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Sticking clutch with 7200rpm shift from 3rd to 4th

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I am sure someone has posted about this before, as Ford seems to always under engineer things. With approximately 1300 miles on the clock, the clutch stuck to the floor on the 3rd to 4th shift at 7200rpm. I had already driven the car hard on numerous occasions after the ford recommend break-in. I probably made twenty 7300-7400 rpm shifts from 3rd to 4th. Then one day after the car was at full temperature I ran through the gears only to have the clutch hang on the floor at 3rd to 4th shift. After the rpms dropped below about 6k the clutch released on its own. Now the clutch engages about 1 inch off the floor where previously it had been at about mid travel. It seems this issue only happens on the 3 / 4 shift and occurs randomly. It has now happened three more times all at 7200rpms or more. Additionally, the clutch release point really sucks from a drivability standpoint. I think centrifugal/inertia forces are at work here due to a weak or poorly designed pressure plate. Does anyone have a fix and/or solution? Thanks Hack
 

BLAZN BOSS

There are numerous technical service bulletins on the clutch, .........wrong bolts, bolts backing out etc.......go see your dealer.
 
Had mine stick twice on a 3-4 shift. There are other reports on the Boss forums of this happening and this weekend another Boss at a local track reported the problem.

The dealer replaced my clutch and pressure plate, the old one looked fine and only time will tell if this is going to fix my issue.
 
YellowJacketBoss302 said:
Scott -- Have you been on the track since they replaced your clutch and pressure plate?

Yes I have and so far so good but that does not mean too much since the problem was very intermittent. It happened only twice before I had the clutch swapped out so if it is not fixed it could happen again tomorrow or four months from now.

It did give the pedal a better feel, and did away with a dead area up top the car had for some reason.
 
After the sticking clutch issue my pedal has a lot of dead area up top as well. It engages about an inch off the floor. Planning on taking the Boss into the dealer late next week. Unfortuntately my other Ford "Explorer" has to get the radiator replaced on Monday.
 
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Guys,

This may or may not be of any value, but on my 99 Powerstroke with a 6 speed manual the clutch pedal used to stick to the floor at high RPM shifts. Of course high RPM on it is about 3400 ;D

Anyway several years into this the poorly designed casting that holds (held) the helper spring under the dash broke and the spring fell out. Since then I have not experienced the problem. I don't even know if the Boss has a helper spring but if it does you might try taking it out.

Andy
 
I seen on another forum where a guy replaced his pedal assemble with a unit from a gt500 and fixed the problem.
 
I am speaking just from what I have heard but there was a TSB that added a second spring to the clutch pedal assembly (I think). After a certain date all cars come from the factory this way, the TSB was for cars built before April 25, 10 / TSB 10-19-04 This does not have to due with pressure plate bolts backing out due to the loc-tight.

http://mustangsdaily.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/tsb10-19-04.pdf .

I spoke about this with the some techs and they feel this helped some cars with the problem but looks like it is not the fix needed. So it may have helped on some cars but the root problem is still exists.

For anybody with the problem I would make sure the dealer documents it. The more they know the better it is to find a fix. I told my dealer about it the first time it happened but I was unaware of the past history and did not worry about it. I thought maybe it was something I did. When it happened the second time I was on a nice easy straight at HMS (vs. shifting in mid turn first time) so I assumed I did not do anything incorrect myself. Now that others are reporting the same issue you should press the dealer to call engineering and have something done about it.

More here:
http://mustangsdaily.com/blog/2010/09/23/ford-issues-tsb-regarding-clutch-problems-for-the-2011-mustang-gt/
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/24/ford-issues-tsb-for-2011-mustang-over-clutch-problems/
http://www.mustangevolution.com/mustang-news/2011-mustang-gt-clutch-tsb/
 
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Good info Scott. I wonder if that second spring was just a cheap easy way to help the pedal back up. The helper spring on my truck used to help push it in pretty well. But since I put a LUK clutch in it the pedal pressure was actually too low. Like a Honda or something at first. In a truck I like the heavier clutch anyway, so when the helper spring fell out it was better. ::) The truck clutch is hydraulic but doesn't share fluid with the brakes. Who's idea was that ???

Now that I think about it on my Falcon I had a problem of it not wanting to come back up, for a completely other reason in that the old linkage was crappy and bent, but when I scabbed a spring from the top of the pedal arm up under the dash it really helped out. Maybe something like that is a fix. I know it's hokey, I know. But it *might* solve the problem.
 
Fat Boss said:
Good info Scott. I wonder if that second spring was just a cheap easy way to help the pedal back up.

That is what I tend to think but the guys that build these cars know a million times more then me on how they work. I hate to say things and look stupid later but this seems to be a case of bean-counters looking for a quick cheap fix to quiet the masses???

I know many people added extra springs on the early Mustangs like you mentioned on the Falcon. I doubt this would help with the new hydraulic system. When it happened to me the second time I knew what was going on and quickly stuck my foot behind the pedal to lift it up, in the end it did not matter and only came up after the RPM's lowered. I have it on helmet cam tape!
 
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Scott- when your clutch stuck to the floor and you pulled it back up, did you have to pull it all the way up or did it seem to want to just get over a small hump and then snap back? I think a new clutch will likely fix it, but I also think there might be a possibility of limiting a little bit of the final stroke of the pedal. As long as the clutch fully disengages, there shouldn't be any harm. That's assuming the position it wants to stick is right at the floor.
 
Well, when I say it did not get me by surprise the second time it did but I reacted quicker and knew what was happening. The problem was when it happened both times I was more worried about cars 5 feet off my rear bumper so my memory is foggy at best.

