07alloygt

Well I'm pretty confused and frustrated with the problem I have witnessed ever since I picked up my 2008 GT 2 weeks ago. The car had 2 miles when it rolled off the lot. I have put probably 150 miles on it since then and expirience the same problem everytime I drive the car.


While the car is cold it will consistantly grind going into 3rd gear. This happens only once, and after about 5 minutes of running, it never grinds again (until the car is completely cold again). This has happened EVERY time I drive the car.

My neighbor is a master tech. and says since it's a brand new car he highly doubts there is something wrong with the transmission. He thinks that maybe the tranny fluid is too think. I asked him if he would take a look at it, and he said of course. He was just hesitant on actually working on the car because if he did find a fluid problem and worked on it Ford could possibly void my warrenty if they saw previous transmission work done.

Has anyone had this happen on their GT? Does anyone know what the problem is?


Thanks so much.


Oh and, I know that it's not driver error. I thought so the first two times around. Then I engaged the clutch for about 2 seconds before I even started to shift from 2nd to 3rd.

Rebel73

Welcome to my PAIN!!

There are several members on this board who have experienced or ARE experiencing the same issue. There are a couple of threads on the issue already going. I took my car back for a rebuild and it is STILL having problems. You are correct, it is not driver error. I'm pretty frustrated myself as I have already taken it in once.

Here you go...
http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=462879

07alloygt

Thanks a lot man. You think I should take it in to the dealership?

Mackitraz

Outside of Adrenalin, I haven't heard of this happening on something other than a 2008. I sincerely hope someone can finally generate enough data to make this a TSB or a recall. My dealer doesn't seem to want to do anything without direction, and even when you do get it worked on, it doesn't always fix the issue, as in Rebel73's case. It's just interesting that people are generating exactly the same issue, under exactly the same circumstances, and no one in the Ford repair community seems aware of it at all. I have to think that the 2009s are going to have to also share this issue assuming the trans isn't changed again going forward. Actually I hate to say this, but I HOPE they share it so that there is some volume to the issue and therefore some acknowledgment of it and a resolution generated for it.

07alloygt

I read a lot bit into a few threads reguarding the problem.


SO are people solving the problem by either:

A) Taking it into Ford for a rebuild (which I really don't want).
B) Switching to fully synthetic transmission fluid and a new shifter.

Does anyone personally know if option B (lol) will solve this? I really wanted to use taking it to a "stealership" as a last resort.

Mackitraz

On mine, it seems that if you just hesitate a bit on the third shift, for about the first 5 min you're driving it, you can avoid it happening, similar to having to a trans with a damaged synchro, if you've ever dealt with that. Maybe yours is more of a problem than mine, but if I do that, I can keep the issue from happening.

I say take it to the dealer. Two reasons, A) it's documented for you, so you can definitely establish the issue is present, and B) in the vain hope that if enough dealers request data pertaining to this issue Ford might do something.

I haven't had the cash for an MGW just yet, but when I put synthetic and the shifter in I'll post my results. Something tells me this is a synchro/shift fork/fluid issue with the trans, and I bet it's the combination of a couple of those.

Rebel73

I should add here that the dealer HALF fixed the issue. I had a FULL TIME grinding issue. Now it's a COLD TIME issue.

07alloygt

Ok well mine is a cold issue. It only happens for the first 5 minutes of driving.

I would love if someone could post some results with a short shifter and synthetic tranny fluid. Even though I want Ford to mark this as a TSB (as it should be), I hate bringing it to those hacks...especially because a tranny rebuild isn't a 2 hour job.

However, if it is something internally such as a synchro or fork problem, it must be rebuilt I guess...

Mackitraz

Well that's the real trick, nobody seems to know...? I agree, I really want someone to figure out what the root cause is, so it can be fixed.

Sorry I miss-quoted you Rebel73, I forgot it fixed part of your issue.

metroplex

I am using the stock shifter and Redline's fully synthetic High Temp ATF. This is the thickest Mercon ATF that I could find which was also a synthetic.

I just drove the car this morning at 25F and the shifter felt fine. The only "abnormal" thing I heard was that the transmission sort of whines/whirrs when I apply throttle. The best way to describe it is that it sounds almost like it has straight-cut/spur gears from a racing transmission. Once everything heats up, this sound goes away.


