Fred_Garvin

Hi all:

Loving my new Track Pack 'stang! It's just about everything I could have asked for and more. I'm still getting used to it though (1000 miles now and counting) but I have a question:

If I'm at a stop, clutch to the floor, shift to 1st, I feel a "thump" from the rear of the car every time. The shifter goes in just fine without undue effort. If I put it in 1st, I get the thump, keep the clutch down, pull it out of 1st and put it back in again, I do not get the thump again. What causes this?

Without making this yet another MT-82 ***** thread, my initial impression of the car (nothing unique I know) is that the refinement of the transmission (not performance or -- as far as I can tell -- reliability) is the major weak link in an otherwise amazing overall package for the money. Of course I get that this isn't a Lexus and I didn't want nor was I expecting one, but as smoothly as the thing shifts (I'm not getting any grinding, etc.), all of the noise coming from underneath makes the car seem clunky. I get the "rattle" during normal first-gear launches (I've read about this; it's normal, right?) and just engaging and disengaging the clutch makes noise under the car. Accelerating in 1st or 2nd is often accompanied by a "clank" under the car. On the other hand, fit and finish on my car are great (the driver-side hood heat extractor is loose and vibrates; of course the dealer will be fixing that), the glass roof, new taillights, SGM paint (so sparkly!), Brembo wheels, and -- interestingly -- the pedestal spoiler get a lot of compliments. The engine is world-class (WOW), the touch screen navigation is dated but fun. The whole thing is just SO CLOSE. I wonder how many of the Shaker sound system complaints are the result of Sirius radio quality; the same tracks played from a USB stick plugged into the console sound MUCH better than when heard on Sirius (or streamed through Bluetooth). Mainly because of this I don't think I'll be renewing Sirius beyond my 6-month trial.

Still, overall "thumbs up" to Ford; this car is an amazing buy and crazy fun!

kylerohde

That thump happens when you don't get the throttle/clutch relationship quite right - give it some time and try changing up how your feet work when you shift a little bit...

Ltngdrvr

On my V6 I get none of those noises you describe and my car was an early 2012 MY build so I don't know if all the "fixes" were even included.

I'd say the "thump" you are getting when shifting into first from neutral is the syncros grabbing and twisting the slop in the driveline.

How do you downshift to 1st as you come to a stop, or do you even do that?

Do you just slip it into neutral as you stop and then put it into first when it's time to take off?

I slide my gearshift into first gear just as I come to a stop, slips right in, no noise, notchiness or effort.

Fred_Garvin

Thanks for the feedback! Oh I definitely need to work on my technique, but this is with the car sitting still -- no throttle yet. Like sitting at a long red light when you don't feel like keeping the clutch in the whole time -- green light, clutch in, shift to 1st, *thump*. Then throttle and take off with no problems (except maybe the "rattle").

Fred_Garvin

Thanks! If I know it's going to be a short light, I'll do the second thing (leaving the clutch in) with nothing unusual, but like I said above if it's a long light I'll either brake to a stop in neutral or coast down in gear but I'll typically end up in neutral with the clutch out until I'm ready to go.

airoscar

Mine makes a rattle noise too when i clutch in if i go above 3500 RPM or so when im in first gear. but i thought that had something to do with the dual-mass fly wheel that's on my V6 car.

My car does that thump thing occasionally too, but i too think it has something to do with how i shift.

That clunk noise I think it might be you shifted too fast before your clutch pedal was in all the way..

I agree the transmission feels a bit unrefined but it also makes it feel a bit more like a MACHINE haha.

I too noticed that music from my ipod played through USB connection is quite a bit better quality than Sirius.

kylerohde

Ah that's weird then and definitely not right - get it checked out at your dealer, weird!

db2797

I agree with airoscar. It sounds like your either releasing the clutch too fast or not properly engaging it. Once in a while I get a little lazy and shift with releasing the clutch too fast and it "clunks" into gear. But it's completely my fault when that happens. One thing I've noticed about this transmission is that it shifts the smoothest when you keep some throttle as you're shifting. You don't have to do full on powershifting but it seems to keep the shifting smoothest. You might eventually notice the "lock out" shifting problem if you shift while under heavy load. Again though, I've discovered this lock out only happens when I completely let off the throttle while shifting. Keep a bit of torque on the clutch and it shifts the smoothest.

Ltngdrvr

Even if it is a long light, best thing to do is shift into first as you come to a stop, then shift to neutral while you sit before clutching it to put it back into gear to get ready to go. That way when you stop the transmission stops too.