The first time was at Sebring and I thought the car had gone into limp mode. I tried hitting the gas a few times and the car would move but had only 10-20 percent of its power. As I started to smell the burning clutch I knew it was not limp mode. I hit the clutch several times and it returned to normal so I stayed out on track. The next time was about two months later and like I said I tried to pull the pedal back up with my foot right away. It was not until I slowed down a bit did I get the pedal back. I do not really remember if it snapped back, I was looking in the rear view at a white Porsche hard on the brakes ::) I remember that well. It seemed kind of limp and took a few seconds while slowing down before it returned to normal - as I remember.
 
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A couple issues I have had:

1. If you accelerate in a low gear to redline (1,2,3) and at redline shift to a much higher gear (5,6) the clutch pedal sticks to the floor. Literally it does not come up. However the clutch is fully engaged. It is just the clutch pedal that sticks to the floor but there is a little bit of play. By play I mean there is no pressure at all. It is like it is just dangling there. You have to pull the clutch back up with your foot and it is fine..... For those of you still driving your car try this to see if you can repeat it. Again floor the car in second to redline, do a shift to 6 and see what happens.

2. Have had a issues when downshifting from 5 to 4 and 5 to 3. Did a cool down lap and all is fine. I think the issue is with fluid temps getting to hot

3. Have had issues with a 2 to 3 shift when "drag racing" with very fast shifts. Missed third and went right into 5th. Haven't done it a lot but if memory serves me right it happens frequent enough when I am in the situation. May be driver error????

4. Shift from 4 to 5 doesn't always feel the greatest but never missed the shift. It just doesn't feel right going into gear. No grinding, the shifter just feels weird..
 
2012YellowBoss said:
That is what I tend to think but the guys that build these cars know a million times more then me on how they work. I hate to say things and look stupid later but this seems to be a case of bean-counters looking for a quick cheap fix to quiet the masses???

When it happened to me the second time I knew what was going on and quickly stuck my foot behind the pedal to lift it up, in the end it did not matter and only came up after the RPM's lowered. I have it on helmet cam tape!

Scott mine did the samething. Only after the rpms drop below 6k did I get the clutch back. Mine was on the street with the car warmed up. The outside temp was 50 so heat IMO was not the issue. I seem to think it is a pressure plate issue, but until Ford steps up a proper fix we will just have to wait and see or guess! I'll keep you guys posted.

Hack

btw no I don't Hack computers, just a 1st grade coach's nickname that stuck. If he only knew!
 
adam81 said:
A couple issues I have had:

1. If you accelerate in a low gear to redline (1,2,3) and at redline shift to a much higher gear (5,6) the clutch pedal sticks to the floor. Literally it does not come up. However the clutch is fully engaged. It is just the clutch pedal that sticks to the floor but there is a little bit of play. By play I mean there is no pressure at all. It is like it is just dangling there. You have to pull the clutch back up with your foot and it is fine..... For those of you still driving your car try this to see if you can repeat it. Again floor the car in second to redline, do a shift to 6 and see what happens.

2. Have had a issues when downshifting from 5 to 4 and 5 to 3. Did a cool down lap and all is fine. I think the issue is with fluid temps getting to hot

3. Have had issues with a 2 to 3 shift when "drag racing" with very fast shifts. Missed third and went right into 5th. Haven't done it a lot but if memory serves me right it happens frequent enough when I am in the situation. May be driver error????

4. Shift from 4 to 5 doesn't always feel the greatest but never missed the shift. It just doesn't feel right going into gear. No grinding, the shifter just feels weird..

Adam81, your issue appears to be a little different than mine, but then again maybe not! I'm pretty sure I had no clutch, but maybe I had no pedal. Things happened so fast and then bang you go into save the clutch/car mode! These are the times I miss my 07 GT/CS. 4.5 years without a single problem and it never had an easy day in its life. On the other hand it didn't have 444hp and a 7500rpm redline either. Apples and oranges I guess. Hopefully the dealer can find a good fix for us all.
 
Adam
The MGW will help with the missed shifts like going into fifth instead of third. I had missed a few shifts here and there but have not with the new shifter. I don't think the factory shifter is a bad unit just not precise enough for the track.

I did find my last time out making a 5 to 3 shift is not a good way to go, even if I made the shift at lower RPM's. Now I will always downshift in order, even if that requires an extra heal/toe :(

When the time comes I will swap out the clutch for a race version. In the mean time I'm not racing and while it is annoying I still finish every track day. Seems the clutch and or trans is the weak like in an otherwise perfect track car.
 
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2012YellowBoss said:
Adam
The MGW will help with the missed shifts like going into fifth instead of third. I had missed a few shifts here and there but have not with the new shifter. I don't think the factory shifter is a bad unit just not precise enough for the track.

I did find my last time out making a 5 to 3 shift is not a good way to go, even if I made the shift at lower RPM's. Now I will always downshift in order, even if that requires an extra heal/toe :(

When the time comes I will swap out the clutch for a race version. In the mean time I'm not racing and while it is annoying I still finish every track day. Seems the clutch and or trans is the weak like in an otherwise perfect track car.

Never missed a 2 to 3 shift on the track. I shift quickly on the track, but not "drag race" fast. If a trans/shifter cooperate I can shift very fast when trying to... The only missed shift have been when trying to shift "drag race" fast.

I usually have no problem shifting from 5 to 3. I have only had a couple problems and the remedy was a cool down lap.

I have really been thinking about the mgw shifter from all the positive reviews...

I have seen a couple mentions of this whole shifter issue being the clutch. Makes sense if it is. However I talked to Dean at Rehagen awhile back and he told me the stock trans is junk. I believe they run the Exedy clutch, and did testing with that clutch and the stock trans and still had major issues....??? I have been told by enough people and have seen enough posts to believe that there is an issue somewhere. I hope it is remedied by Ford....
 

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