Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting MTX shifting problem

My 99 se 5-speed developed a problem shifting into third and on occassion 5th. If I am "racing" or even just shifting normally into 3rd, it grinds unless I shift it really slowly into gear. It's not a huge problem with daily driving because I can just shift like that or I just skip third and go right to 4th or 5th gear if accelerating hard. Has anyone else had this problem? Any idea what it could be? I've heard that these cars have some tranny issues. FYI car has about 70k miles on it it has been doing this for sometime now

Hi,

Sounds like synchro-MESS. I had the synchro for my 2nd gear done. Intermittent grinding when shifting into 2nd.

Good luck.
Rob

Hey, man... sorry that I can't provide any help, here... but I was just going to relay my information, too.. you can let me know how much this applies to you.

My car: 98.5 SVT, 44k
My Symptoms:
On occasion: I am in neutral (for instance, when I first get ready to pull out of the drive...) I clutch in, and shift to first. It feels as if I am in first, according to the shifter, but when I release the clutch, I grind, and have to "re-shift".

Shifting hard from 1-2, hardly EVER goes in gear, if I go fast... I used to think that it had something to do with being high-revved, but I notice now that even if I high-rev, I can shift slow, and it slides in place.

Same problem sometimes, from 2-3.

Just seems that the gears aren't engaging "completely" or something.. Feels completely solid, but just grinds on release of the clutch.

Perhaps it is the clutch, needing to be bled, is all I have been told, though the clutch feels REALLY solid.

Let me know how close those symptoms are to you, (with the difference of the gear numbers, I know...)

HTH..

Ray

Deffinately bad syncro's.

my 2nd gear syncro was just fixed while Terry had my trans. Same problem, changing gears during "normal" driving was fine, but if I was racing/high rev gear changes (red line) it would grind for a few seconds then engage with a bit of force.

It depends on how "bad" your syncro('s) is(are) as to how bad it(they) grind('s) and when.

typical price for repair?

lemme guess... gotta drop the sub-frame, to get the damn tranny out, so pay labor for R&R...
plus labor to replace... plus WHAT for the parts??

Ray

FYI, just ONE (the 'cone') of the dual blocker rings on a syncro (Ford part only) is $43..!...If you find its only happening during 'sprited' driving try using DextronIII Vs Syth trans fluid and add the Ford Friction mod..this helps the syncros work better...if that doesn't help its a trans strip...sorry .....I do them every day!

Ray, sounds EXACTLY like my problem. I'm going to try Terry's suggestion on changing up the fluid and hope that it helps out. BTW, I just started checking this site out last week and couldn't help but notice how helpful everyone seems to be. Glad I posted and glad to be a part of the "contour family"

Thanks again
Dave

....welcome to land of broken trans.....