Rough shifting

SVTsamson22

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Hello this is my first thread just recently bought a 03 terminator love it to death but this thing shifts pretty rough I put a new oem cable with a McLeod firewall adjuster thinking this would fix the problem but still the same if it’s parked it goes the the gears fine its when the cars in Motion I’d appreciate any help.
 

BlckBox04

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+1 on what you mean by rough but you mentioned that it goes into gear fine when the car is off. Kind of sounds like you just need a new clutch.
 

SVTsamson22

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Did you also change the quadrant? When was the last time the fluid was changed?
I still have the stock plastic quadrant I never asked the previous owner when he changed the trans fluid but I’m gonna do it anyways the week to see if that helps it has 20 thousand miles I put around 700 miles on it.
 

SVTsamson22

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What do you mean by rough? Is it hard to get into gear? jerky, notchy transitions?
I would say notchy feels like it’s hitting a wall before I engage into a gear doesn’t do it when When the car is turned off or in a complete stop I pulled up to a stop light and tried to go from neutral back to first I had to really push hard to find it happens with reverse also.
 

SVTsamson22

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+1 on what you mean by rough but you mentioned that it goes into gear fine when the car is off. Kind of sounds like you just need a new clutch.
The previous mentioned there’s a spec clutch installed and showed me the receipts not sure if that went bad or not i don’t feel any slipping thou.
 

hotcobra03

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did you oil cable before install

did you adjust cable and if so how?


I have the same fluid that came in car
no issues
and who kows if it even has fluid in it never checked since having it open in 05 for bearing retainer replacement
 

BlckBox04

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The previous mentioned there’s a spec clutch installed and showed me the receipts not sure if that went bad or not i don’t feel any slipping thou.

clutch sounds like it’s out of adjustment but honestly I didn’t have good experiences with spec clutches. I bought a brand new one that was toasted less than 1k miles later, and I know how to drive so just take that for what it’s worth.
 

SVTsamson22

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did you oil cable before install

did you adjust cable and if so how?


I have the same fluid that came in car
no issues
and who kows if it even has fluid in it never checked since having it open in 05 for bearing retainer replacement
I heard you didn’t have to oil the oem cables since they come already lubricated but I could be wrong. before the adjuster was installed the clutch engaged more lower to the floor and now it’s more to the middle I forgot how many clicks.
 

SVTsamson22

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clutch sounds like it’s out of adjustment but honestly I didn’t have good experiences with spec clutches. I bought a brand new one that was toasted less than 1k miles later, and I know how to drive so just take that for what it’s worth.
I’m a pretty good driver with a manual transmission and I’m telling you there’s no way you can take this thing a track you gotta let off and take your time in throwing in the gears has whipple pushing 546 rwhp but it’s not doing me any good at the moment.
 

01yellercobra

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I still have the stock plastic quadrant I never asked the previous owner when he changed the trans fluid but I’m gonna do it anyways the week to see if that helps it has 20 thousand miles I put around 700 miles on it.
If you're running a firewall adjuster you should swap out the quadrant to a solid one. The stock quadrant is self adjusting. So whatever adjustment you make with the firewall adjuster is probably being negated by the stock quadrant.

It sounds like it's a clutch adjustment to me. I had a similar problem with my 01. The clutch needed some tweaking to fully release.
 

SVTsamson22

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If you're running a firewall adjuster you should swap out the quadrant to a solid one. The stock quadrant is self adjusting. So whatever adjustment you make with the firewall adjuster is probably being negated by the stock quadrant.

It sounds like it's a clutch adjustment to me. I had a similar problem with my 01. The clutch needed some tweaking to fully release.
Any quadrants you would recommend before i order one ?
 

01yellercobra

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Any quadrants you would recommend before i order one ?
IMO no one is better than the other. They're just hunks of machined aluminum. I've ran Steeda, UPR, and Maximum Motorsports with the same results. The biggest thing is to make sure you use washers/spacers to line the quadrant up with the cable.
 

roy_1031

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Any quadrants you would recommend before i order one ?

I would get a double hooked quadrant just in case you need to take up a little more slack. I liked the MM one but I think it’s only a single hook. I needed more adjustment and ordered a ford racing double hook quadrant. The MM is a factory style cable as well.


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SVTsamson22

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I would get a double hooked quadrant just in case you need to take up a little more slack. I liked the MM one but I think it’s only a single hook. I needed more adjustment and ordered a ford racing double hook quadrant. The MM is a factory style cable as well.


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I just ordered a single one right before I seen this hopefully I can call tomorrow and have them switch to a double if this doesn’t fix my problem sadly it might be something else a little more major.
 

hotcobra03

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while your waiting to decide or get parts

the stock quadrant if not modified
will adjust by lifting up on clutch pedal

worth a shot if you haven't

there is something you can do to stock setup for issue with it loosing adjustment look in sticks above posts

the how to section

terminator facts and questions which explains it

this also is great for every thing else
Home
 

SVTsamson22

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A little update had the trans fluid changed and added Friction modifier while I was already by the trans did the anti-venom set up and now shifts like butter when parked but still shifts like crap when I start driving my Aluminum adjuster will be here this weekend if that doesn’t work I’m throwing the spec clutch like a frisbee
 

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