Can the TR-3650 be dropped without draining the fluid?

[Norm Peterson]

Subscribing . . . might be useful.


Norm

 

[SPeace-ATL]

I used the Pennzoil Synchromesh in mine to get rid of a 1-2 grinding, and it has greatly reduced said grinding (170k on tranny). IIRC, that fluid is a lot like ATF (thickness wise), and I believe it is a full synthetic, so I don't think it should break down very quickly.

All I can say is that my tranny shifts a whole lot better - I would recommend that fluid to anyone.

While Pennzoil does make some synthetic products their Synchromesh product is not. It has been around for ages. Basically, it is a low viscosity gear oil with some additives. It is found in the gear oil section of your auto parts store. It is a bit thicker than the ATF and if anything, will help quiet a high-miles TR3650.

I can testify that it breaks down quickly by today's standards and when tearing down a transmission that has been using it there will be a black carbon coating on everything that is hard to wash off your hands much like the motor oil coming out of a diesel engine. It is the recommended fluid for a TR3550 or a TKO transmission, but still has the same carbon issues. If you use it; CHANGE IT OFTEN.

If changing to Synchromesh solved a 1-2 grinding issue then I would contend that the previous fluid had likely already broken down and a simple change of the original fluid would probably have yielded similar results.

Stan

He aint lying. I had RP in mine from about 30k to 120k. Blew the clutch and synchro's when I got locked out upshifting to 3rd at WOT around 6500PRM. Tried to force it and didn't want to let off the gas. This was before the upagrdes I mentioned above. When I tore the transmission down to rebuild it, all of my syncro rings were significantly worn down. Even 5th gear which never see's hard shifting. EVER.....

Read about the RP fluid problem and switched back to MERCON-V ATF. I've rebuilt my 3650 a couple times since then due to bearing issues. Each tear down all 5 syncro's were still good to go. But I always replace 2nd and 3rd just to play it safe.

There is a magnet in back of the 3650 by the drain hole. It was years ago but If I remember correctly when I tore down the RP fluid 3650 that first time that magnet was coated with that cabon fiber syncro shavings. I used MOBIL 1 synthetic MRECON V fluid one time as well. It wasn't as bad as RP but the magnet still had some significant shavings on it.

USE the stock FORD MERCON V stuff!!!!! Spend your money on other upgrades.

Thank you!

Adding to this, the carbon-fiber ring material is not magnetic. The build-up in the collector magnet would have to have been ferrous material from gears and bearings.

Stan

 

[Onelildude]

RP is not approved by Tremec for a TR3650. People changing to it report that they initially like the way it shifts. UNFORTUNATELY, from my professional experience, it is hard on the linings of the synchro rings and in about a year, maybe two, the rings will be shot. I think the stuff is just too darned slick... I've torn down way too many with the purple residue inside and seen the bad lining material first hand.
Stan

I'm no pro by any means, but i've been running RP from about 30k to 155k miles with fluid changes at 60k and 130k with no issues. I drive it hard and randomly track mine, but no lockout or issues from my car thus far. Maybe I have a unicorn!

 

[Donato]

What’s the name of this piece it’s been driving me crazy. I need one and don’t know where to find it.

 

[SPeace-ATL]

Almost all available documentation for the TR3650 was written prior to the 2005-2010 models where this piece is used. As a new part anything that was changed in a TR3650 between model year 2004 and 2005 will be a dealer only part. While Tremec made the parts they are not allowed to market them. Anything that fits the 2001-2004 also is available through a Tremec Distributor unless discontinued.

What is it called? LOL I would call it a shifter anvil, but that is just me. The metal receiver for a T-5, T-45, T56 shifter is called that. But I can't find any parts diagram that shows the 2005-2010 unique parts. Maybe someone out there has found one!

The forum will not allow me to send you a PM.
Can you contact me?

Stan

 

[rocky61201]

What’s the name of this piece it’s been driving me crazy. I need one and don’t know where to find it.

I broke this part on accident. Luckily I have a spare 3650 I picked up from the junkyard about 8 years ago so I had an extra as one of mine cracked. I also broke the stud on the shifter linkage too. I ended up having to go to the Ford Dealer and they wanted me to buy the entire stock shifter assembly to get just the linkage. Forget that. I ended up drilling and tapping where the stud broke off and replaced it with a 10MM bolt.

