Struggle getting into 1st and R but easy if i put it in 3 or 4 first

[RedMosesSC]

Fellas,

I tried searching for ppl with simlair issues but dint find anything, so here goes.

06 Saleen, 25k miles, 3650 trans with MGW shifter, CHE torque Brace w Limiters, McLoad RST Clutch/Flywheel. I bought the car with 5k miles and the trans was always notchy, from day one when i put it in first i hear a slight "Bang" in the trans case. When i put in the MGW i blew the input shaft within 20 min, Ford fixed it under warranty. The car started with 430 crank hp and over the 3 years its up to 420 WHEEL HP, the trans has gotten more notchy as the power was added.

Lately, i have to wrestle to get the trans into first or reverse but if i shift into 3rd gear and then go into first it does in smoothly with minimal effort. Its almost as if the trans is not lining up witht he shifter but once its put into 3rd it all lines up when going back to first.

The westling is getting progressivly worse, i need to know if there are adjustements that can be made or this trans is just toast. While driving the trans shifts well and hold up to the power but from a stand still im fighting to get it into 1st & Reverse, any one else come have this issue?

 

[ksack]

sub'd for same problem. I just throw it between 3 and 4 a couple times then it works great. Problem only happens right after start up. 3650,che limiters, spec 3+, barton shifter

 

[stephen1371]

On my third tranny had the same problems, All covered by Ford. First time they said syncros, 2nd time they said shift rails. Got a brand new one in there now and no problems.

 

[RedMosesSC]

Ive tried to get them to address the "Bang" sound when i put it in first but they said they could not hear it, i have been out of warranty for a cpl years now.

Sounds like i may need a new Trans.

 

[RedMosesSC]

BUMP! Anyone else?

 

[stkjock]

sounds like rails or forks to me based on your description and a similar issue I had with the 3650 in my 06GT

 

[RedMosesSC]

sounds like rails or forks to me based on your description and a similar issue I had with the 3650 in my 06GT

Both sound like you have to tear apart the trans to swap out, what did you do about your 3650 issue in your 06?

 

[stkjock]

dealer rebuilt it under warranty. Car was maybe 2 years old or so at the time. It did have the Vortech on it at the time.

funny side note - broke it at the track, called the dealer from the track, when they took it in the service manager said "you gotta stop racing that thing"


if I'm in your shoes, I probably pull the trans and send it to Hanlon in PA to be built stronger.

 

[Captainstr8edge]

I'm to the point that I automatically go into third then quick over to first. It has been this way for a while. the shifter makes it worse because of the shorter throw.

I think it might be bacuse things are still spinning when you let off the clutch. (this is just a guess as I don't really know the inner workings of a clutch) when putting it into third it stops the spinning making it easier to go into first. If I have it in first with the clutch in I can go in and out just fine, as soon as I let the clutch out in N It gets hard to put into first again.

 

[BruceH]

Those are the symptoms my 3650 had when the slave was going out. The next symptom was a fast 1-2 shift was difficult. Eventually it wouldn't go into gear unless the motor was shut off.

Does it go into all the gears fine with the motor off?

 

[HG6283]

I had a similar problem.... Would not shift into 1st or reverse.
Clutch disc was slightly warped from heat and was not fully disengaging.

Changed clutch, and Wa-Laa no more problem.

My trans is a TR6060. A friend of mine had the same problem with a 3650.
Both of us USED to have Exedy Mach 600's.

.

 

[tbrock]

I had similar issues with my tranny when I had a Mcleod RST, switched to an exedy mach 500 and zero issues now. Car has 41k miles on it making 492 rwhp using MGW shifter as well.

 

[DiMora]

I have an identical problem. McLeod RST on GT flywheel and a Roush short-shifter.

 

[tbrock]

I have an identical problem. McLeod RST on GT flywheel and a Roush short-shifter.

not suprised

 

[RedMosesSC]

I swapped a new slave, Throw out bearing and stainless steel lines when I did the McLeod clutch and steel flywheel.

