Transmission help

StangChik · 01-23-2008, 01:46 PM

Ok so i just bought this 96 Cobra a couple of months ago, and I'm ready to run it off a cliff. The first time i ever gave it a good hard shift the transmission goes out. It is now stuck in second gear. We are getting ready to drop it this weekend. I guess that's why it was sold. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience with these trannys. I'm pretty sure its the synchronizers, but i don't even know where to start as far as a decent place for parts. Any help or advice appreciated. I just made the first payment on the car last week, so please keep in my mind I can't buy a big bad new transmission. The cheapest way to get her back on the road is gonna have to be the way to go.

97cobrasvt · 01-23-2008, 01:54 PM

If it is stuck in second gear you probly broke a shift fork. I had a 97 cobra and the second day I had it the same thing happened to me. I had it rebuilt 3 times and it kept braking. Finally I bought a tko 600 for mine. I know you can order a replacement trans through autozone for like $699. You might get one of these guys who work at a part store to see if you can get a discount from them.

StangChik · 01-23-2008, 01:59 PM

ya we were talking about it possibly being some kind of linkage or fork maybe. Honestly i'm looking for the cheapest easiest fix right now, i've looked at the TKO but i just can't do it right now. I'm just gonna drive the car back and forth to work. So it will be a while before i start dropping excess money into it. Hopefully I'll know for sure this weekend what it is thats broken. What did it run you to have the fork fixed. I have a friend that does transmission work so hopefully he won't be too bad, i was just wondering what i may be looking at.

QWKSNKE · 01-23-2008, 02:09 PM

I second the broken shift fork suggestion. If the parts are priced similar to a t-5, it will probably cost around $400 to fix it including labor. More than likely metal particles from the shift fork got in the bearings so they will have to be replaced as well.
If nothing else was damaged from the fork breaking it could be a $250 fix including labor. Manual tranny's repairs really can't be priced without tearing them down

StangChik · 01-23-2008, 02:13 PM

alright well that gives me an idea. Thanks guys....let me know if there is anything else i need to know.

QWKSNKE · 01-23-2008, 02:16 PM

Are you guys going to attempt to fix it yourselves/

StangChik · 01-23-2008, 02:23 PM

yes, My dad and i are going to drop the transmission this weekend. And i work for caterpillar, and it just so happens that one of my transmission guys here was a transmission guy for ford. So he's agreed to do the work for me here. I just have to bring everything to him and put it back in ourselves when he's done.

Italian LX · 01-23-2008, 03:27 PM

Is the shifter itself stuck in second gear, or just the gear box? . . . in other words, can you move the shifter out of the second gear position?

If you can't move the shifter out of 2nd, then it's probably not the fork. The syncro is probably in a bind from hard shifting.... I'm guessing you either still have a stock shifter, or you don't have the stops adjusted correctly on an aftermarket unit.

If the shifter is stuck in the 2nd gear position, try jamming it further into 2nd a few times. Somethimes this will take some pressure off the bind and pop it loose.

The same thing happened to Chip's Bullitt at MMP and I was able to free it up this way. As far as I know, it has been working ever since. (Maybe Chip will chime in and add a little more input.

StangChik · 01-23-2008, 03:34 PM

the shifter moves around freely. But No matter where it is when you let out on the clutch the car is still in second gear.

However when the clutch is released and you touch another gear with the shifter it grinds like it is trying to go in gear, but can't because is still in second it won't.

The other weird thing is when we took it off the trailer at my dad's it wouldn't move. Well for some reason the reverse lights were on like it was in reverse but the car would not move at all when you let off the clutch. So we pushed the car back a couple of feet and then it was back to being stuck just in 2nd. It was almost like it was stuck in 2 gears at once and they were fighting against each other.

I know a little about the shifter's needed to be adjusted but it was in the car when i bought it so i never messed with it. Its pretty sad actually i've only driven the car a few hundred miles since i bought it and this happens. This is just my luck.

Italian LX · 01-23-2008, 03:36 PM

Then I would have to agree the previous comments of a broken shift fork.

01-23-2008, 01:46 PM	#1
StangChik Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 194	Transmission help Ok so i just bought this 96 Cobra a couple of months ago, and I'm ready to run it off a cliff. The first time i ever gave it a good hard shift the transmission goes out. It is now stuck in second gear. We are getting ready to drop it this weekend. I guess that's why it was sold. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience with these trannys. I'm pretty sure its the synchronizers, but i don't even know where to start as far as a decent place for parts. Any help or advice appreciated. I just made the first payment on the car last week, so please keep in my mind I can't buy a big bad new transmission. The cheapest way to get her back on the road is gonna have to be the way to go.

