incubus1275

well lets think about this logicly: your comparing a stock OEM trans to an aftermarket trans...I couldn't help but wonder what would be better (sorry for the sarcasm). Oh by the way, i would put a top loader 4-speed against your TKO500 any day of the week. Iron<Aluminum.

WhiteyonWelfare

you guys must do some crazy racing or justconstantly dog it! Ihave a '91 GT and it has 210,000 miles on it, same transmission and the motor has not been touched. I just keep the oil changed every 3,000with full synthetic lol. Never been in the shop or left me on the side of the road, I <3 Ford.

But I have a 2003 Gt also as my daily driver, are transmission problems common with this generation?

2000GT4.6

4 speeds < 5 speeds

So far as the sarcasm... if you read the forum there have been more than a few argue that the TKO isn't any better (or is worse) than a few of the stock mustang transmissions... like the 45 and 3650. They are wrong, but they argue it.

So far as the old school 4 speeds, they are no more reliable than the 5 speeds are. My fathers super T-10 4 speed spun a tailshaft bearing and nearly ended up destroying his 1969 Mach 1. Acutally tore the entire transmission out of the car, melted and shattered the clutch, which punched holes in the gas tank and sprayed gas everywhere. The gas was then ignited by hot parts and in the end we had both sides and the median of the road on fire...


So far as iron vs aluminum... the only thing aluminum is the case. your going to shred a gear long before you twist the case apart...

TKO ftw. i have shifted plenty of different manual transmissions, everything from 3 speeds to 4s to 5s, and nothing in a performance car (high end imports don't count) shifts as smoothly or as well. I have missed a grand total of 3-4 shifts with it, and every one of them has been because I screwed up, not the trans.

Quicktime_GT

Wellp.. Got the thing out today... Lowering the K member makes things soooooooooooooo much easier.. We took the 4 bottom bolts off and the 2 bolts on each side by the struts off and lowered the K member with a jack about 3 inches.. It gave is so much more room to get to the top bellhousing bolts and let the transmission have room to rotate for the starter "hump" to clear the header....

There is definitely something broke in the transmission though..

If Its going to cost much at all to fix I think I may just go ahead and buy a 10 spline TKO 500..

I G Joe

your best bet is to go with a tko500

2000GT4.6

either way, if something really broke bad I would be hesitant to use the old trans and rebuild it, If you go with another 45 or 3650 at least get a used one thats not broken to start with, or check yours over REALLY close.

bullitt15

get the tko. it has stronger synchros, steel shift forks, and better everything. it was built to be beat on.
i got mine for 1900 shipped from the driven man. add 400 for the bellhousing and its a good time to put in a different quadrant too.

Quicktime_GT

here are some pics..

We took these bolts loose:

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and these bolts: you can barely see one.. (the two by the struts)
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To clear these dam headers:
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5 foot extension to take out top starter bolt:
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but.. we got it out..
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I G Joe

PITA gettin that transmission out. i hated it.

Quicktime_GT

haha yeah it sucks... me and my friend are actually getting pretty quick at it.. had this one out in a couple hours...

I guess you get good at anything with practice.. haha []

We was under the car and I was like "next time we'll drop the K member before anything" he's like "next time?" we laughed... I guess its part of having a mustang..