Lately it's been getting stuck In gear when coming to a stop, I have to yank it out of gear even With the clutch depressed, I don't remember it doing that before the Clutch swap But the struggle to get it in gear was happening before the new clutch.

When the car is off it goes in and out of gear Smoothly, I only get the struggle when The car is running.

 

[tbrock]

I swapped a new slave, Throw out bearing and stainless steel lines when I did the McLeod clutch and steel flywheel.

Lately it's been getting stuck In gear when coming to a stop, I have to yank it out of gear even With the clutch depressed, I don't remember it doing that before the Clutch swap But the struggle to get it in gear was happening before the new clutch.

When the car is off it goes in and out of gear Smoothly, I only get the struggle when The car is running.

You have a warped floater plate. I had the same thing with my RST/RXT, they shipped me a new clutch and after about 1000 miles it did the same thing. Had the tranny out 4 times chasing the issue, put a Mach 500 in the car and it went away. McLeod=garbage in my opinion. Some guys get lucky while others have issues. They'll tell you it is your installer but at the end of the day it's their floater plate which is warping. On my the 2nd RXT the inner clutch disc (flywheel side) had barely been touching the flywheel. I've got over 7,000 miles on my Mach 500 and the car shifts smooth and I can find every gear every time.

 

[RedMosesSC]

Even thoguh this trans was bieng a bitch way before the RST, i dont think the struggle to get in first and getting stuck in gear was happening before the Clutch swap.

I presume i would have no luck getting McLoed to do anything... I really dont want to take the trans down and certainly dont feel like putting in a different clutch, i went with McLeod because so many had good expereinces with them.

Maybe some Royal Purple trans fluid will solve my problem, hahaha.

 

[BruceH]

Put your stock line back in. The stainless lines have had issues. I had put my stock line back in as have others.

tbrock: If you didn't do the install you have no idea if the clutch was taken apart (a big no no) or even torqued properly. McLeod calls out some very low torques to prevent exacly what you experienced.

Did you do the install? If not what was the shops name who did? Maybe others have had issues with that shop too.

 

[RedMosesSC]

Damn... I swapped all the parts i could to new so i wouldnt have to take the trans down again. Hard to believe it the SS line but its cheap so i guess its worth a shot.

 

[BruceH]

Damn... I swapped all the parts i could to new so i wouldnt have to take the trans down again. Hard to believe it the SS line but its cheap so i guess its worth a shot.

It might not be. There are a few things in the path. Master cylinder, line, slave cylinder. It could also be the clutch itself like tbrock suggests.

This went bad over time, is that correct? I had a similar experience with my 26 spline rst. Replaced the slave during install along with the line. Started attempting a fix by replacing the master cylinder. Didn't fix it. Swapped the ss line out for the stock line and it was fixed. All I can offer is a theory, no hard evidence. My theory is that the ss line softened up over time just enough to absorb some of the hydraulic energy. The theoretical result would be a slave cylinder that didn't quite extened as far as it should. In my case it was the problem and only took about 45 minutes to swap lines out in my garage.

FWIW I've had an rst with a 3650. It was swapped over to a built motor and later sold as used when I went with a 6060. The 26 spline rst that was used with the 6060 was swapped over to a new motor and later taken off and reinstalled to replace the rear main engine seal. Each time I followed the McLeod directions and never had an issue that could be related to the clutch. It would of been easy to blame the rst but until I chased all the other possibilities I just couldn't do it.

Like tbrock mentioned I've found one thing in common with rst complaints. So far they have all been done by a shop. That doesn't mean that the shop screwed up but it does look like it. All of the self installs have had success. I could be wrong on these trends but that is the commonalitly as I remember it.

Modified cars can be a pita. I choose to do as much of the modification work as I can. I'd hate to be in limbo over a shops word vs a manufacturer. I see that as a no win situation.