Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

[03mach1]

Well I did a quick interior detail and a UQD and the car was not driven all day and when I started it up and put the clutch in put it in gear then when the clutch was half way out it made this absolute most horrible noise. It was like nails on a chalk board but ten times louder it was so loud I come in the house and my mom asked me if i shut the garage door but it was my trans that is how loud it was. I could not delieve that she heard that noise over the TV. Would it be the clutch or maybe a throwout bearing. I work on cars but when it comes to transmissions I take it to the proffessionals. FYI this is the first time that this has happened.
Thanks any info will help.
Alexander

[Dier]

Re: Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

Well I did a quick interior detail and a UQD and the car was not driven all day and when I started it up and put the clutch in put it in gear then when the clutch was half way out it made this absolute most horrible noise. It was like nails on a chalk board but ten times louder it was so loud I come in the house and my mom asked me if i shut the garage door but it was my trans that is how loud it was. I could not delieve that she heard that noise over the TV. Would it be the clutch or maybe a throwout bearing. I work on cars but when it comes to transmissions I take it to the proffessionals. FYI this is the first time that this has happened.
Thanks any info will help.
Alexander

Does the car move at all?

Wonder if you have a T5 or T45 transmission. If you have 4 jack stands, you can lift the driver side near the front tire and take the inspection cover off the transmission. The inspection hole on the transmission has a limited visual view, but you should be able to see if the retainer sleeve is intact. If you cant see clearly enough, you would need to release the tension on the clutch cable. This would allow you to move the clutch fork forward an inch and get a better view, but I would not do it if you never played with the stock adjuster. You could always push on the retainer sleeve to see if it moves at all...it should not move at all!

The throw out bearings are known to fail, but as you depress and let off the clutch padel, the throw out bearing rides forward and backwards on the retainer sleeve. If a retainer sleeve is broken, you can nomrally hear an odd vibration sound coming from underneath the car. The broken retainer sleeve moves side to side on the input shaft and forward making contact with the pressure plate fingers as it spins. Now if the retainer sleeve is intact, then you could turn the car over and have someone depress and let off the clutch to see if you can find the source of the sound. Never had a throw out bearing split in half on me, so not sure what sort of noise that would be like. Ive had a bunch of them go bad on me and squeel with various sound level, but not crazy loud...garage walls or cars that are next to yours can pronounce a sound. A few things could of happened down there since the clutch pedal effects a few parts other then just the throw out bearing.

Fix should not be that difficult. Hopefully the car will move forward and backwards to eliminate the clutch being seriously bad.

[03mach1]

Re: Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

The car does move. When the clutch pedal is depressed it makes a constant noise, it is hard to describe (ERRRRR) noise. It is hard to describe. It is a T-45 Tranny. The car also when the clutch pedal is to the floor It comes out of gear fine but the next gear grinds. I am sure that this is a mecahnical clutch. I am taking it to a friend who has years of auto experience.
Thanks for the info

[Dier]

Re: Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

Ford put in a dead clutch (hydrolic) starting in 05+ mustangs.

First instinct is usually spot on. You can get a heavy duty throw out bearing from Tousley Ford for 10% over cost. Should not be more then 40bucks. Only thing that would cost is the labor if you hand the car over to a shop... If the clutch has never been replaced, you may want a clutch assembly as well since the mechanic will have to take the entire trans off. The nodular flywheel can be resurfaced, so that would save a chunk of change.

The clutch is adjustable at the firewall or via clutch cable it self, but only if you have an aftermarket adjuster. If it is stock, over time, the plastic tooth or teeth does wear down. Adjusters are great to control bite or slip and if properly adjusted, it will prolong the life of the clutch.

If you play with the clutch pedal does the noise vary at all? If it does, it should be the throw out bearing. Basically when depressed, the throw out bearing is pushing against the pressure plate fingers, so the face of the throw out bearing could have a nice groove to it. Not sure how many miles it has, but they do fail over time.