01-23-2008, 01:54 PM	#2
97cobrasvt I got a good sugar moma Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: ON THE ROAD Posts: 1,196	If it is stuck in second gear you probly broke a shift fork. I had a 97 cobra and the second day I had it the same thing happened to me. I had it rebuilt 3 times and it kept braking. Finally I bought a tko 600 for mine. I know you can order a replacement trans through autozone for like $699. You might get one of these guys who work at a part store to see if you can get a discount from them. __________________ Bottled 89 Coupe

01-23-2008, 02:09 PM	#4
QWKSNKE 3v's are slow Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Here and There Posts: 17,152	I second the broken shift fork suggestion. If the parts are priced similar to a t-5, it will probably cost around $400 to fix it including labor. More than likely metal particles from the shift fork got in the bearings so they will have to be replaced as well. If nothing else was damaged from the fork breaking it could be a $250 fix including labor. Manual tranny's repairs really can't be priced without tearing them down __________________ 2009 Porsche Carrera S 2008 ///AMG C63.. Eurocharge Tune. RIP 2019 AMG GLC43..wife's 03 F250 SD.. Edge Evo, AFE Stage 1 CAI 08 GT. JBA axle back, FRPP springs, FRPP swaybars.. daughter's 01 Cobra vert... wife's I need a new toy

01-23-2008, 02:16 PM	#6
QWKSNKE 3v's are slow Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Here and There Posts: 17,152	Are you guys going to attempt to fix it yourselves/ __________________ 2009 Porsche Carrera S 2008 ///AMG C63.. Eurocharge Tune. RIP 2019 AMG GLC43..wife's 03 F250 SD.. Edge Evo, AFE Stage 1 CAI 08 GT. JBA axle back, FRPP springs, FRPP swaybars.. daughter's 01 Cobra vert... wife's I need a new toy

01-23-2008, 03:27 PM	#8
Italian LX Daddy x4 ...we're done Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oxford, AL Posts: 11,551	Is the shifter itself stuck in second gear, or just the gear box? . . . in other words, can you move the shifter out of the second gear position? If you can't move the shifter out of 2nd, then it's probably not the fork. The syncro is probably in a bind from hard shifting.... I'm guessing you either still have a stock shifter, or you don't have the stops adjusted correctly on an aftermarket unit. If the shifter is stuck in the 2nd gear position, try jamming it further into 2nd a few times. Somethimes this will take some pressure off the bind and pop it loose. The same thing happened to Chip's Bullitt at MMP and I was able to free it up this way. As far as I know, it has been working ever since. (Maybe Chip will chime in and add a little more input. __________________ -Brian '86 Mustang GT Convertible '88 Mustang LX coupe '11 Odyssey TE '21 Insight Touring

01-23-2008, 01:59 PM	#3
StangChik Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 194	ya we were talking about it possibly being some kind of linkage or fork maybe. Honestly i'm looking for the cheapest easiest fix right now, i've looked at the TKO but i just can't do it right now. I'm just gonna drive the car back and forth to work. So it will be a while before i start dropping excess money into it. Hopefully I'll know for sure this weekend what it is thats broken. What did it run you to have the fork fixed. I have a friend that does transmission work so hopefully he won't be too bad, i was just wondering what i may be looking at.

01-23-2008, 02:13 PM	#5
StangChik Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 194	alright well that gives me an idea. Thanks guys....let me know if there is anything else i need to know.

01-23-2008, 02:23 PM	#7
StangChik Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 194	yes, My dad and i are going to drop the transmission this weekend. And i work for caterpillar, and it just so happens that one of my transmission guys here was a transmission guy for ford. So he's agreed to do the work for me here. I just have to bring everything to him and put it back in ourselves when he's done.

01-23-2008, 03:34 PM	#9
StangChik Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 194	the shifter moves around freely. But No matter where it is when you let out on the clutch the car is still in second gear. However when the clutch is released and you touch another gear with the shifter it grinds like it is trying to go in gear, but can't because is still in second it won't. The other weird thing is when we took it off the trailer at my dad's it wouldn't move. Well for some reason the reverse lights were on like it was in reverse but the car would not move at all when you let off the clutch. So we pushed the car back a couple of feet and then it was back to being stuck just in 2nd. It was almost like it was stuck in 2 gears at once and they were fighting against each other. I know a little about the shifter's needed to be adjusted but it was in the car when i bought it so i never messed with it. Its pretty sad actually i've only driven the car a few hundred miles since i bought it and this happens. This is just my luck.

01-23-2008, 03:36 PM	#10
Italian LX Daddy x4 ...we're done Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oxford, AL Posts: 11,551	Then I would have to agree the previous comments of a broken shift fork. __________________ -Brian '86 Mustang GT Convertible '88 Mustang LX coupe '11 Odyssey TE '21 Insight Touring