PSA: MT82 Fluid For Track Use

[SavetheManuals]

DO NOT use the "Calimer cocktail" for track use.
Calimer now tells me that we should run straight 75W90 or at least 2 qts 75W90 + .75 qt synchromesh.
There is no information like this on the website or given without specifically asking, but now that my brand new stage 2 is broken already after 3 track days, they are blaming the "Calimer cocktail" for being too thin and melting a plastic bearing, which needs to be replaced and caused synchro damage and possibly gear damage. Obviously they will not cover any of the costs because it wasn't anything they did.
So please run 75W90 in your track MT82s, or bite the bullet and go Tremec. The stupid plastic bearing cannot be upgraded according to Calimer, and we all know how many other failure points there are in the MT82.
Good luck.

 

[EF1]

Thanks for sharing. I thought they were pushing the Calimer Cocktail for track use.

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Save the Manuals doesn't just want to save the system , he wants to save yours --- listen to da Man, ha!!! Good info , all courtesy of the crazy Gearheads, Machinegheads, Petrolheads, and Motorheads of TMO!

 

[TMSBOSS]

Calimer is a drag racer. He has several records driving MT-82 cars in the 1/4 mile. Its likely he is not used to the heat issues associated with track events.

 

[blacksheep-1]

I'm going to try and get a busted one of these to look at in January.
exactly what issues are you guys having with these trannies?
just 3rd gear, or is there other items as well?

 

[SavetheManuals]

exactly what issues are you guys having with these trannies?
just 3rd gear, or is there other items as well?

5th gear synchro design is poor so those wear out, 2nd gear takes a beating, and the above mentioned plastic bearing that supposedly cannot be replaced. The shift forks and pads are also weak points and typically upgraded with a rebuild.

 

[Speedboosted]

Dang, sorry to hear Ryan. I was just about to message you and ask how you like that trans.

It's funny he told you to run the reverse cocktail or straight gear oil. When I got my car a couple years ago I asked him on the phone if I should run more gear oil and less synchromesh for track use because of the heat and he was like "nah, it's fine". I still did, thankfully. I will likely switch to straight gear oil over the winter however. Right now it's been 2 qts gear, .5 or whatever synchromesh.

Many members here have great success with BG Synchroshift II from OPMustang in their MT-82.

 

[67GTA]

Ryan, I’m still just feeling like a gut punch after hearing this today. With all of the time you spent researching, and then waiting for the R&R - for it to last 3 track days - not cool. Seriously, let me know if you decide to tackle this — I would be more than happy to help. It freaked me out a bit to crack open my Tremec, but it shifts better now than it would have ever because of the upgrades. I ended up with some specialty tools that would probably work to pull gears on the MT82 as well. We have to get you back on track before Super GT Cup opens up in January!!

 

[JDee]

The trans guy I am using says there's a 2 piece shaft in there that takes a huge tonnage press to do anything with. So that will make it difficult for a home builder to work with.
Also, it seems to me that heat is still one of the biggest issues with this trans but I cannot find any company making a trans cooler kit for an MT-82. Seems to me that's a gold mine in the waiting, it's pretty difficult for John Q Ordinary to source all the fittings, pump, lines, cooler needed for this job. Anybody know anyone with a Mustang shop who might take this on? It would be a blessing to the community if someone came up with a kit and I know there is a huge market for one.

 

[EF1]

Calimer and VMP have been pushing the cocktail as a savior for the MT82 for years. I am surprised that they are now blaming it for a failure. If this was the cause of the failure we should have been hearing about these types of failures before now. Is Calimer going to do anything for you at all? If not I may need to reevaluate my plans. I was going to send him my MT82 when I pull it for a clutch replacement. I am not having any problems, but thought it would be good preventive maintenance at over 90,000 miles. Oh and I have never run synchromesh fluid in mine. I have one of the early cars produced before they changed the spec on the fluid to the dual clutch automatic stuff to improve cold shifting. I thought the new spec was too light and never followed it. I changed the original fluid out for RedLine MTL 75/80 years ago and it has served me well. It met the original spec, but not the revised spec, so RedLine quit recommending it for the MT82.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Before adding a trans cooler, my stock MT 82 would get hotter then the engine after a 20min track sessions. Frequently saw 300 degrees F!! Added a cooler es per the TMO guides on this website, with a oil pump etc, and that brought temps down around 240F. Then went with a Calimer Stage three and temps went down to 180 without the pump going. Waiting to run a longer race to see if its worth keeping the tranny cooler and pump or not. Before the cooler, several of my dead MT82, showed signs of cooking inside. Lots of Blue.

Thinking about it...Maybe will keep the cooler running just in case.

 

[67GTA]

With this being an OE transmission, all of the instructions are available in the service manuals. There’s separate files for each subassembly, and the shop manuals provide a list of needed tools for each process. I’ve had good luck sourcing used Rotunda tools for the specialty items, and most of the others are more common tools that don’t need to be Rotunda.

http://iihs.net/fsm/?d=935

I spent a bit of time reading through the MT82 Ford shop manuals this morning. A shop press is needed to remove the counter shaft and the input shaft from the transmission housing. Other than that, it looks like typical press work getting the gears and synchro hubs on and off their respective shafts. They spec a set of snychro puller arms that would make the job easier, but a more common puller may work. The interesting tool is a slide hammer adapter for removing the shift rail detent. Simple little bit, but grossly overpriced because it’s Rotunda.

