thank you.

 

Shifter,

What method do you use to start when on a hill? I have 3 methods. 1st; Apply parking brake and release when the friction point of the
clutch is reached. 2nd; toe on brake and heel on
gas and 3rd; if hill is not steep release brake
and quickly apply gas while clutch is at friction point.

Regrads

Jean Marc Chartier


------------------
00 F-150 XLT SC Flairside 4x4 4.6 w/5spd
Warn XD9000i, skid plates, Draw tite class III,
Rancho RSX Reflex shocks,
Borla Cat Back
Modified Air Cleaner Outlet Tube
and air box, K&N air filter,
Superchips

 

Thank you Steve

 

To all with shifting problemes:

I've got the same thing. Occasionally it just will not go into first, and that seems to happen more then it being harder to shift into any other gear. I've never really just had rough shifting into any other gear, that wasn't my own fault. Sometimes I shift to eager and grind the gears or miss the correct gear, but we've all done that.

So how often do these shifting problems occur with anyone else? Mine happen so rarely and I'm still so excited the I got the truck that it doesn't bother me at all.


thanks adminstrator person


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black 97' x-cab 4x4, 5 speed 4.6, black westin nerf bars, 6 cd changer and a 12 premier sub, pilot ground searchers

 

JMC, heres a method for starting on hills

let your truck roll back a little so that no cars behind will want to ride your ***, therefor you have no presure to launch up a hill perfectly. Then just slam the pedal down and release the clutch normally. Works for me.

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black 97' x-cab 4x4, 5 speed 4.6, black westin nerf bars, 6 cd changer and a 12 premier sub, pilot ground searchers

 

I don't really think about what I do, Jean Marc. To answer your question, I've been doing it so long it's like breathing. I'll wait for a red light on a hill with the shifter in neutral and my left foot off the clutch pedal and my right foot on the brake. Then, as the light changes, I depress the clutch pedal and, with my right foot still on the brake, pull the shifter back into second for a second, then ahead into first. Then, I let the clutch pedal out and as it starts to engage, slip my foot off the brake and onto the gas. I never really think about it. It happens fast, though, with very little slip.

------------------
Black 2000 SC short-box XLT. 4.2V-6, 5-speed, 3.55 limited-slip. CD, remote entry, factory side steps, FORD box liner.

My third F-series: '73 F-100, '98 F-150 and '00 F-150. GREAT trucks!



[This message has been edited by Shifter (edited 04-12-2000).]

 

<<<So how often do these shifting problems occur with anyone else? >>>

captainoblivious, the problem I had shifting into 3rd was completly random. I never did discover a pattern or find a way to recreate it. I tried shifing slowly and deliberately, and it would still grind or stick occasionally. Warm or cold made no difference. There was never a problem with any other gear - up or down. I've only a couple of hundred miles on the new tranny but not a single shift glitch so far.
.............Scott
2000 F150 4.2 5spd

 

I don't get it! Why isn't my truck having probs (not that I want some, if i did I would have gotten a chevy LOL!!!). I have 34,000 miles on mine and it doesn't have a problem, I use my truck off-road alot and this does force the tranny. Anybody want my 5-speed for scientific purposes? Maybe aliens are involved? (does that sound sarcastic? - sorry). Its too bad Ford Man acts like that, how can anyone take this guy seriously if he acts like a spoiled kid.

I hope I'm taken seriously? I just want to say outloud that my 5-speed is just about perfect! I see alot of posts here about the 5-speed and are all bad, what gives? I swear I'm not fibing about my transmission.

Can I ask a few questions?

-How do you guys drive? Do you race with everyone you see? Do you try to shift as fast as you would with a Eagle Talon?

-Do you push all the way down on the clutch?

-Do you have a 4x4 and if not do you think the transmissions are different between the two types?

-Is the 1997 different from the newer ones?

Sorry to hear about your troubles! And I hope you can work them out. If you need any info from me about my truck just ask...

------------------
Formaly known as 4byFord

Check out my site: eph1fifty.cjb.net My email: eph1fifty@hotmail.com
1997 F150 4x4 XLT with ORP 4.2L V6 and 5-speed manual.

 

scott d - my having trouble to shift into first happens at random to, can never recreate it, but I say it happens about once a week. Now occasionally mine does grind going into 3rd, but I'll always figured it was bad shifting on my part.

eph1fifty - I don't think all the trannies are bad, mine has a few of the problems but nowhere near as bad as some other people, so I don't care about an occasional shifting problem.
To answer your questions, no I don't race everybody I see, that's a waste of gas. Mostly I shift slower and push the clutch about 3/4 down. I think the transmissions are different b/c of the 4x4 transfer case.

