 clue what clutch kit is in there. Hell it could be the stock one from the factory still, I really have no clue. Should I just save the money and replace everything? What are some throwing bearing/slave cylinder and flywheel tests I can do to see if they are bad without taking the transmission apart first? Any input would be appreciated.

 

My guess would be the clutch assembly, throw out bearing, fly wheel, pressure plate, and the input shaft bearing. Sorry but you might be getting all to just try and get it back to normal. I am not really sure of any kind of test that you could do to check these first other than trying to put it gear. Sorry that I couldn't be more help.

 

Don't be sorry, you replied and you gave a reasonable resolution. The car is at almost 180K miles. It's probably best to just replace everything. We'll see. If the problem gets worse, I'll just end up replacing everything before I blow the transmission up.

 

Yes, the clutch will do that, after having Awesome start lockin' out 1st and reverse m'self at 160K. Clutch job, all's good.

Another for the Mobil 1 ATF for the fluid. That's what I'm running and out of all the others I've tried (RP, Pennzoil, Motocraft, etc) that seems to do the best in the TR3650. And even the amount is important, maybe just a little over what's listed in the manual. Not too much, though. Not an exact science, I just played with it until I got it where she wanted it (underfilled a little, tested, not quite there, add a little more... repeat... and then it was pretty ok... for the TR3650, of course...)

And/or you maybe want to look into a new bracket and/or shifter to help the 3rd gear situation, unless it's that far gone with the synchros, which have been known to happen. That's a transmission rebuild. You'll know when you pull the fluid if there's bronze in that there case where it oughtn't. Source: This thread right here: https://themustangsource.com/forums/...7/#post7051542

And while I've NOT done those two... I'm still thinkilatin' about it. One day maybe...

Hope that helps! Welcome to the forums!

 

Thanks for the response.

I am actually starting to think it is clutch related. Especially now that my clutch is engaging an inch off the floor (it used to be about 2 1/2 - 3 inches off the floor). I'm starting to have lockout with the car off and clutch pushed all the way in, which leads me to believe that the clutch did not disengage. Synchro for 3rd gear is definitely damaged, but not gone. Both times the fluid was drained, it was pure fluid, no bronze or silver coloring, no metal flakes. I also had a transmission leak I found and replaced that seal. A lack of lubrication was not helping things at all. But anyways, I am now leaning towards clutch, which I previously thought against that because their were no clear signs, but it's gradually feeling worse. I guess I'll changed it out and update after.

Also, gotta call American Muscle's help line as the Hurst shifter I bought from them already broke. Nice. Still shifts, but the boot where the shifter connects to the shifter arm linkage is completely torn apart, and missing those shifter insulators too.

Anyways, have to wait for the money to roll in to tackle this, but I will update. Everything wrong is happening at once and I gotta pick my battles on what to fix first

 

That's cousin Murphy, he is always waiting to pounce. Anyway I would do the clutch first it the more pain in the a$$ as you would expect. Also American muscle is good but it's going to depend when you bought it, this is also why I went with MGW. No little boots or rubber covers other than the oem one going up to the shifter and also made in America not china. Wish you the best of luck and hope all goes well.

 

Yeah where I work I got a deal on a stock clutch kit for $200 and I can get a stock flywheel replacement for $90. I think a little over $300 after tax for a whole new kit might just be worth it in hopes of not further damaging the transmission. Car's at 179K+ miles now, good time to just replace. Also, I've been thinking of switching to the MGW shifter. How is it? Have you used any other short throw shifter before it? Comparison to stock? I might add that on to the clutch/flywheel purchase.

 

The MGW shifter is the milkshake that gets all the boys in the yard, to hear the various stories. Of course, people will say Barton or others, but that MGW's supposed to be THE thing. That and the Blowfish bracket, but you can't get that anymore, they stopped making it I suppose Maybe a few of us can get a small run make, I'm sure they still have the CAD files layin' around, right?

 

Good to know! I'll be getting the MGW after the clutch/flywheel/line etc. are changed out. Seems to be the best all around shifter. That, the clutch and flywheel, throwout bearing/slave and the CHE Torque Limiter Brace, I should be able to shift like a pro again. Until then, I'll be double clutching with my Hurst shifter and stock clutch

 

It's gotta be clutch and clutch line. I can slam it into 2nd, ease into 3rd, and slam the crap out of 4th and 5th at 4000 RPM or less. Anything over 4000 and the only gear I can slam it in is 4th, every other gear locks out high RPM. So I am guessing I got the same problem as the 11-14 MT-82s where the stock clutch and clutch line hate high RPM shifting. Even double clutching I cannot go into gear in 2nd and 3rd at anything over 4000 RPM.

 

Bleed the clutch hydraulics.

 

Yes don't forget to bleed the clutch. Also I didn't receive it yet should soon be here they are 4 weeks out from order date should be here soon enough. And it's also a good call to just replaced the clutch it is probably time the original paid for it self at this point.