I don't know how bad your's is broken. Mine was cracked but still usable. On Amazon and EBAY you can find the AMP performance bronze shifter bushing to replace the stock plastic ones. That will firm things up and get rid of sloppy shifter play between gears. That might solve your problem depending on how bad yours is broken. It's likely you are going to have to find some type of fabrication work around to get this to work or go to the junkyard.

 

[1950StangJump$]

How long ago did you guys have the problem(s) with RP? Cause these guys are changing their fluid formulas all the time. Even if it was to blame 10 years ago, it doesn't mean it's an issue now.

I used Merc V, Mobil 1, and Pennzoil Syncromesh . . . all back-to-back-back, so there was no comparison by memory. By far, the Syncromesh was the smoothest. For what it is worth, I called Tremec, and they would only recommend Merc V or Mobil 1. But, that seems to be the standard company line for many or all their transmissions now, and there is credible evidence they recommended Syncromesh years ago.

 

[Donato]

Almost all available documentation for the TR3650 was written prior to the 2005-2010 models where this piece is used. As a new part anything that was changed in a TR3650 between model year 2004 and 2005 will be a dealer only part. While Tremec made the parts they are not allowed to market them. Anything that fits the 2001-2004 also is available through a Tremec Distributor unless discontinued.

What is it called? LOL I would call it a shifter anvil, but that is just me. The metal receiver for a T-5, T-45, T56 shifter is called that. But I can't find any parts diagram that shows the 2005-2010 unique parts. Maybe someone out there has found one!

The forum will not allow me to send you a PM.
Can you contact me?

Stan

You can contact me through Facebook Donato Martinez

 

[SPeace-ATL]

Thanks, but I rejected Facebook on principle years ago.
You can initiate a private contact with me through this forum though.

 

[MrAwesome987]

Thanks, but I rejected Facebook on principle years ago.

I like this... I deleted my Facebook account 8+ years ago and haven't looked back.

 

[SPeace-ATL]

I used Merc V, Mobil 1, and Pennzoil Syncromesh . . . all back-to-back-back, so there was no comparison by memory. By far, the Syncromesh was the smoothest. For what it is worth, I called Tremec, and they would only recommend Merc V or Mobil 1. But, that seems to be the standard company line for many or all their transmissions now, and there is credible evidence they recommended Syncromesh years ago.

I'm an old-timer... Yes, they did have the Synchromesh approved years ago. It does make it smooth, but it gets dirty inside pretty quickly. I've been into a LOT of them. The story is that Tremec used the Mobil-1 when they were designing and testing the TR3650. The Mercon-V is a synthetic blend and is good too.

Stan

 

[Norm Peterson]

If this "Synchromesh" is the same stuff as "GM Synchromesh", that was one of the recommended fluids for the TR3550.




O-T . . . nice to see others who don't use fb. Never got into that scene myself.


Norm

 

[GlassTop09]

I broke this part on accident. Luckily I have a spare 3650 I picked up from the junkyard about 8 years ago so I had an extra as one of mine cracked. I also broke the stud on the shifter linkage too. I ended up having to go to the Ford Dealer and they wanted me to buy the entire stock shifter assembly to get just the linkage. Forget that. I ended up drilling and tapping where the stud broke off and replaced it with a 10MM bolt.

I don't know how bad your's is broken. Mine was cracked but still usable. On Amazon and EBAY you can find the AMP performance bronze shifter bushing to replace the stock plastic ones. That will firm things up and get rid of sloppy shifter play between gears. That might solve your problem depending on how bad yours is broken. It's likely you are going to have to find some type of fabrication work around to get this to work or go to the junkyard.

View attachment 71053

What type of lubrication did you use w\ these AMP bronze bushings?
Would PTFE or marine-use grease be compatible (what I'm leaning towards using)?

Appreciate any feedback.