------------------
black 97' x-cab 4x4, 5 speed 4.6, black westin nerf bars, 6 cd changer and a 12 premier sub, pilot ground searchers

 

To those having trouble shifting into first. I was once told to let the vehicle come to a complete stop before taking it out of gear (with the clutch in of course), in other words don't drop it in neutral and coast to a stop. Apparently the sychros keep spinning and make it hard to find first. Also if you're just starting off try putting in reverse before shifting to first.
I had a T-5 in my GT and sometimes had trouble finding 1st, both of these methods seemed to help and after a while they just became second nature.

------------------
1999 Lariat Super Cab, S.B. 5.4L, 3.55 LS
and everything but the leaky slider window.
Bright red w/ gold 2-tone, Leather Captain's Chairs
Mods: Duraliner bedliner, Bugflector II, Hide-a-hooks.
& a leeetle chrome tip on the exhaust.

 

Well on the shifting problem, I thought it was my shifting at first also. On the 1st trans in my truck it would not go into 1st gear from time to time without going into 2nd gear 1st. On the replacement trans someone from the dealer or factory did not tighten the drain plug and it fell out and was ran for a while without oil, so I would not count that one.

On the 3rd trans it was hard to put into 1st gear from the start. To me it felt like the input shaft was still spinning even with the clutch push all the way in. I know some spinning is normal, but on my truck I believe that it was spinning to fast. Either a tight pilot bearing or miss alined input shaft. I asked them to check this and the slave cylinder movement i'm not sure if they did. Anyway this trans started to grind from 2nd to 3rd and very hard to put into 1st.

They replaced it with a 4th trans. This one seemed to shift better at first. Sence I had been without my truck for so long I was very easy on the new transmission. Besides I make my living with my truck. I was fighting with Ford over this problem and could not aford to be without it again. Ford came though and helped me trade out of my 99xl 4.2 into a 2000xlt with an auto trans. Before I traded my 5 speed in it started grinding from 2nd to 3rd. I still feel that the input shaft is spinning to fast causing it to damage the syncro and then causing grinding overtime. I could feel a bump in the shifter when I would put it into any gear like something was having to come to a stop really fast with the clutch pushed down and parked.

Good luck to all I understand how you feel.

-------------------
2000 F150xlt 5.4
weather guard boxes, tint,bug shield
factory step bars.

 

Mine too is quite notchy (notchey?) going from 1 to 2, and from 2 to 3, but not too bad. It seems as if slow shifts (i.e. not moving the shifter too fast from gear to gear) are a must for me. The higher shifts, 3 to 4, 4 to 5 seem to have reasonably smooth engagement.

I know the 96 on up Mustangs with T-45s have had some shifting problems. Some of those were cured/reduced by using GM's synchomesh manual transmission fluid. I wonder if that would work on our transmissions.

Arch.


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1999 F150 XLT ExCab 4.2/5 speed

 

eph1fifty: You won't get a precise answer to any diagnostic questions (nobody answered even one of mine). Responses like "it won't go into first gear sometimes" drive service people nutz -- and their interview skills are not necessarily what got them the jobs they have.

(p.s.: I had to laugh out loud when I finally 'desciphered' your nickname)

------------------
Y2K™

XLT SC SB 5.4L 3.73LS

 

I have not had single problem with my transmission. Using my truck for deliveries, I have shifted into and out of first and second gears at least 150,000 times. No, not a typo. Every once in a while I have to release then reengage the clutch in order to slip into first but that can be expected every once in a while. I think the transmission is great. Just my $.02.


------------------
1997 Black F150 XLT RC, SWB, ORP,
3.55, Soft Tonneau, 6 CD,
Bug Deflector, Smittybilt Nerf
Bars, Clear Headlight/Tailight
Lenses, K&N Air Filter, Pilot
Driving Lamp for Backup

Future: Superchip, Moonvisor,
Flowmaster



[This message has been edited by candu (edited 04-13-2000).]

 

Here is my thoughts on the 2 different 5 speeds offered since 1997. I have had both. A 1997 F150 4x4 and my current 2000. The 97 was a POS. It would grind going into gear. It was not a clutch problem it was caused by the syncros or some other internal problem. Ford improved the tranny for 1999. The 2000 shifts better than the 97 but it still leaves room for improvement.
When my 97 was brand new it shifted as smooth as silk. 1 week later it turned into a POS.
It was considered "Normal". I wonder if the use of ATF in the tranny causes the syncros to slip too much which will cause the grind?
OR
These Trannies were designed and built by Mazda and the cases are made of light weight metals. I am wondering if they don't flex under load. This could cause the complaints of intermettant problems.

Regards

Jean Marc Chartier


------------------
00 F-150 XLT SC Flairside 4x4 4.6 w/5spd
Warn XD9000i, skid plates, Draw tite class III,
Rancho RSX Reflex shocks,
Borla Cat Back
Modified Air Cleaner Outlet Tube
and air box, K&N air filter,
Superchips