'01 DRIVETRAIN SLACK??

[YELL-OSNAKE]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I have a problem? with my 01 cobra. If you are at a light, in neutral, push in clutch, and put in 1st gear, I get a "thud" from rear end area...like taking up drivetrain slack...I know some slack is normal, but my 98 gt doesn't do this. Also when shifting thru all gears, when you let out clutch, the same results. has anyone experienced this/noticed this...This may be normal for IRS???
Thanks for any input.

yell-o

 

[TTAFB_SVT]

my 01 GT does the same thing when going into first? sounds disconcerting doesn't it?:-X

 

[YELL-OSNAKE]

Yeah, it makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.II-)
I was hoping for a bulletin or something, the only thing I get from the dealer is thery is a bulletin for cold shifting, which mine does. (like it really gets cold in New Orleans) It sometimes doesn't want to shift/grinds...have to baby it so no grinding. dealer says bulletin to change fluid with new mercon fluid. (after 20-30 min of driving, car shifts perfect) maybe factory fluid is a little "gummy"

Thankx...Chris

 

[Hiss01]

All you'll hear from the dealer is that its normal or cannot reproduce. -:mj:

 

[YELL-OSNAKE]

So at least it seems to me...some other people are having the same problems...it hinka makes me feel better....not that yall are having problems, but that it is something model wide, and not just because my car is a lemon.....you know now that i think about it someone asked me before i bought it, that since it's yellow..does that mean it's a lemon?? :rolling: haha. While i'm on the subject...I see alot of cobra owners have the Steeda Tri-ax shifter...IS this the "best"...I know for the older t45/t5 tranny's the pro5.0 shifter was deemed to be the strongest/most reliable. any input is appreciated.

thanks-chris

 

[GTJim]

Mine does the exact same thing when shifting. For some reason it doesn't do it as much since my 4.10 gear swap (or I'm just use to it now )

I just installed the Tri-Ax shifter, it made a huge difference - it's much tighter and the shifts are shorter and more precise - it's an excellent Mod IMHO :thumbsup:

 

[dave58]

If that cold 1-2 shift gives you headaches (it did me too), by ALL means invest in the TriAx.
The shifts (even cold) are much more precise, no grinding....
and with the TriAx, the dreaded missed 2-3 shift becomes non-existent.
I usually try not to comment on stuff around here unless I've actually TRIED it..........coz I hate the idea of telling you to spend money on stuff I've only heard or read about.
The TriAx gets a green light

p.s.- so do their underdrive pullies :thumbsup:

 

[YELL-OSNAKE]

Hey dave58 in Kennesaw....I suppose you purchased your svt from jim tidwells word ford....I just got back from a trip there...real nice area, lots of hills & curves:-D poeple were real nice...just a point of info...ps. Was installing bassani x pipe hard...fitting ok...Im doing mine this weekend, what kinda cat back did u use.....thinking about flows, but don't need the loud sound...like the TONE though. ...Does anyone have sound clips/wav files of thier exhaust tones???

Thankx-Chris

 

[Yellow Snake]

Yea, I think all 01's clunk. Try driving in 4th about 45 MPH and punch it, CLUNK.
Yea I know some may think you should'nt just punch it in 4th or 3rd for that manner but they clunk.
I have read as well as several others that there is just a little too much slack in our drive-trains which give us that dreaded sound.

The Tri-Ax really does help out the shifting issues too, Mine is great, and even better once warmed up.
I just think some of us are a little too nit pickie some times.

Give the car a chance to warm up, and even break-in before we have a real shit fit.


Motor-On:coolman:

 

[TcM-668]

If it's any consolation....the '00 Rs do this too...

As long as you have the IRS Knuckle recall done(might not be necessary on the '01s) you should be OK.

I am planning on retrofitting a reworked '99 IRS into my '00 R and we'll see if this makes a difference.

We hear all kinds of noise in the Rs so it makes things worse..

Don ...
'00 R # 152
'93 GT Conv
'93 LX Coupe
'92 Honda Accord Wagon
'89 Isuzu Imark Hatch SunSport

 

[donaisenbrey]

My '99 has the same problem. The below is the answer Ford gave me.......Don

"The clunk between shifts, especially when you are standing still, and the
clunk when accelerating in high gear is common to the Cobra. We are trying
to improve this condition but no cigars yet. If it's any consolation, it
doesn't hurt anything. However, you should ask the dealer to tighten the
driveshaft mounting bolts. They may be lose".

