I went to the track a couple weeks ago trying to sort out my launches with the 2 step and Et drags, and on the second run, i went down the track just fine, but when i went to downshift and make the turn on the return road, i couldn't get the tranny out of 4th gear. i physically had to pound on the shifter to get it out of gear. Then i couldn't get it to go into any gear. Finally after coming to stop i managed to muscle it into 1st gear, and then muscle it through the rest of the gears. After doing this a couple times, the tranny feels perfectly normal again. It shifts perfectly into every gear.

some more info,
the time before this at the track the car absolutely refused to go into 3rd gear on power shift. The only way it would go is if i granny shifted it.

I've also been hearing some strange noises coming from the tranny/clutch area when i slow down and then shift into neutral. it sounds like something is still spinning when my foot is on the clutch. Pumping the pedal usally solves this problem (i assume this is the throwout bearing sticking to shaft sleeve, i forgot to grease it last time i assembled everything, i suppose it could be the pilot bearing as well)

the problem seems to have gotten worse since i changed the fluid, it had valvoline synthetic atf in it, and i switched to mobil 1 synthetic atf.

Any thoughts or ideas on whats goin on here? Id rather not rebuild the tranny if i don't have to, are there any fixes to this? I'm gonna take the clutch assembly apart and replace both the pilot and throwout bearings, and possibly that slider sleeve the t/o bearing slides on, i know they splinter easy on ford t-5's, not sure if it's a problem with t56's as well...

Eric

 

Well, I am glad someone else had the same problem I did. My sticking in 4th occurred on a hard shift from 3rd to 4th. Anyway, what I did was take my tranny out (had to do my clutch anyway) and took the front and back case covers off. Pretty simple to do and exposes everything except internal synchros.

What I found was a tremendous amount of aluminum shavings. I also found that a Yahoo that replaced my input shaft bearings let an old roller get caught on my magnet. Now, might this contamination have caused this? I have no idea. All bearings and teeth had normal wear.

Now since, I have had no problems and my tranny shifts better than before (wouldn't you if you were clean). I too run Mobile 1 and there is a difference from standard AFT as far as I can concerned.

My suggestion: drain your fluid and if you find aluminum shavings, take the tranny out and clean it.

Tell me how it goes. Maybe you will learn something where I did not.

Ben

 

i'm pulling the motor and trans in january to have a look see, i'll do what you suggested.

I'm also told theres a strong chance it could have been my pilot bearing sticking to the snout of the input shaft and keeping the tranny spinning when i disengaged the clutch, which made it extremely difficult to get it out of gear. I'm going to check both possibilities here soon. Hopefully it doesn't need a rebuild.

Eric

 

Just my thoughts, but I do not think that is something that can happen. When you mean pilot, you mean the bearing attached to the pressure plate correct? If you can disengage your clutch, this bearing MUST come back towards the tranny.

Anyway, GL.

Ben

 

No, you are thinking of the throwout bearing. He is referring to the pilot bearing in the back of the crankshaft.

zupmanZ28-
I have had this same problem a couple of times. In my case it turned out that the 3-4 slider assembly was over-traveling going into 4th gear. What happens is the slider travels too far and the synchro keys pop out of their position and won't let the slider back the other way when you go to shift out of 4th. That is why you have to slam on the shifter to force it back.

The first time it happened to me, I sheared off the keys, and I thought I had a bent shift fork. So I replaced the keys and installed a steel shift fork. The tranny worked great for a couple months, then all of a sudden it happened again, but this time I could not get it out of 4th, even if I were to use my feet on the shifter (I didn't though).

So I took it apart again and found the same problem. Not finding anything wrong with ANY of the parts, I put it back together (after freeing up 4th) and put it back in the car. I then re-adjusted my Pro-5.0 shifter with an extra 1/2 turn on the stops, and it has worked flawless ever since. I really don't know if adjusting the stops on my shifter is what fixed it, but it seems so.

Let us know what you find.

 

i think the plan right now is gonna be to crack the case, clean everything out (hopefully nothing is broken), replace the pilot bearing, t/o bearing and sleeve, and buy a shifter with stops.

Eric

 

I think that Pony's explanation is as good as any. I too did not see damage on the synchro keys for 4th when I had my input shaft out.

Bummer my hurst shifter does not have stops. I would have thought it would.