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Hard to shift into second gear when cold

A

Avenger

CEG'er
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
Messages
91
Location
Quebec
Thought I would get rid of this damn issue by switching to the bearing style shift fork and replacing the synchros but that didn't do it... :shrug:

That leaves me with shift tower, cables or the shifter itself...

Any input as to what might be my problem ? :help:

Thanks
 
Check the alignment and slack in your cables. I had a problem like that on my 98.5 where it would be hard to shift in to 1st. ONLY 1st, though. it would sometimes grind, pop out of gear, etc. same symptoms as a REALLY bad synchro.
 
Avenger said:
Thought I would get rid of this damn issue by switching to the bearing style shift fork and replacing the synchros but that didn't do it... :shrug:

That leaves me with shift tower, cables or the shifter itself...

Any input as to what might be my problem ? :help:

Thanks
Click to expand...

Thats a characteristic of Ford honey. If you havent already try switching to Royal purple. Also shift cable adjustment is crucial in these cars.
 
Ford Honey isn't the problem. Take a good look at the shift cable adjustment. Also make sure the clutch is fully releasing. It may help to bleed the clutch. It doesn't take much air in the lines to be troublesome.
 
Big Jim said:
Ford Honey isn't the problem. Take a good look at the shift cable adjustment. Also make sure the clutch is fully releasing. It may help to bleed the clutch. It doesn't take much air in the lines to be troublesome.
Click to expand...


Stiff shifting in cold weather with Ford Honey is a common issue.
 
Big Jim said "Ford Honey is not the problem".. that's it. He didn't say that it didn't cause stiff shifting when cold, etc. He simply said that it wasn't the problem of the OP.

the rebuttal was "stiff shifting in cold weather with Ford Honey is a common issue". This is also true, but not related to what Jim said. Jim wasn't saying that it doesn't happen.. he said that isn't the reason behind the problem.

So.. yes, you can experience a little bit of a stiffer shifting action when cold... but NO, its not just for second gear.. see what I'm getting at?
 
Thanks Ray,

May I add that I don't live in a cold climate so I seldom have weather cold enough to be an issue. It gets cold enough to frost our windshields maybe collectively one or two weeks a year. It seldom gets cold enough to damage the citrus trees. So that is lower than 28 degrees one or two days every four or five years.

For any of you that have Ford Honey and have a cold shift problem even though you have the roller shift fork, I suggest you add 2 oz of Ford Friction Modifier and see if that doesn't improve things.

I still say to look at the cable adjustments and clutch operation. Even double pumping the clutch pedal first thing in the morning can sometimes make a difference.
 
Just for the record, I also just installed a brand new flywheel / clutch. The system has been bled properly and it's performing just fine. I really don't think it's clutch related.

As for lubricant, I had Royal Purple in the transmission prior to these updates and was experiencing the exact same problem. I'm now running around with a mix of RP (I'd say 75%) and generic ATF (25%, don't ask). Could that small amount of regular ATF negate the effect of brand new synchros / shift forks ?? I personally don't think so...

Could a worn out bushing in one of the cable ends only create a problem when it's cold ?
 
Ray said:
Big Jim said "Ford Honey is not the problem".. that's it. He didn't say that it didn't cause stiff shifting when cold, etc. He simply said that it wasn't the problem of the OP.

the rebuttal was "stiff shifting in cold weather with Ford Honey is a common issue". This is also true, but not related to what Jim said. Jim wasn't saying that it doesn't happen.. he said that isn't the reason behind the problem.

So.. yes, you can experience a little bit of a stiffer shifting action when cold... but NO, its not just for second gear.. see what I'm getting at?
Click to expand...


Thanks for the odd clarification. I think we all new what he was getting at. But saying its not the problem without knowing more details or never dealin in cold climate is a bit premature. Cables and sycnros dont just stop working correctly when cold, but fluid can be effected........ Notice I also mentioned cable adjustment is crucial. I find a mix of both to be quite common. See sig for were I might be getting this reasoning.

Avenger, its certainly possible that mixing of the fluid may be causing an issue. Not that I think its detrimental just, the cold weather. I personaly dont like to mix fluids. Straight Ford Spec ATF or Royal Purple may help. Certainly the shifter bushing isnt helping things, I wouldnt say that it is effected in the cold, but I have been wrong before. Rubber does change a bit with temp.
 
