TKO Swap... finally done!

jstanley55 · Post by **jstanley55** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:18 pm

buddha wrote:
jstanley55 wrote:So I have some issues... Throwout bearing (or input shaft bearing) started making the typical chirping noise already but to boot when the trans is sitting in neutral I'm getting a kind of "clack clack clack" noise that wasn't there before. Not sure if it could be pilot bearing or what. Anyone have any bright ideas?
I'd be looking at the TOB. What kind did you install when it went back together?

I used a Centerforce pilot and tob. Recent research suggests all but ford are junk. I put the car up today and the reason I'm thinking its something other than the tob is that it happens in neutral and the bearing is not spinning when in neutral. The chirp maybe but the clicking and clacking I'm not too sure. Looks like I'll be yanking it out maybe this week and inspecting everything. I hate fixing things twice!

buddha · Post by **buddha** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:42 pm

jstanley55 wrote:
buddha wrote:
jstanley55 wrote:So I have some issues... Throwout bearing (or input shaft bearing) started making the typical chirping noise already but to boot when the trans is sitting in neutral I'm getting a kind of "clack clack clack" noise that wasn't there before. Not sure if it could be pilot bearing or what. Anyone have any bright ideas?
I'd be looking at the TOB. What kind did you install when it went back together?
I used a Centerforce pilot and tob. Recent research suggests all but ford are junk. I put the car up today and the reason I'm thinking its something other than the tob is that it happens in neutral and the bearing is not spinning when in neutral. The chirp maybe but the clicking and clacking I'm not too sure. Looks like I'll be yanking it out maybe this week and inspecting everything. I hate fixing things twice!

There are a lot of junk TOB's out there. My bet is that is what your problem is.

jstanley55 · Post by **jstanley55** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:49 pm

buddha wrote:
jstanley55 wrote:
buddha wrote: I'd be looking at the TOB. What kind did you install when it went back together?
I used a Centerforce pilot and tob. Recent research suggests all but ford are junk. I put the car up today and the reason I'm thinking its something other than the tob is that it happens in neutral and the bearing is not spinning when in neutral. The chirp maybe but the clicking and clacking I'm not too sure. Looks like I'll be yanking it out maybe this week and inspecting everything. I hate fixing things twice!
There are a lot of junk TOB's out there. My bet is that is what your problem is.

Well I hope you're right! Easy fix.

Post by **BrettT** » Mon Nov 26, 2012 8:16 pm

How miles or if any have you put on it since the install Jason?

This sound like the same issue my brother's car had after a few hundred miles, the result was the prematurely worn out TOB and the need of adjustment of the clutch quadrant. We determined this by having the car running in neutral and the cover of the clutch FORK. We could push or pull back on the fork and the clanking noise would either lesson or disappear. To the conclusion, the clutch quadrant wasn't adjusted correctly with the newly installed center-force pressure plate in witch the TOB was always spinning and prematurely wore out. Like riding the clutch the whole time.

Hope it's an easy fix for ya bro, GL.

aaronlstiles · Post by **aaronlstiles** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:24 am

Jason, the 3550 is one of the worst shifting transmission ever!!, never herd, seen of driven one that I liked. he Magnum T-56 is the BEST shifting transmission I have ever had!

If you are interested in selling the stock t-5 let me know I need one.

buddha · Post by **buddha** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 8:16 am

aaronlstiles wrote:Jason, the 3550 is one of the worst shifting transmission ever!!, never herd, seen of driven one that I liked. he Magnum T-56 is the BEST shifting transmission I have ever had!

If you are interested in selling the stock t-5 let me know I need one.

Think you meant the TKO's Aaron? My 3550 shifts like butter. Can't tell the difference between it and a T-5.

My understanding with the TKO line is that they are a heavy truck transmission design with a modified internal shaft rail system. It's the rail system among other things that lead to problems.

jstanley55 · Post by **jstanley55** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:26 am

aaronlstiles wrote:Jason, the 3550 is one of the worst shifting transmission ever!!, never herd, seen of driven one that I liked. he Magnum T-56 is the BEST shifting transmission I have ever had!

