5 speed/hard shifting when hot/possible solution

tbird91sc

Registered User
to make a long story short i never had any problems untill i installed headers. but now, when everything is cold and outside temp is cool, the tranny shifts like butter all the time. but when the outside temp increases to 80 plus, everything starts out ok but as the engine, tranny etc get hot, i have a hard time getting into gear at a light. let it cool down for a few minutes and everything is fine. i talked it over with a buddy of mine who does trans and rear ends for a living and he thinks the clutch release fluid is boiling and all i need to do is add more heat shielding for the line. (he has seen the same problem with mustangs). i have not gotten around to try it but i thought i would pass the info along. i know the line is plastic but depending on the plastic, some have some really high melt points and the older the brake fluid - the more water it has absorbed and the lower the boiling point . any thoughts out there??
 
That's a good idea. The plastic tube has an insulating boot when new. If that is missing, then your point makes even more sense. It might be a good idea to get some of that reflective split loom to cover it with. It also would be a great idea to totally flush out the fluid and replace with fresh stuff. (it's just brake fluid)
 
Sounds feasible, but..

I don't think Mustang's ever had this problem because they don't have a hydraulic clutch, at least the 5.0 and 4.6's did not, last I checked. I am pretty sure they were cable operated. I would try other things like changing the fluid in the trans to maybe a synthetic with the friction modifier. Also may well be the clutch slave cylinder getting warm and losing some of it's pressure (i.e. leaking fluid). That would result in the piston not compressing the clutch enough to fully disengage it.

Just a thought.

Phil
 
i could be wrong about the mustang compare (he works on a ton of them and races them too) - but i know he said other vehicles have had this problem. in my case - i converted from auto to stick and all of the trans/clutch related components were new when installed and non have over 3000 miles on them - including the trans (which is a 94 - a lot nicer gear spread - if i may add). i did use redline synthetic with the friction modifier right from the get go. the only thing i can go on, like i said before, no problems what-so-ever untill the header install.
 
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