Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Transaxle 2nd gear tough shifting in cold days

Is there anything specidal about the 2nd and 3rd gears, compared to 1st, 4th and 5th, that makes it especially difficult to be shifted into in cold weather?

Bad or Worn Syncros...
2nd and 3rd gear seems to be the early warning signs for this problem.

If that's the case, considering cost, should I have it fixed right now, or better wait? It's doing fine in normal temperature (or after 'long' warm up in cold days). Also how much does it cost?

If you have a few years and some mileage on the fluid in your tranny now, it will be good to change it out.
Fresh fluid and the friction modifier will help to ease up the shifting,
but at some point in your future, you will need a new tranny.
It would be best to have the tranny serviced now, and if the problem persists,
take it to your dealer if it is still under warranty.
Don't wait until the warranty expires to start complaining about it.

Yeah I have the exact same problem... Takes 2 hands to get it into 2nd gear the first time on this 10 degree days. After about 5 miles I can shift fine again. In the summer not a problem at all. I'm still skeptical about the syncro's being the issue since I put in the ford special fluid and no diff at all. Plus I'd think the syncro's wouldn't be effected by temp. If they were bad it should do this all the time I'd think. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

I'm starting to lean more towards a clutch that's not disengaging in cold weather or a linkage issue in the shifter.

Ray

Red Magi,

Do a search on this subject.
It is the #1 most talked about item on this board.

You can even talk to Terry Haines on Fordcontour.org.

In the winter, put the car in neutral and start it.
Drop the clutch and let the engine spin the tranny in neutral for a few seconds.
When the oil is spread around a little, you can shift into 2nd with no problem.

After the syncros are worn badly, then the problem will be there all summer long...
You are only seeing the start of the problem...

Hey RoadRunner,

Trust I've read all through the posts, But there is 3 opinions on the matter. Terry says syncros and tranny, Others say shifter pin and fluid, and others said they fixed it after a new clutch. It seems almost as if we are missing something we are changing for all 3 things leading to the solution of the same problem. IE you change the clutch and you end up changing something that is also changed when you pull the tranny for service or fix a broken shifter pin.

Almost starting to believe the people who say dump the car and go new, I just can't afford it, after doing brakes at 35,000 and now struts and tierod ends at 50,000. Now looking at a tranny at 60,000. It's not like I race this car. And I've only been driving it for a year.

</rant>
Sorry I tend to vent Just don't like the idea of spending money to fix stuff that shouldn't have broken in the first place.

Ray

Don't feel bad...

I've replaced 2 automatic transmissions on mine.
First one at 31,000 miles and second one 50,000 miles later.
Automatic transmission should last longer than that too, but FORD doesn't think so...

Makes you want to kill ford doesn't it..

No wonder I'm not seriously looking at the SVT focus anymore. I'd trust a turbo'ed subaru now. OH well maybe my ford engineer friends were right... "There is a reason we called the contour and mystique the mystake in our memos"

<SIGH> prob has to do with the [censored] roads we have in the states.

Ray