I think I can also see the problematic plastic bearings that @SavetheManuals was talking about - the 2 bearings that support the output and counter shaft in the mid section of the trans have to be expanded to remove and install from the shaft. Works fine for normal temps I’m sure, but the design leaves little room for performance improvement options.



I recently added a 20T press to the garage, and I’m tempted to source the few MT82 specific tools so that I’m set up to work on these. I have a feeling there will be more than a few opportunities to help a fellow track rat out!

 

[docs302]

I started running Redline's 75W140 synthetic without friction modifiers this past year and I have to say I had 0 issues with shifting.....smooth and not really bad when cold. I have no idea what temps I'm running but most of my events are 20- 30 min sessions so I'm not really pushing it and I don't plan a cooler. I plan to upgrade to a Tremec if the Mt-82 goes or a sequential if my funds (and wife) allow.

 

[Mad Hatter]

I'm going to try and get a busted one of these to look at in January.
exactly what issues are you guys having with these trannies?
just 3rd gear, or is there other items as well?

As mentioned by others here, mainly the syncros on 3rd and 5th gears. leading to damaged teath on those gears. Would say 5th gear is the weakest of the two.

 

[JDee]

I recently added a 20T press to the garage, and I’m tempted to source the few MT82 specific tools so that I’m set up to work on these. I have a feeling there will be more than a few opportunities to help a fellow track rat out!

My trans guy said you need a 40 ton (he actually said 80,000 lb) press for that piece and a really good slide hammer in general. He mostly does drag race gearboxes and those guys are really hard on the shifting but heat is not much of an issue with them.
I'm going with the Syncrotech kit, hoping the carbon syncro rings will live longer.

https://shop.synchrotech-transmissions.com/MT82-Mustang-1-6-R-Carbon-Rebuild-Kit-8-Bronze-Fork-Pads-BSK-SYN-MT82-BFP.htm

Plus going to continue trying to put a trans cooler kit together. It would be nice to get more than 24 track days between trans crap outs!

 

[67GTA]

My trans guy said you need a 40 ton (he actually said 80,000 lb) press for that piece and a really good slide hammer in general. He mostly does drag race gearboxes and those guys are really hard on the shifting but heat is not much of an issue with them.
I'm going with the Syncrotech kit, hoping the carbon syncro rings will live longer.

https://shop.synchrotech-transmissions.com/MT82-Mustang-1-6-R-Carbon-Rebuild-Kit-8-Bronze-Fork-Pads-BSK-SYN-MT82-BFP.htm

Plus going to continue trying to put a trans cooler kit together. It would be nice to get more than 24 track days between trans crap outs!

Yikes, that’s a serious press, maybe I’ll stick to Tremecs! I agree on the Synchrotech kit - their carbon synchros look really nice, an I like that their kit includes all the bearings. They’re located about 30 minutes from me. I recommended that Ryan reach out to them and see if they’ll build an MT82. They specialize in Honda/Acura, but if they’re selling the MT82 kits, good chance they’ve worked on them too.

Are you putting the bronze shift stops in as well? The OE ones are plastic tipped. As the plastic becomes compressed over time, they allow overthrow on the synchro sleeves, which is probably the root cause of the synchro damage.

 

[JDee]

Yes I am, they sell the MT82 kits in 4 stages, I'm getting the one with all the goodies which includes the bronze forks. No point in going halfway, when it's out might as well change all the consumables out.

 

[SavetheManuals]

Calimer and VMP have been pushing the cocktail as a savior for the MT82 for years. I am surprised that they are now blaming it for a failure. If this was the cause of the failure we should have been hearing about these types of failures before now.
Is Calimer going to do anything for you at all? If not I may need to reevaluate my plans.
I changed the original fluid out for RedLine MTL 75/80 years ago and it has served me well.

Agreed, seems like they are blaming something that should have shown up all over the place by now.
Nope they aren't going to do anything for me, will charge at least $500 labor to open up and fix depending on how much is broken, plus parts, plus $250 shipping back.
I have tried both the MTL 75/80 and royal purple gear oil and they worked fine in my original trans, but as everyone mentioned the "Calimer Cocktail" was supposed to be ideal.
Hope Calimer transmissions aren't going downhill but I've heard mixed reviews, and I have not had a great experience obviously.

 

[67GTA]

Yes I am, they sell the MT82 kits in 4 stages, I'm getting the one with all the goodies which includes the bronze forks. No point in going halfway, when it's out might as well change all the consumables out.

These are different than the bronze fork pads. I believe these mount on the detent shift pins that require a slide hammer to remove them.

 

[xr7]

Dang, sorry to hear Ryan. I was just about to message you and ask how you like that trans.

It's funny he told you to run the reverse cocktail or straight gear oil. When I got my car a couple years ago I asked him on the phone if I should run more gear oil and less synchromesh for track use because of the heat and he was like "nah, it's fine". I still did, thankfully. I will likely switch to straight gear oil over the winter however. Right now it's been 2 qts gear, .5 or whatever synchromesh.

Many members here have great success with BG Synchroshift II from OPMustang in their MT-82.

+1 for the BG Syncroshift