11 replies to this topic

[ShelbyLee]

Visited the LA Auto Show today, its last day.  First area was the more exotic room of Callaway Corvettes, Saleen Mustangs, Aston Martins, Morgans, and Shelby's.  2013 GT350, 2013 GT500, 2013 GT500 SS.  Plus, they had a 1969 barn find GT350, one owner with 44,000 miles.  It looked a little rough as if the original owner decided to stack some stuff on top of it and use a burlap sack to cover the car.  Either way, the story is the original owner bought it from Galpin for $4,200 and in 2009, sold it back to Galpin for $385,000.  It still needs to be fully restored!

Then went on to the Ford area and sat in both the 2013 GT500 Coupe and Convertible to see how it shifts into 2nd gear.  Both seemed much smoother with little if any resistance or notchiness (momentary pause before going into gear) over my 2012.  Lack of smoothness and notchiness still exists on mine despite its recent tear down and rebuild by local Ford Dealer.  Both of course were not running so only a static test.

I have replaced the fluid with AMSoil and tomorrow I am going to order the high capacity metal line for the clutch.  Only thing remains is the MGW replacement.  Working my way from cheapest to most expensive solutions.  Why can't Ford issue a TSB soon?

Edited by ShelbyLee, 10 December 2012 - 07:11 PM.

[Snoopy49]

ShelbyLee, on 09 December 2012 - 11:07 PM, said:

Visited the LA Auto Show today, its last day.  Sat in both the 2013 GT500 Coupe and Convertible to see how it shifts into 2nd gear.  Both seemed much smoother with little if any resistance or notchiness (momentary pause before going into gear) over my 2012.  Lack of smoothness and notchiness still exists on mine despite its recent tear down and rebuild by local Ford Dealer.  Both of course were not running so only a static test.

I have replaced the fluid with AMSoil and tomorrow I am going to order the high capacity metal line for the clutch.  Only thing remains is the MGW replacement.  Working my way from cheapest to most expensive solutions.  Why can't Ford issue a TSB soon?

When you replaced the fluid, did you flush all the brake lines?

[ShelbyLee]

Sorry but meant to say I replaced the transmission with AMSOil.  Haven't done anything with the brake fluid.

[idle-hour]

Read on another site, S197forums, that a TSB will be issued in Jan. 2013.

[ShelbyLee]

Here is the post that idle-hour refers to:

Borrowed this thread from the S197 forum, which was posted 12/06/2012

..."So for those of you who do not know, but the majority of 2010-2013 GT500's have an issue with engaging second gear at high rpm, basically when banging gears. The car will torque up and then deny entry into the gear. There is now an estimation of over 90% of GT500's in these years have this design flaw issue. Tremec the maker of the transmission states the root cause is

Ford'shttp://images.intell...Types/icon1.png

hydraulic clutch design and the "floppy" remote mounted shifter.

So back in April of 2012, I took my 2012 GT500 to the local dealership who is really known as "the

performancehttp://images.intell...Types/icon1.png

Ford dealer" as they typically sell a lot of Roush, Saleen, GT500's etc. Their lead SVT tech has also been a friend of mine for about 10 years now.

So I take my stock GT500 in to have the issue diagnosed and yep, it grinds second gear for them. They stated though they are 14

carshttp://images.intell...Types/icon1.png

deep with transmission issues so either wait a month or so for it to be even taken apart or come back later. So I told the Service Manager, that I planned to mod the car over the summer, he had no issues with this.

I added a Whipple 2.9, Suspension, Long Tubes, tune etc. Car ran pretty good when it wanted to engage second gear, although even when it would engage second, it still had a delay, as you could feel a hesitation before the gear could engage. Keep in mind it would only shift into second about a third of the time. My WOT Box only masked the problem. So fast forward to the last week in November, I make another appointment now that the season is over for it to be finally fixed.

Since they still had an open issue on file from me prior to the car being modded the dealership and the field engineer had no issue in allowing the repair to be done under warranty.

So, the dealership was advised to remove and take the transmission apart to see what the issue was. To their findings they found the teeth on second gear syncro destroyed. They were also made out of brass, not carbon fiber lined. So we can pretty much squash the rumor that all 2011+ GT500's come with carbon fiber lined syncros, as this is not the case. From my understanding it is more of a random thing or just a myth.

Dealer replaced syncros, blocker rings, actual gears etc. Get the car back together, and go for a road test, attempt to slam second, GRIIIINNND.

Dealership calls Ford Engineering and has a lengthy conversation with the SVT looking for a fix as the parts and labor list is well over $2000 at this point. SVT advises dealer that the

actual TSB to fix this issue for 2010-2013 GT500's will be released in EARLY January 2013

, which illustrates a two step process.

Step 1. Replace syncros, blockers, gears etc.

Step 2. If Step 1 does not resolve the issue, replace shifter and clutch assembly with revised part #, which is to be relased as of Dec 6, 2012. They are currently in production as we speak. Dealer estimates the car will be done before January as my car will be one of the first if not the first to have the revised parts in it."

[knightowl]

This is great news of a TSB possibly being issued in January 2013; mine is a 2011 which I bought up here in Canada and all was fine until after I let it break in a bit. Now with only about 7500 Km's on it, I've experienced the 2nd gear grind about a dozen plus times already and only when revved higher in first gear and try into second.  Unfortunately, I'm hesitant to rev higher in first now, knowing that the grind will occur when I shift to second. I cringe every time it does this and now hesitate to shift in second until either rpm's drop or just not bother even letting the rpm get up there at all. Bottom line, this shouldn't be happening especially on a car that's made for sportiness and quick shifts IMO. I just want to hold back now as I don't want to wreck things further, but I was planning on going to see my dealer up here after winter is done.

Any ideas if the TSB will apply in Canada as well?

Thanks

[mullens]

So you say the 13's are included in the TSB? I haven't heard any complaints from 2013 owners about this. Even Hamidi said they addressed it with the '13's.

[judgeman6970]

[QUIKSVT]

This is great news.  I'm glad I waited on mods so I can get this done with no issues (my dealer isn't all that friendly).

[Snoopy49]

I wonder when they started to apply this TSB to the assembly line? My car is in production now, I hope it gets the updated parts.

[2010KonaBlueGT]

Snoopy49, on 23 December 2012 - 08:26 PM, said:

I wonder when they started to apply this TSB to the assembly line? My car is in production now, I hope it gets the updated parts.

A Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) was never issued on this.

I can't say if a "Running Production Change" was ever effected or not but I have not heard of one.

For the earlier poster to say 95% of these cars have this problem is a total fabrication too.

The 2013's have been relatively trouble free of 2nd gear denials so I wouldn't get too worried about any possible problems.


Phill

[Snoopy49]

Phill,
Thanks for the clarification.