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Using the Clutch


phr3121

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This may be a stupid question to some owners but here it goes (others may have the same doubt):

 

I noticed that "R" reverse gear on this car is to the right of "5th" as opposed to left of "1st".

I was told by the dealership that there is no danger of engaging "R" while shifting to "5th" when this vehicle is moving forward.

He said there is a "safety lock" mechanism in the transmission that keeps this from happening!

There is nothing on the owners manuals that states that.

Can anyone please verify this fact?

 

Thanks,

phr

 

MANUAL 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION OPERATION:

"Do not drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal or use the clutch pedal to hold your vehicle at a standstill while waiting on a hill. These

actions will reduce the life of the clutch. Due to the high performance of the powertrain, a certain amount of noise from the transmission is normal. This noise will be most noticeable when the vehicle is idling in neutral with the clutch pedal out but can also occur when driving away from a stop."

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This may be a stupid question to some owners but here it goes (others may have the same doubt):

 

I noticed that "R" reverse gear on this car is to the right of "5th" as opposed to left of "1st".

I was told by the dealership that there is no danger of engaging "R" while shifting to "5th" when this vehicle is moving forward.

He said there is a "safety lock" mechanism in the transmission that keeps this from happening!

There is nothing on the owners manuals that states that.

Can anyone please verify this fact?

 

Thanks,

phr

 

MANUAL 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION OPERATION:

"Do not drive with your foot resting on the clutch pedal or use the clutch pedal to hold your vehicle at a standstill while waiting on a hill. These

actions will reduce the life of the clutch. Due to the high performance of the powertrain, a certain amount of noise from the transmission is normal. This noise will be most noticeable when the vehicle is idling in neutral with the clutch pedal out but can also occur when driving away from a stop."

 

 

I don't have a gt500, so can't speak specifically to those, but I do know that lockouts on reverse are standard on pretty much every clutch I've ever driven. I tested to see on my '87 dodge colt and '89 toyota camry (waited until each was near death). