I have a almost new T-5Z (put it in Feb) and sometimes it's hard to shift hot or cold and sometimes it shifts fine. do i need a new clutch or quad and cable or what?
You didn't replace the clutch when you did an almost new transmission? Did you check the pilot bearing? If it's on its way out, it sometimes doesn't completely disengage the transmissions when you push the clutch it. It looks like you'll have to take it all apart though. It sucks, trust me.
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89 GT Convertible 306, Port Polished GT40 Aluminum Heads,Self polished GT40 Upper and lower Intake, 30 lbs injectors, carter intank fuel pump, bosch piggyback inline fuel pump, Intercooled Procharger, Southside lower rear control arms, suspension technik lowering springs, tokico rear shocks, 4:11 gears, aluminum driveshaft, weld in subframe connectors
I Have the same problem. Only I have not done anything to the car yet. I will make sure to do it right the first time. I talked to a trans mechanic and he told me to shut the car off and shift, if it shifts fine not running then it is the throwout bearing. If it is still hard to shift then it is the syncros. Did you make sure to refill the tranny oil?
Have you tried pulling your clutch pedal all teh way up and then pushing down, if it clicks , it needed an adjustment.
describe how hard it is to shift. is it mainly certain gears? does it feel as if the clutch isnt disengaging or the cable hasnt moved the clutch fork far enough ?
what i did on mine is , where the ball on the cable goes in the clutch fork, i cut a lug nut wide enough on one part to slip the thin cable in, but not wide enough for the ball to escape, then once it was on , i put a hose clamp aroudn the opening i cut so it couldnt escape.
what about the fluid? is it automatic transmission fluid or gear oil. i use auto trans fluid in my 5spd.
It feels like the clutch is not disengaging all the way it takes a harder push to get into gear, just sometimes though, sometimes it shifts just fine when it does it its all the gears.
The only problem I have had with my clutch cable is the previous south of the border owners decided to invent there own bracket and were unsuccessful at creating a factory substitue. Well , needless to say they ended up positioning the cable fairly close to the headers and it burned the cable and the line got stock. Anyone tried grease in their clutch cable?
I spent about 15min working white lithium spray grease int my new cable from both ends before installation. the steeda cable has a 1" longer bracket on it than the ford cable putting it that much closer to the header, I wanted to send it back and put the stock one back on, but realized it was damaged. I love the firewall adj and double-hook quad though.
Whats the point of using auto trans fluid in it? I got the T-5Z too, its not even a year old and its pretty hard to shift...reverse grinds almost always unless I do "first then reverse", and if I bang 2nd gear over 5500RPMs it will grind but still go in.
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89' lx black hatchback
fms t-5z tranny,pro 5.0 shifter,king cobra clutch,underdrive pulleys,190lph fuel pump,equal length headers.3:73's,msd ignition coil, 65mm t-body,moroso cold air kit,2 1/4 2 chamber flowmasters,slotted rotors,fms aluminum driveshaft,auto-meter 5" tach, msd 6al - BIG oil burning problem! :(
best run 14.5 @ 101mph before some of the mods!
I was having the same problem with getting into reverse until I added the thing I invented.
Here's what's going on in the picture. This takes place after the ball end of the cable has gone through the clutch fork. You put pressure on the clutch fork to give some slack, and slip wire part of the cable through the cut part of the lug nut, then put the hose clamp around the lug nut and tighten it.
It is much much easier with two people. Dont laugh at my mspaint drawing
I'm showing my ignorance but I don't know what a T-5 "Z" tranny is. What is the "Z"?
I have an '89 5.0 with a plain jane T-5 and the factory service manual calls for automatic transmission fluid and NOT gear oil like we're accustomed to.
i just put a new t5-z in my car and it is real hard to shift too.
it got a little better after driving it around, but still seems like somthing might be wrong with it.
Brand new transmissions are going to be stiff and hard to shift until they are broken in. It is natural for them to be that way. Most transmissions have a 500 mile breakin period. During that breakin period, do not powershift it, no high rpm launches from a dead stop, no speed shifting, just nice grandma shifts. Also, at the 500 mile mark, drop the fluid, inspect it and make sure there are no chunks of metal or anything crazy and then refill it with fresh fluid.
Richard
Tech Support
Tremec TKO, T45 & T56 Transmission Systems
Go with PI heads and quit watching The Fast and the Furious. (thanks 2 IhaveadopeGT)
Remember, it is almost impossible for anyone, myself included, to diagnose a problem over the internet without seeing the car. My advice is simply that, advice based on years of experience. I don't want you or anyone taking my word as gospel. I am trying to give some direction as to what I think may be happening.
Trans is hard to shift 
(thanks 2 IhaveadopeGT)
