shift problems MTX

[93MTXSHO_STUD]

My car's shifting is getting worse here are some symptoms. When I put the clutch in it makes the whinning noise from the TOB. Now for the shifting.... sometimes well almost all the times it has hard times shifting through the gears like it seems like your going through a puzzle to find each gear and not to mention sometimes but rarely it grinds a little bit. When your in gear you can move the shifter all around and it feels like your in neutral. aka u have like aboout 1.5 inches from side the left side and 1.5 from the right of play. Now recently when Im trying to shift at high RPM's like 5000+ it doesnt want to shift and it you have to left it rev down before it will go into gear. I'm thinking it might be the clutch but have never done one of this car. What about the play in the shifter? Can you adjust the "black box" shifter box or do you have to get a whole new assembly?

 

[93MTXSHO_STUD]

anyone?

 

[SHOracer14]

It sounds like the pressure plate is very worn meaning it is time for a new cluctch but you can try these simple things first and see if it helps. First adjust the clutch by the good ol' hold the pedal to the floor and release it quickly... see if that helps at all but do it a couple of times. Also, as far as the shifter goes... drop the rod shifter assembly (very easy, only a couple of bolts and the linkage on the trans). Open the black box and check the bracket that connects the shift ball to the linkage for the trans.... I have broke one of these before and my shifter got very sloppy in the days leading up to the breakage. Also check all moving parts and all bushings for play and wear. When you go to reinstall the shifter make sure the stabilizer bar gets installed by following these instructions. First off the stabiler bar bolt does not need to be torqed down super tight just snug and make sure there is not alot of play on that bar as the threads in the trans that hold that bolt like to strip. Also, **** up the bolt with something (any kind of grease will work).

 

[93MTXSHO_STUD]

gotcha ive had to helicoil the stab. bar so i have to be carefull... so for the sloppyness i have to buy a new gearbox.... aka junkyard shopping?

 

[SHOracer14]

gotcha ive had to helicoil the stab. bar so i have to be carefull... so for the sloppyness i have to buy a new gearbox.... aka junkyard shopping?

You may want to check at your local Ford dealer and see if they can still get parts for the rod shifter. IIRC they don't make them anymore and are very hard to find. Basically, yes, if you are really worried about it then shopping for a new rod shifter would be what you need to do for the sloppyness. I have driven many different SHO's and almost all have a little slop including my own. If you are looking to completely get rid of any slop and have the tightest shifts possible I would start looking into a SHOrt shifter from Jose'.