Good Luck

[03mach1]

Re: Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

That day when it made that screeching noise the sound went to a quite constant wine noise. The constant noise only happens when the clutch is to the floor.
Thanks for all your help. I would do it my self but I have no jack stands and practically no tools besides my little socket set and wrench set. So most likely i will take it some where. But I will supply the part so I do not get ripped off.
Back on the noise when I tap the clutch with my foot the noise starts right at the instant I touch the pedal. The noise is more of a constant noise but i think it varies time to time. When you say I should get a new clutch assembly should i upgrade to a SVT cobra set up or is there no difference?
Thanks for your help. I will google Tousley Ford.

[hot rod]

Re: Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

Frozen throughout bearing.

[Dier]

Re: Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

If the level of noise does change with the pedal being moved, it does sound like a throw out bearing aka TOB.

Tousley Ford / Contact Steve.
URL... http://www.modularfords.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=20172

FYI: Some over the counter parts from the dealer are the same price as his, but alot of the parts, he is hands down cheaper and I can wait a few days for UPS to show up. He deals with OEM and FRPP parts, but please do mention that you are a member of that site to get the 10% over the cost price.

Also, I am not recommending you to get any new clutch assembly if it is not giving you any issues. The OEM parts are very good and should last a long time depending on driving habits. Do you know when it was last changed or if it is the original unit? I only say you may want to look into the possibility of getting one. When the trans comes off, it is not much more work for them to take off the bolts and replace it with new parts. Now if it aint broke, dont fix it!!! Stronge beliver of that...then again you cant really check the life of the disc or the surface of the flywheel & pressure plate without taking it all apart. If the clutch is not giving you signs of it slipping, I would not worry. This is how bad I got my clutch... Should of hit 110mph nearing 6000rpm, but it only speed up 5mph. Basically the clutch would not grab... Hopefully the vids works here. http://www.0-1320feet.com/Tech/Clutch/ClutchSlipVid.mpg

The stock replacement will do fine and should be fairly cheap. Cobra units vary from some years, but the 03 & 04 units are totally different. Actually the revised version in 04 is one of the best. Very Soft Clutch Feel and Grabs just as hard as any Center Force unit, but the major plus side is that the clutch pedal does not get crazy stiff as it wears down. The 04 Units have the same Aluminum Flywheel, so they just revised the Clutch Assembly ( Disc & Pressure Plate ). Not a cheap price... paid Clutch Assembly 245.00 and Flywheel was 325.00.

Have you tried to move the clutch pedal up? Not sure how the quadrant looks like on a 97 model. For sure in 99~04, the used a plastic quadrant with teeth on it and another plastic piece to retain adjustment. If you can pull up on the pedal and hear clicks, then you got some adjustment out of it. Putting some tension on the cable is what you are trying to do if it has gone without any adjustment. Could help with the noise and it would be a simple but yet quick fix for the meantime. http://www.socalterminators.com/foru...62&postcount=6 this is how the stock units look like under the car.


BTW: an adjuster can also help with the grindish issue from the trans. Some trans are known to be notchy or grindy when it is dead cold.... Some adjustement can help, but strongly recommend getting to understand how to adjust it since it will kill a clutch if improperly adjusted. Could also help with the noise.

I personally use the UPR units, but here is a link to maximum motorsports http://maximummotorsports.com/

On the left nav bar, you can click on the installation instruction and go to clutch quadrant. It will open a new page with a PDF attached to it. They do make some nice how to write ups. Hope this helps.

[Dier]

Re: Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

Doh...sorry, my bad. If you do take it to a shop for them to isolate the issue and the trans does come off, they should be able to see inside the pressure plate and gauge how much life the disc has. They may need to turn the clutch a little to expose an opening of the pressure plate to get a gauge on the disc. Not sure on the thickness of the disc when it first starts out, but if there is no center valley on the disc puck present, the disc is warn down good. Again, if it never slipped it is ok....seen a few clutchs with no material left and some with barely any material left, yet the drag raced it to its very last leg. They should be able to tell if a new one is required or not. Wish I kept a few disc so that I can take pictures for your reference.

[03mach1]

Re: Need help mecahnical issue with the mustang trans

Thanks for all your help. now I know a little more about these late model Mustangs.