ScrewedUp

I have a 2012 GT and I don't get any "thumps" but the gears especial 1 and 3 are notchy and once in a while 1st pops out of gear when cold. I hope to one day put a Tremec T-56 magnum in. I think that is the tranny made for this car.

2012WhiteGT

+1 on the driving technique. 90% of the clunks will go away once you get used to the car. This is not an easy manual to drive smoothly. I've never had anything but manual transmission cars and thought I was a pretty skilled manual driver, but this car told me otherwise. LOL Like the others said, it definitely likes a little throttle while you're feathering the clutch back in. That will get rid of most of the clunks. It took me about a month to get where I was really smooth with this car. As for it clunking while sitting still with the clutch in, that's odd. It sounds like the clutch might not be totally disengaging. I'd definitely keep an eye on that.

Fred_Garvin

Thanks for all of the feedback everyone! Although I didn't find any discussions about my symptoms here, I saw some recent ones on another forum:

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forum...-problems.html

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forum...ing-noise.html

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forum...ve-shafts.html

If anyone finds this topic interesting, these threads are worth reading; they're not long. The consensus over there seems to be what some have pointed out here: driveline slop due to the U-joint on the 2-piece driveshaft and manufacturing tolerances that can be minimized through smooth shifting techniques. Specifically, one member uploaded a video showing some of the play in the driveshaft itself:


So a one-piece driveshaft might be a solution.

The rear end thud (described by another member in the first thread above) still has me puzzled. I wrote my initial post after driving all day yesterday and the thud was there every time. I drove for about 15-20 minutes today, in part to try some new shifting techniques, and the thud was nowhere to be found until right around the end of my drive. It was quiet so I would have heard and felt it if it were happening but it didn't until later. The whole time the shifter effort was roughly the same (no pun intended), even when the thud was happening. Again, this is with the car sitting still with no throttle, pushing the clutch to the floor, and putting the shifter into first. So in my case anyway it seems temperature-related or something.

I'm so not neurotic about this, but I like to understand stuff on my cars. If, as has been reported, people are getting this on brand new cars like mine, and if it turns out to be normal, no worries. By my way of thinking though, from years of driving manual cars, with the clutch pedal pushed in there should be no connection between the transmission and the driveshaft so moving the lever into first should have no effect on the driveshaft or the rear end. Is there something else going on in the transmission that could be working with the driveshaft (syncros, etc.) like what Ltngdrvr describes that could be causing what I'm feeling / hearing?

Of course if there's some kind of adjustment to the clutch that will get rid of the symptom all of the time, I'm sure my dealer will do it under warranty. BTW, clutch engagement seems normal in that it seems to engage with the pedal about 3-4 inches off of the floor (that's when the car starts moving if you lift the pedal without giving gas anyway).

HizliBullet

I drive a 2012 GT I feel that "rump" noise putting into first too, notice always that if u pop it in neutral and push it back to 1st it doesn't make the rump sound...

Mirad_GT12

My 2012 GT also makes that thump noise when i press in the clutch. It does not make the sound consistently though.

For example: cold start the car, shifter is in neutral. parking brake engaged and car is stationary. In one swift motion i step on the clutch all the way down and it makes that "clunk" or "thunk" sound.

when i release the clutch and step on it again there's no clunk sound.

the clunking noise doesnt happen all the time when pressing the clutch. there is a lot of inconsistencies with the mt-82. like when first shifting into 1st gear it feels clunky. but immediately go to neutral and back to 1st and then its smooth as butter.

i

tygr1

If your car is hard to slip into 1st or reverse gears, slip it quickly into second gear first and it will sync the synchros and slip right into any other gear. This is an old timers trick.

Mirad_GT12

ahh this is what i have been doing without really thinking about it. like after starting the car i wait until rpms go under 1000 and as i wait i play with the clutch depressing it several times and shifting through the gears with clutch all the way down. its an OCD thing.

Mirad_GT12

Have you tried applying a little more gas when starting from a dead stop to eliminate the rattle? I find that if you keep RPMs just a little above 1000 it eliminates rattle. Even when cruising at very low speed it rattles if RPMs dip below 1000.

Anyone what's the cause of the rattle noise and would it cause any damage?

FordService

Hey guys,

Have you brought this up to your Ford dealers? I say have them inspect it and make sure there’s nothing going on with your rides. If you need further assistance, do not hesitate to PM me.

Deysha

DW Burnett

I came here to say 2-piece driveshaft. You'll get used to it.

HizliBullet

That's what I was wondering, it shifts quietly the second time around