 

[rocky61201]

I don't recall as I've had them in a couple years now. I always have an extra couple of those small squish packs of grease that come with brake pads. It's likely I used one of those. One thing I do remember is the stock plastic bushings were fairly brittle and already cracked when I took them out or they just kinda fell out. My car is very high mileage. IIRC the kit comes with 5 bushings. 2 for each end of the shifter linkage and 1 that goes inside the pocket that slips over the transmission shifter rail on the part you broke.

Sorry I don't have pics of anything as it's installed on the car. Pics would probably do better justice than me trying to describe it on here.

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

BTW Tremec says,

"Thank you for your interest in the TREMEC brand product. I receive daily questions and comments on aftermarket transmission fluids. For every person that tells me that Product X is the best fluid to run in my transmissions, I get the same number of individuals that tell me Product X is the worst fluid you can put into my transmissions. I can only give you our recommendations for my product line. For the TR3650 the recommended fluid is DEXRON III / MERCON Spec ATF, (Texaco). Alternative fluids can be G.M. Synchromesh, G.M. part number 12345349, (semi-synthetic), or Mobil 1 ATF, (full synthetic). If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me."

 

[GlassTop09]

I don't recall as I've had them in a couple years now. I always have an extra couple of those small squish packs of grease that come with brake pads. It's likely I used one of those. One thing I do remember is the stock plastic bushings were fairly brittle and already cracked when I took them out or they just kinda fell out. My car is very high mileage. IIRC the kit comes with 5 bushings. 2 for each end of the shifter linkage and 1 that goes inside the pocket that slips over the transmission shifter rail on the part you broke.

Sorry I don't have pics of anything as it's installed on the car. Pics would probably do better justice than me trying to describe it on here.

Thanks for the response!
Was asking about lubrication since you're already using them & these bushings didn't appear to be the sintered type of bronze bushings which are grease loaded so I'll try some PTFE grease & see how it goes (water resistant & strong film adhesion properties). My car is a high miler as well & I wasn't aware that these bronze bushings existed until I read your posts in this thread. I got a set of these coming from Amazon (should be here today) to finish tightening shifter linkage setup (have Barton ST shifter mounted on Blowfish Racing V2 Remote Shifter Bracket installed). I didn't realize that there was a plastic sleeve bushing inside this part between it & the TR3650's shifter fork selector shaft until I bought this kit & saw the sleeve bushing w\ the 2 holes in it...…....

Appreciate it!

 

[rocky61201]

Your welcome. The one with the two holes in it, that's it!

Really I think the whole set up Ford gave us is bullshit. When they designed the S197, they never bothered to give us a transmission that actually fits. The TR3650 fit the new edge Mustang, and they just carried it over to the S197 by changing and adding a few things to make it workable....barely. And this barely workable system doesn't last long and definitely isn't acceptable once you start pushing things on the street or track and adding horsepower.

My opinion is this remote shifter set up is the root cause for premature transmission failure. Basically trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole. But the hammer is a few hundred horsepower and thousands of RPM.

 

[SPeace-ATL]

My opinion is this remote shifter set up is the root cause for premature transmission failure. Basically trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole. But the hammer is a few hundred horsepower and thousands of RPM.

Elimination of this shifter setup is a big part of why Tremec came out with the Magnum XL. It has a shifter that bolts directly to the transmission like previous transmissions did.

Stan

 

[rocky61201]

I've always wanted to upgrade to the XL. But ex-wives, GF's, and kids and life in general gets in the way sometimes.

Look on the bright side, all of this ensures I keep buying parts from you.

 

[oldVOR]

Thanks for the response!
Was asking about lubrication since you're already using them & these bushings didn't appear to be the sintered type of bronze bushings which are grease loaded so I'll try some PTFE grease & see how it goes (water resistant & strong film adhesion properties). My car is a high miler as well & I wasn't aware that these bronze bushings existed until I read your posts in this thread. I got a set of these coming from Amazon (should be here today) to finish tightening shifter linkage setup (have Barton ST shifter mounted on Blowfish Racing V2 Remote Shifter Bracket installed). I didn't realize that there was a plastic sleeve bushing inside this part between it & the TR3650's shifter fork selector shaft until I bought this kit & saw the sleeve bushing w\ the 2 holes in it...…....

Appreciate it!

Got a link from Amazon for the bushings?