Tranny Blown????

fastsc92

Registered User
OK I thought i should get one more run in at the track before they close for the winter, so I went tonight. Well I go up there...check the car over good....waited in lane for about 20 min, then it was my time for my first run. Last month I ran 14.211, so i wanted to beat my current time. Well I pull up to the light, stage and prestage, and light goes green and i punch it. Get BAD wheel hop, so i road it out in first gear till it was around 5800rpm...then the loudest BANG!, and the car dies. I thought I got a rod right though the oil pan, or snapped the timing chain. I pulled over on the side of the track( only 10 feet from the tree)...get out....look under the car....no fluids at all. So i pop the hood figuring maybe the blower exploded. Nope...thats fine. I try to crank it over....cranks fine...just wont stay running. They towed me off the track and towards the sides so they can continue racing. I thought about what could have happened, and i figured why not try the fuel pump shut off switch. I looked...and it was tripped. So i reset it...and the car runs fine. So i try to move to drive away.....put it in rev, and nothin...no movement. All gears are the same way. The car runs smooth, no clanking....so i dont think its the clutch, the driveshaft is there...and hooked up....the rear end is fine. After further investigation, If you put it in any gear and give it gas....the speedo moves. So the clutch is intact, and the inside of the tranny is moving because the speedo gear is working. I think i snapped the output shaft on the tranny. Seems to be the only explanation. What do you guys think? If thats what it is..where can i get a new output shaft? Ford? Oh well, I didn't really mind that much, i'm only 17 and money is hard to come by, but i was going to do the clutch anyways this winter....now i'll just mess around with the tranny. I just wanted some input on what you guys think it is, and where i can get parts. You guys always help me out, and I know you will again this time. Thanks a lot.
 
Very simple....unless you like working on cars non-stop, have a fat wallet, and a tow home....don't drag your everyday driver.

My bet is on a halfshaft. Get a friend to look at the halfshafts when you are giving it gas. Wheel hop is bad on the halfshafts and everything else for that matter. You can purchase replacements at www.raxles.com
 
Ya i'll have to check it out today....it was late last night and i just got it home and didn't take a good look at it. I'm not even sure the driveshaft is spinning. I Doubt that both rear halfshafts broke. Shouldn't one still be spinning or something. I'll take a look at it in a few hours and let you know what i see. Thanks for the input.
 
wow

Man i just want to say im sorry... that's terrible that it happened. Sucks that you wanted one run for the last time if the year... and boom. Id love to drag my car just to see what it can do but like Dustin said, shouldnt race your daily driver.. good luck rebuilding everything. Wish i couldve heard that "BANG" it made, was probably a damn loud sound.
good luck-
Damon
 
I cant describe it.....it was LOUD. I expected the worst...but at least the motor is intact. I still havent looked too much at it. I checked the half shafts and they seem ok..but they might be broken under the boot part. The driveshaft universals are fine, and the tranny is not cracked or wet at all. All the gears go in smoothly with no binding or play. I think its the output shaft on the tranny. The rear end it ok i think..cause it does't make a noise at all. I'll look into it more after i drop the exhaust, and the gas tank. One good thing is that the tank is only 1/4 full from the track to save weight....so should be easier getting it down. Right now i'm doing some ball joints on my sis's geo storm (LOL) so at least i have something to drive to school on monday. I'll keep ya updated..thanks for the input.
 
OK..well it seems to be the tranny for sure. The drive shaft isn't moving at all. I can put it in 4th gear let out the clutch and the motor stays at idle. The speedo still moves....but the driveshaft dont. So it has to be the output shaft. I have one quick question though....how do i get the fuel lines off the tank before i drop it. I know i dont have to drop the tank to get the driveshaft out, but i'm going to upgrade to a 255lph pump now. There is about 1/4 tank of gas in there and i plan on sucking most of it out. But when i drop the tank...i'm not sure how to unhook the fuel lines that come from the pump. What type of fittings are they??
 
Pull the fuse for the fuel pump, then start the car and let it die out from lack of fuel, this will depressurise the line. Remove the back two gas tank strap bolts and let the tank pivot down. Unplug the wire harness, it pulls out. Disconnect the fuel lines from the pump. These are the same fittings as your fuel filter. All you should have to do is remove the retaining clip, then slide the line off. Loosen the large gear clamp that holds the rubber fuel filler hose and slide that off. There is a vent pipe that goes from one side of the tank to the other, and this loop up and over the driveshaft. Loosen one gear clamp and remove it so the tank will drop down. Then remove the front two strap bolts and the tank should come right out.
 
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Found out

I found out that it is the output/tail shaft of the tranny. I pulled the driveshaft out, and the shaft came out with the yoke. The shaft is about an inch thick hardend steel it looks like...and it was snapped clean off. The break is so clean that it looks like its suposed to be like that. Anyways...it was a pain getting those top two bolts for the bell housing...but i managed. I got the Slaved cylinder line off with a lot a struggling. Is there any easier way to get it off next time? And does anyone know if I can just get a new tailshaft from Ford??
 
Output shaft

Just try to get a blown trans from someone here on the BBS or TCCoA or Corral.net. Should be next to nothing. Check with Art Carr , Lenco, or Baumann on their websites for a new shaft.
Next time try running 3:55 or 3:27 rear end gears plus air-lift bags in the rear springs to limit wheel-hop. Also later replace all your rubber bushings with polyurethane ones. The sloppy rubber bushings allow too much wind-up and rebound from the rear suspension. Also heavier rear shocks might be an option. I was thinking of adding a second set of rear shocks horizontally off the rear sway bar to limit rear axle rebound. Wheel hop is a common problem on these cars.
 
yes thanks. The airbags and the gears were going to be done this winter anyways...but now i have a tranny to rebuild. I figured i might as well get a clutch too. Centerforce dual friction....best one of the market. I rather not have to drop the tranny again. It center force is 325 with their throwout bearing. What does everyone else have for clutches?
 
wow what a pain!

OK, I'm having a really hard time findind an output shaft for this tranny. I cant find one used, or even a complete tranny. My friend works at a Ford Dealership and he looked it up on the national database. There are only 2 shafts left in the US. They are at Kendser Ford(wherever that is). He says he can get them at cost for 345, and the dealer price is 578. Ouch! I talked to one tranny guy around here and he said he could get me a used one for 150, but after 5 days of searching, he couldn't find one at all. I think I finally found a place that can get me one. They ordered it yesterday, and it'll be in today or tomrrmow. We'll see if its the right one. These tranny guys keep thinking its a T5, and i try to tell them, but they dont listen. Anyways, he said i can have it for 200. Not bad compared to a ford price of 600. I'll let ya know what happens with this.
 
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