Originally posted by Po-Jay:
I have the 98 model as well and I will give you a heavy possibility. The clutch plate is warped. I had the same issue 2 years back. After Earnhardts (Idiots) re did my shift linkage 5 times, I took it to a real mechanic @Pioneer Ford. They said that my clutch was bad (defective) and replaced it. My issue is solved for real! Sad but true.
I'm with this one!
Our cars are VERY sensitive to variations in clutch component tolerances. I had mine replaced and the flywheel turned (under warranty at 25K miles) because it wasn't fully disengaging. If I had the clutch in, the car in 1st gear, and revved the engine up high, I could actually get the car to start pulling. Turning the flywheel and changing the clutch fixed that problem. Turning the flywheel gave a little more room between the disc and flywheel when the clutch was disengaged.
If the trans gears are still spining even when the clutch is disengaged then you may get grinding or it may be hard to put into gear.
The synchros may already be worn a bit, but fixing the clutch may solve the issue.
One other thing. I used to have a lot of valve noise on cold startup until I switched to a different oil weight. I use 20w-50 for summer and either 10w-40 or 20w-50 in winter depending on the temperature.
It either eliminates it or minimizes it.
warmonger
