The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

S197 3V Fabman's build; How did we get here? Build Thread

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Okay here it is. Race #2 @ Sonoma.

The trans has started popping out of gear and I don't know why or what to do about it.
It is brand new so I am surprised at this. You can hear it pop out of second, third and even 4th on the back stretch a few times. Screwed me on the start of both races. Frustrating.
Also the brakes are killing me, locking up unpredictably sending me once skidding through the dirt.
If I can get these two items under control we should be good to go.

Its about a 30 minute video so if you just want the highlights they are the first few laps and again from lap 12 to the finish. Gets a little bit exciting in spots. At least I thought so.

 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Okay, after watching this like 50 times I have concluded, it doesn't pop out of 3rd, just 2nd and 4th.
I wonder if that roll pin in the shift selector shaft has broken and its not getting all the way into the two rearward gates....that makes sense. Any trans experts want to chime in on this?
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Does the shifter have travel stops like the old Hurst comp plus did? Adjustment?
No it has an internal shaft that the selector rotates and moves in and out to change gears. I have a video somewhere...

EDIT: I tossed that video a couple days ago. :(
 
1,161
2,116
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
SoCal
Okay, after watching this like 50 times I have concluded, it doesn't pop out of 3rd, just 2nd and 4th.
I wonder if that roll pin in the shift selector shaft has broken and its not getting all the way into the two rearward gates....that makes sense. Any trans experts want to chime in on this?
There’s a detent ball/spring/plug that threads into the faceplate - see the arrow on the pic below. The ball slots into three notches on the main shift rail, and I believe is the only mechanical device to hold the shift rail fore & aft. This can be inspected externally without opening the gearbox up - may not hurt to check just to make sure the spring isn’t damaged before going deeper.
EEDF6840-2467-4814-BFFB-B8DB369F31E3.jpeg
Any type of rubber boot around the base of the shifter that could be interfering?
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
There’s a detent ball/spring/plug that threads into the faceplate - see the arrow on the pic below. The ball slots into three notches on the main shift rail, and I believe is the only mechanical device to hold the shift rail fore & aft. This can be inspected externally without opening the gearbox up - may not hurt to check just to make sure the spring isn’t damaged before going deeper.
View attachment 66176
Any type of rubber boot around the base of the shifter that could be interfering?
Under the shifter is that selector shaft that twists and moves fore and aft. There is a roll pin in there.
I know because I had it out of there a few times trying to mount an aftermarket shifter that didn't work out.
(story for another time)
I would not be surprised to see it failed and isn't allowing the shaft to move all the way into gear.....
At least that's what I'm hoping for as I can repair that without removing the trans. The boot is way clear so no problem there.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Thought this may help some of you who might be headed to Sonoma.

 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
sonoma-34.jpgSal-3.jpgsonoma-47.jpg
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Sal-2.jpgsonoma-35.jpgSal-9.jpgsonoma-30.jpgSal-13.jpg
 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
3AB593C4-2416-4DD4-A86B-A759E2E58031.jpeg
 

Dave_W

Cones - not just for ice cream
984
1,277
Exp. Type
Autocross
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Connecticut
Coaching was really good. From an autocrosser's perspective, the esses are just a really big slalom. I tell my students to try to "backside the cones" in a slalom - if you hit a slalom cone, you want to hit it with the back wheel, not the front. That mental picture gets your timing "early" so you can be more aggressive all the way through. The coach was saying kind of the same thing about clipping the curb further around the turn. Also, I use small amounts of throttle lift and application in the slalom to move weight and get the nose to turn at each apex and then accelerate out.
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Great video, really enjoyed it, had my teath clenched when you hit the dirt for a bit! Did you see the video of @ajaquilante and some Camaro GT4s at this track?? It would be a great teaching aid. I think @blacksheep-1 posted it a while back

Love the track. Lots of curves and exciting with out having crazy top speeds. Am very envious. Our new track has a long back straight and the speeds you hit are not on par with the track surface. Dont really like going 140+ to be honest.
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Found that Sonoma video, this was my goto video for the Porsche crowd when they would bad mouth the stick axles cars. Would love to be able to drive like this when I grow up... but I think its way, way too late.

 
Last edited:

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top