StormtrooperFox

So i bought my first foxbody just this past winter and have had it in storage mainly up until now since its getting nice outside. I have put about 600 miles on it and then today i shifted into second normally and it made this horrible grinding sound and the whole car started jumping. The car still drives in 1,3,4,5 and upon further investigation I found 2nd gear doesn't engage at all anymore. The transmission was fully rebuilt when the previous owned had it and was topped off with an MGW short throw shifter. No warning signs before this, just went out. Any ideas? All help is appreciated

dawson1112

Ive rebuilt a few of these transmissions, normally I would say a grinding sound is most likely a worn synchro or slider assembly. But since you describe the grinding along with the car " jumping around " I would put money on the 2nd driven gear and number 2 cluster gear/counter shaft gears are trashed now. You will have to pull the trans and have someone who knows how remove the top cover so you can take a look at what has happened. First thing I would do is find out if the transmission was rebuilt at a shop with a warranty, if not its going to be up to you to have it rebuilt once more.

StormtrooperFox

So you think I could've just lost second gear out of nowhere like that? Seems crazy unlucky. I read on another forum that the aftermarket shifter may just need to be adjusted because sometimes they fall out of adjustment. Does that seem like a possible solution?

88 orangepeel notch

Sorry to hear, but no, the shifter wouldn't be the cause of this. Sounds like just a mechanical failure from improper installation or just a bad/worn out part. Nothing lasts forever.

I don't know you're skill level at turning wrenches, but supposedly these T5's aren't that bad of a tranny to rebuild for a first timer. I'm planning on doing mine when the time comes. With dawson's help of course lol.

dawson1112

I dont see a scenario where the whole car might jump around except for during the time the teeth were being knocked off the gear.



I cant say it would be unlucky, but definitely unfortunate that who ever he had rebuild the transmission didn't do a real good job.

second gear probably takes the most abuse becauses your coming out of 1st gear with a lot of rpm and torque, and people think they can power shift the crap out of these transmissions. All it takes is a chip in the corner of one of the gears and it will keep spreading until there is catastrophic failure.

Transmission service 101 is any gears with chips, nicks, burnt or cracks should be replaced.

dawson1112

I suppose its a possibility that the slider was in bad shape and it spun on the gear. And now its locked out of second because the slider is blocked on that side from sliding on the gear.

The only think I know to do is you can try to change the stops but I highly doubt that its the cause, if it was it would pobly not go in 4th or reverse either.


Other than that the cover will need take off to look inside the transmission and see whats going on.

That will require removal from the vehicle. There is a roll pin that holds the shift socket on the shift lever and then you can unbolt the tail shaft and remove it by sliding it back. Then you can unbolt the cover break the seal and lift it up and to the left, it may take a little fiddling to get it off, but then you have visual acess to all the gears.

StormtrooperFox

So more than likely I'll be rebuilding the trans in the very near future, I was trying to avoid reality but I guess I'll get cracking, I'm decently experienced with wrenching, I work in a shop but I'm still pretty low on the totem pole, I'll have one of our master techs help me out. Thank you guys for the help

Buck Sergeant

Yes, another T5 failure. This unit is notorious for second, and sometimes, third gear failure. Finally stopped beating a dead horse and went with a TKO-500. Done deal. If you don't want to replace the tranny, all the posted suggestions are very valid and useful.