tmcolegr
It's All About the Build
Gentlemen not trying to beat a dead horse, just a friendly reminder....
I'm sure everyone has read or is at least aware of TSB 08-23-4 - post #74. You're sure you don't have a problem because you've looked at your transmission cross member and it has a white dot and has the hump pointing up right. Don't be so sure.
One of my wife's friends has a completely stock 07 GT convertible w/5R55S automatic. She mentioned that her car has always had a shudder when taking off from a stop and annoying vibration that the dealer just can't seem to locate. She was looking forward to trading it in on another vehicle which wouldn't be another Mustang. I asked her if she would allow me to look at the vehicle before making such a rash decision and she agreed. I put the vehicle up on stands and one of the things I checked was the transmission cross member. Sure enough it had a white dot with the hump pointing upward. After taking some measurements from the bottom of the cross member to the trans. case on her vehicle and comparing it to my 05 GT Coupe, I quickly determined there was over 1/4" difference. I asked her if she would allow me to order a part for her car that if it didn't fix the problem, she owed me nothing. Of course she agreed. I went to my favorite local Ford dealer and looked through all the different cross member & insulator revisions. Believe me there were several. What it all boiled down to is the 8R3Z-6068-E cross member/insulator assembly is the latest/greatest part for 4.6Ls - both Coupes and Convertibles. The list price on this part is $200. I was able to get it for $112 and received it the next day.
She brought her vehicle back over and I removed the original cross member/insulator assembly. There was the problem. The cross member was correct and was installed with the hump pointing up wards but a V6 insulator had been installed from the factory. I installed the new cross member/insulator assembly and the shudder/vibration is completely gone.
Cliff notes: You do NOT have to remove the OEM catalytic converter if the exhaust mounts/isolators were removed as per TSB 08-3-4 - see post #110. R & I only takes about 10 minutes once the vehicle is raised and the transmission supported.
This vehicle makes the 5th S197 I have found with the incorrect cross member/insulator installed from the factory.
Only negative side of this story is she paid my wife. That's $112 I'll never see again.
I'm sure everyone has read or is at least aware of TSB 08-23-4 - post #74. You're sure you don't have a problem because you've looked at your transmission cross member and it has a white dot and has the hump pointing up right. Don't be so sure.
One of my wife's friends has a completely stock 07 GT convertible w/5R55S automatic. She mentioned that her car has always had a shudder when taking off from a stop and annoying vibration that the dealer just can't seem to locate. She was looking forward to trading it in on another vehicle which wouldn't be another Mustang. I asked her if she would allow me to look at the vehicle before making such a rash decision and she agreed. I put the vehicle up on stands and one of the things I checked was the transmission cross member. Sure enough it had a white dot with the hump pointing upward. After taking some measurements from the bottom of the cross member to the trans. case on her vehicle and comparing it to my 05 GT Coupe, I quickly determined there was over 1/4" difference. I asked her if she would allow me to order a part for her car that if it didn't fix the problem, she owed me nothing. Of course she agreed. I went to my favorite local Ford dealer and looked through all the different cross member & insulator revisions. Believe me there were several. What it all boiled down to is the 8R3Z-6068-E cross member/insulator assembly is the latest/greatest part for 4.6Ls - both Coupes and Convertibles. The list price on this part is $200. I was able to get it for $112 and received it the next day.
She brought her vehicle back over and I removed the original cross member/insulator assembly. There was the problem. The cross member was correct and was installed with the hump pointing up wards but a V6 insulator had been installed from the factory. I installed the new cross member/insulator assembly and the shudder/vibration is completely gone.
Cliff notes: You do NOT have to remove the OEM catalytic converter if the exhaust mounts/isolators were removed as per TSB 08-3-4 - see post #110. R & I only takes about 10 minutes once the vehicle is raised and the transmission supported.
This vehicle makes the 5th S197 I have found with the incorrect cross member/insulator installed from the factory.
Only negative side of this story is she paid my wife. That's $112 I'll never see again.
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