My experience with this--bought my low-mile SVT just before Thanksgiving last year and drove it for less than a month before putting in Ford honey. After I did that I noticed it being difficult to get into 2nd and occassionally grinding. Hard to say if it was the subfreezing temps or the fluid, but it is funny that it only does it in 2nd and only when below 35 or so. Either way, I've just learned to shift slowly/deliberately the first few miles and its become a learned routine w/o causing problems and I never make it grind anymore. Goes away after driving a little while and never any symptoms when its warm, so I don't mind, just a querk of the car like my '89 SHO that ground the 2nd gear synchro since the day I bought it and it lasted over 2 years delivering pizza :) .
-J
 
biminiLX said:
My experience with this--bought my low-mile SVT just before Thanksgiving last year and drove it for less than a month before putting in Ford honey. After I did that I noticed it being difficult to get into 2nd and occassionally grinding. Hard to say if it was the subfreezing temps or the fluid, but it is funny that it only does it in 2nd and only when below 35 or so. Either way, I've just learned to shift slowly/deliberately the first few miles and its become a learned routine w/o causing problems and I never make it grind anymore. Goes away after driving a little while and never any symptoms when its warm, so I don't mind, just a querk of the car like my '89 SHO that ground the 2nd gear synchro since the day I bought it and it lasted over 2 years delivering pizza :) .
-J
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thats exactly the same as mine, maybe we should try some of that ford friction fluid?
 
so its normal?

when i bought my car in september, it grinded going into first unless it was at a complete stop. the previous owner said it was a "simple adjustment" looking at the shift tower there are extra bolts in it. i got my cables adjusted at aircougar and it helped but not completly gone. i figured i should change the trans fluid and i put RP syncromax in it. it didnt notice a difference in that sense. now it doesnt go into second when im upshifting, but downshifting is fine. it also clunks into thrid. after it warms up, its better, but not perfect.
 
as far as the cold shift problem ya saturday at -20 it was a little rough with the ford honey the first couple of shifts but other wise not realy an issue but then again mine has rod shift not cable shift so:shrug:
 
ive got Royal purple though... its a lot thinner. and im not up early enough to see -20. Whats the difference in rod and cable shift. and is that after market or is that just what the pre 98s had.

Also, you say the cold shift problem is common, why is it in second(upshift only) and third... but 4th and 5th is alright.... and we wont even get into my first gear:mad:... but you know about that
 
yep rod shift is stock on pre 98 so I won't be much help hear I guess ,but I do prefer it just seems to be more reliable
 
biminiLX said:
My experience with this--bought my low-mile SVT just before Thanksgiving last year and drove it for less than a month before putting in Ford honey. After I did that I noticed it being difficult to get into 2nd and occassionally grinding. Hard to say if it was the subfreezing temps or the fluid, but it is funny that it only does it in 2nd and only when below 35 or so. Either way, I've just learned to shift slowly/deliberately the first few miles and its become a learned routine w/o causing problems and I never make it grind anymore. Goes away after driving a little while and never any symptoms when its warm, so I don't mind, just a querk of the car like my '89 SHO that ground the 2nd gear synchro since the day I bought it and it lasted over 2 years delivering pizza :) .
-J
Click to expand...

Same thing here... Even with RP Synchromax in it, it is still a pain to get into 2nd when it is cold... I just start in second now unless I am on a hill :shrug:
 
My car has always been stiff when cold (especially below 0F) to get into second gear. Sometimes I can get it in by clutching to get it into neutral, releasing clutch, then clutching again to go to second (double clutching). Otherwise I just skip it and go for 3rd :laugh: I like letting the car warm up a lot in the winter to avoid this.
 
Same cold 2nd gear shift problems as well. It also pops out of 2nd, at least it did the first month i had it. Now almost a year into driving her it just popped out last week for the first time in a while. I might have just been getting used to the clutch and shifter,mabey i wasn't putting it all the way into gear? I'm used to a WC T-5/pro 5.0 shifter,lol. I have no clue what fluid is in her, or what to fill her with. I have a buddy at Jiffy Lube, any idea if i should trust them to fill my trans? He does my mobile 1 full synthetic jobs, i just want the best and not a house brand.
 
Humboldtkill said:
Same cold 2nd gear shift problems as well. It also pops out of 2nd, at least it did the first month i had it. Now almost a year into driving her it just popped out last week for the first time in a while.
Click to expand...

If you are popping out of gear I would suspect a bad shift cable end. Maybe the plastic bushing is gone. Check first.
 
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