If you are interested in selling the stock t-5 let me know I need one.

I know a lot of people complain that they are notchy but I've never had a problem with how they shift. Plus I've never had a T5 hold up for too long.
Think I'm gonna hang on th the t5 since it original to the car. If I change my mind I'll let you know.

buddha · Post by **buddha** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 11:13 am

jstanley55 wrote:
aaronlstiles wrote:Jason, the 3550 is one of the worst shifting transmission ever!!, never herd, seen of driven one that I liked. he Magnum T-56 is the BEST shifting transmission I have ever had!

If you are interested in selling the stock t-5 let me know I need one.
I know a lot of people complain that they are notchy but I've never had a problem with how they shift. Plus I've never had a T5 hold up for too long.
Think I'm gonna hang on th the t5 since it original to the car. If I change my mind I'll let you know.

I can seriously shift mine with 2 fingers if I wanted. I've only ever ran Redline synthetic in it.

Kevins89notch5.0 · Post by **Kevins89notch5.0** » Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:36 pm

aaronlstiles wrote:Jason, the 3550 is one of the worst shifting transmission ever!!, never herd, seen of driven one that I liked. he Magnum T-56 is the BEST shifting transmission I have ever had!

If you are interested in selling the stock t-5 let me know I need one.

I was about to buy a 3550 about 3 years ago. It was behind a H/C/I/blower setup, and still in the car. I test drove it, and good god did it shift like butter. I've never driven a manual trans that nice before. He then removed all the parts, and when I went to pay/pick them up, and aluminium DS was steel, and the aluminium flywheel was steel too. He offered to go from $1200 to $1000. I still refused. I still kind of wish I would have gotten that transmission. It felt a million times better than the tremec 500 I once had.

aaronlstiles · Post by **aaronlstiles** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 1:56 am

All I know is I have driven two 3550's, and they both shifted pretty badly. As for stock t-5 holding up, my 79 Pace car has a 93 Cobra T-5, bought it new, and has about 200, 11 Second passes on it, still shifts pretty good, starting to scrape a little in 2nd at High RPM, also has a shit ton of street miles on it.

Z282SLO · Post by **Z282SLO** » Thu Nov 29, 2012 8:38 am

X2. The stock T5 in my 89 GT was still shifting well when I sold it after 82K miles.

jstanley55 · Post by **jstanley55** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 12:27 am

So......I might be pulling this set up out and putting the original T5 back in

. I have a bad vibration at about 75+ and since this car is my commuter to So Cal a few times a month 95% of the time that's the speed I'm doing in it. The issue (I'm pretty sure) is the u-joint angle. It's mainly due to the Griggs suspension. I shimmed the trans a few times and it got better but not good enough and I'm at the point now where I think I need to start shimming the dif which is going to be a real PITA with the torque arm. What it boils down to is I just don't have the time to mess with it and just want it to drive nice and smooth as it did. With that said is there any interest from anyone on here for my trans, bell, mgw shifter, stifflers crossmember, and I can throw in the stock driveshaft (31 spline yoke, new spicer u-joints and just had it balanced to .10) let me know. The TKO is a wide ratio with approx 11k on it. It shifts excellent, no pops, no grinds. I'd let it all go for 1,800 + shipping. If not...maybe I'll just have to find the time to screw with it.

vinchez78 · Post by **vinchez78** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 1:38 pm

Damn bro sorry to hear it didn't work out, sux

jstanley55 · Post by **jstanley55** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:15 pm

vinchez78 wrote:Damn bro sorry to hear it didn't work out, sux

Thanks Vin. It's not that it didn't work out. I just have to r&r the trans anyhow to replace the throwout and figured this might best thing for me to so since I haven't been able to find the time to dial it in. I originally went with this set up because I had plans for a turbo or sc'er and no longer use the car as much but with the purchase of 4993 plans changed. Who knows...

DemoDH · Post by **DemoDH** » Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:43 pm

I might be interested. I figure my stock trans only has about 10k left on it, and I'm in SoCal so need to worry about shipping.

TKO Swap... finally done!

Re: TKO Swap... finally done!