jmatero

So my car has about 1500 miles now and at around 500 something changed. I've driven stick exclusively for 25 years now and the FIRST THING I noticed about my car driving off the lot was how beautifully progressive and smooth the car was from a stop in first gear. Even my friends who have driven the car mentioned how great it was: no lurching or bucking. That's gone now. The clutch seems very difficult to modulate in 1st now from a stop. Either you have to slip the heck out of it (which makes me cringe) or the clutch engages, and the car "bucks" like it's bogged down for a sec. What happened?????

ssimaniac

You bought a Ford. *runs*


But really, Ford will never get the tranny/clutch/shifter right.

jmatero

It was perfect for a while.

mach1fever

Is the clutch still able to be adjusted like it was on the sn95's? You used to be able to push the pedal up from the bottom of your foot as far as it can go and push it back down to reset the engagement point.

Respectfully,

Roger

jmatero

Not sure but I think it's hydraulic on this car, no? If so, there is no adjustment.

Ice Hawk

It's hydraulic. For sure. I've noticed the same in my Cobra. It used to be butter. Now, with 2100 miles, sometime it likes to jump. I have to slip 'er more to smooth the ride for any potential family so they don't get scared.

big_ole_truck

The salesman who sold me my Shelby mentioned Ford had issued instructions to pass onto customers with manual transmissions (GT and V6). Something about the synchros grinding away when downshifting into 1st (or 2nd???). But he mentioned Ford will fix it once for the customer. If it's bothering you, bring it to the dealer and see what can be done about it.

krnpimpsta

could it just be that for the first 500 miles, the clutch surfaces weren't broken in, and as a result, a little more slippery than usual? and then, as the clutch broke in and wore a little bit, the surfaces roughened up and are alot "grippier"?

SD CALSPCL

2nd gear starts...try it. I stopped using 1st gear in traffic. I had the same feeling about the car, as the OP, but thought it was my imagination. I have 3500 mles on it now, and find the 2nd gear starts, in traffic, work great.

I will have Ford ( i can't say "dealer" I have a mind block) look at it when she goes in for the first service, in the Spring.

kn7671

Solution - Start off in second gear, use first only when you need to launch from a stop or starting up an incline, otherwise use second.

06GT

No.

falhulk

Yes. You also have one less shift on the way to 60.

Ltngdrvr

Why live with a problem that should be covered under warranty?

Why make allowances for the problem, like not using first gear?

You paid a lot of money for the car that includes a warranty so why not use it?

Cpowell5.0

On the Shelby or Gt? its a completely different tranny. Havent heard anything about this for the Getrag MT82

jmatero

Hmmm.. There's more going on here I think. For instance, with the clutch fully depressed.. just coasting along.. moving the gear from 2-3-2-3 or 3-4-3-4 you hear and feel a lot of banging... almost as though the clutch isn't depressed all the way. UGH

Ltngdrvr

I have seen a number of posts like this.

They all sound to me like maybe there is air in the hydraulics of the clutch.

Take it to the dealer.

Big Poppa

I have to let my clutch out about halfway before it starts to engage. It wasn''t like that when I got the car and I have less than 5k miles on it. I think someone that was involved with having it shipped to me went and had a little fun with my car. I recommend to everyone to program the extra key and use it for parking lot attendants, and anyone not needing access to the full power of your car.

jmatero

Going in Monday. Stay tuned.

jmatero

Hi All. Just a quick update: Car is at the dealer now. Presented the following description:

CLUTCH ENGAGING MUCH HIGHER THAN WHEN NEW. DIFFICULT TO MODULATE, PARTICULARLY IN FIRST FROM STOP CAUSING BUCKING, REQUIRES GREAT DEAL OF SLIPPAGE FOR SMOOTH STARTS. TRANSMISSION FREQUENTLY BANGS (2-3/3-4), SHIFTS ROUGH, SOMETIMES GRINDS GOING INTO GEAR EVEN WHEN CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED. CHECK AND ADVISE

Just spoke to the mechanic at the dealer and he said he experienced the grinding in my car first hand going from 2-3. He stated they have seen a problem with some pressure plate bolts backing out on the 5.0 with manual tranny which eventually damages the clutch. They are also a huge Roush dealer so definitely Mustang experts. He's going to send a report off to Ford Engineering and he suspects they'll have him drop the tranny and see what's going on in there. Stay tuned!

Ltngdrvr

Hmm...

I had read that it was pressure plate bolts on V6 cars that were backing out causing their reported hard shifting problems.

Maybe they have one knucklehead at the plant who is supposed to be installing pressure plates and is asleep half the time!?!?