Regards
Bill Franco
Mustang PTSE-NVH
Experimental Vehicle Building
Phone: (313)-594-7495 Text Page: (313) 851-0474
BFRANCO

 

[raider187]

Has anyone tried to switch their tranny fluid to "redline"? This pretty much got rid of my issues with cold shifts and with some clunking with a former car... Perhaps it will help on your Cobras.

I haven't noticed this yet, but I have very low miles on my 01 and I have the tremec 3650 tranny...

The "Redline lube" is really nice, I couldn't believe the difference. Normally I'm a true skeptic to all that "wonder lube crap", but it did the trick, it was just a pain change it out.

my .02 cents -Rick

 

[Bk_Breaker_SVT]

I have a '99 and I get the same clunk. I get it in higher gears too. In fact I think I even hear it a little when downshifting.

 

[YELL-OSNAKE]

Kinda makes you feel like Ford has a problem they can't fix...maybe if enough people complain to their dealers...the dealers can get on ford to find a fix....if no one complains about a problem, they won't waster their time or money trying to get a fix....you know...The squeaky wheel gets the grease... ....

On the other side of the subject....my cold shift problem is FIXED. I replaced the fluid in tremec 3650 tranny with mobil 1 synthetic atf. I WOULD RECCOMED THIS FLUID CHANGE TO EVERYONE!!!. My svt just turned 5000 miles so it's still "breaking in", but the old fluid had a silvery tint to it, and some very small, but noticable metal in the bottom of the drain pan. This metal is normal for gears, or an engine , for that matter -as it breaks in, BUT...you change your oil in your engine after the 1st 500 miles...and repeadely change it x-amt of mile after that...to rid the car from old fluid, AND spent metal parts. So that's just MY opinion, but after seeing the condition of the fluid...I just can't imagine leaving the "metal oil" speeding up the wear and tear process on my tranny. PLUS- shifts smoother now, and cold shift problem fixed.:beer:

YELL-O

 

[donaisenbrey]

I've been complaining since May of '99. The car has been to 4 dealers on 6 occasions and the best I got was the response from Bill Franco which is posted above. The only thing I can hope for is that the '03 (whenever it arrives) does not have the same problem..............Don

 

[2001Cobra]

After only 5000kl. tranny grinds on 1-2, 2-3, & 3-4 shifts, after lots of trips to the dealer, it's time for them to open up the t3650 (I hope they know what there doing?) and see what's inside.
As for the clunk in the rear, Paul's Highperformance has a pinion support for it. I have it but the dealer installed it and not too impressed yet. Not sure it's installed wright.
Steeda Tri-axe shifter works well.

 

[Daniel Moran]

driveline noise

Hey Yell-osnake. In your original post to this thread you described a symptom that my yellow 01 coupe shows. That is a thump sound I often get from the drivetrain as I prepare to roll or just start to roll out from a stoplight. I think it's when I press in the clutch then slip it in first...somewhere in that sequence. I have no other real complaints with the drivetrain. Question: did your switch to synthetic trans fluid get rid of the start-up "thump"? Or did you otherwise find a cure?

 

[YELL-OSNAKE]

Hey Daniel,
The problem I'm having is like you describe, just sit at a stop light in neutral, push clutch to floor, put in first,...CLUNK from rear. seems to be alot of drive train/tranny/rear end slack. The fluid mod was to "help" the cold shift grinding between gears. After changing the fluid, the problem was eliminated for a week or so, and came back, but not nearly as severe. It was a pain to change the tremec 3650 fluid without a lift, but I still think it was definately worth it. any other questions...let me know

Chris:coolman:

 

[Daniel Moran]

Thanks Chris. I'm having a pretty decent Ford mechanic check this out on my car in a week or so and I'm going to call SVT and some other dealers for info. I hope this flaw is curable. I'll repost if I find anything.

 

[Steve]

See, this is what I don't understand. I have an 01 with the same problem. When sitting at a light in neutral, and shifting into first, there is a clunk. How can it be driveline slack? When the clutch is pressed to the floor, the motor and driveline are physically not connected. I could understand the driveline slack if it happened when the clutch was being let out, ie. it clunks when the clutch plate first contacts the spinning motor.

IMO, it has to be in the tranny. All other components are still/not moving. Maybe synchros, or something like that, I dunno. :shrug:

What do you guys think??