My theory is that the thinner Mercon/Mercon-V ATF (BTW, 08s are now supposed to use Mercon-V, which is a partial synthetic at the very least) does not allow the blocking ring? or synchros? to synchronize properly. The thicker ATF appears to do a better job but isn't as thick as gear oil.

I ran into a problem where 2nd gear would constantly get locked out from time to time, and I also experienced a stiff shifter. After 4000+ miles with the Redline High Temp ATF, the shifter can be moved around the gates using just 2 fingers.

I am using slightly less than 3 quarts because I only purchased 3 quarts, and some of the ATF remained inside the hand-pump and hoses.

07alloygt

I have been talking to friends and thinking real hard. It seems like my problem has to be in the fluid or something non-internal.


If it was something bad within the tranny like a bad synchro, shouldn't the problem be consistant?

Rebel73

ok,

I'm about to display my mechanical ignorance here, but how hard is it to change the tranny fluid? And is it worth a shot?

metroplex

There's a drain plug and a fill plug. You will need a hand-pump or some type of fluid pump to fill the gearbox with ~3.2 qt of ATF (follow the fill spec given in your owner's manual).

01-07 TR-3650's were supposed to use Mercon ATF
08 TR-3650's appear to now use Mercon-V ATF.
07-up TR-6060's have been using Mercon-V ATF.

It will take you an hour tops. If you're concerned about keeping the warranty, I recommend using something that is Mercon/Mercon-V compliant and NOT gear oil or some other concoction.

Mackitraz

Yes, I agree, unless it could be established that something actually changed in this years trans vs last year. Like I said, it seems to me like the relationship of a couple of things has changed. I might be completely wrong, and freely admit that. I believe someone on the other thread said this has been an issue with the Tremec manuals for years and this is one of the few issues that remains uncured. However I don't hear basically anyone outside of a rash of '08s and Adrenalin talking about it.

As I've been told, changing the fluid on this trans is pretty simple. Metroplex, are you saying that changing to a thicker or thinner is likely to change the issue? You seem to say that you're generating cold based issues with the thicker, and then say that the thinner would more likely generate the issue (if I misunderstood you...well...that's normal for me, please forgive)?

Rebel73

Well, I'm no mechanical engineer obviously, but could it be that there are very fine mechanical tolerances that don't mesh properly until the components "heat up" and fit together properly? Hmmm, then again, why would this only affect 3rd gear? Just thinking out loud here. Could it just be that the fluid itself is too viscous until heated up, and THEN it will lubricate properly?

And my biggest question is, should I take my car back to the dealer AGAIN and hope that they get it right this time, or just live with it?

Mackitraz

Is there anyway to strike a balance between Mercon and Mercon-V? I assume that the thicker fluid probably helps keep noise and wear on the trans down over time and during its normal operating condition. But could you make a compromise between them in terms of how thick/viscous it is? Really showing off my ATF fluid knowledge here...

07alloygt

Well not concerning my warranty, what is the MOST IDEAL transmission fluid out there?

And so it seems people are saying both thicker and thinner fluids MIGHT solve this problem. Well, which one is it?! Thinner or thicker! lol

I saw this on Americanmuscle.com. It looks like a great transmission fluid and is compliant with what Ford recomends.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/royal-...ion-fluid.html

red pony

The additive package in different tranny fluids are there for different internal components used such as clutches, synthetic "plastic" thrust washers, bearings,etc . An old trick the GM lovers would do was put type F fluid in their GM automatic trannies to make them shift firmer . This worked well and didn't seem to cause any problems. Type F has something in it that makes clutches engage more positively with less slippage than other fluids . A small amount of type F added to the existing fluid ( drain out 6 - 8 oz of existing fluid first ) to the proper level could correct the problem . Even if it didn't fix the problem, just drain it all back out and put in the stock fluid again . Anyone willing to give it a try ? ? EDIT After all, a syncronizer is a type of clutch that allows the gears to catch up to speed so they will engage .Improve its grabbing power, and the dreaded crunch - grind will go away !

Mackitraz

Haven't looked, are there any warranty issues with switching to Mercon from Mercon-V? Seems that if that's what the 05's-07's are running and they don't have issues... Although the Mercon-V may also be why they say the 08's seem a little better sorted in their feel than the earlier years.

07alloygt

Ok well let's rule a few things out.

Does the 2008 GT's uses the EXACT same tranny as the 05-07's?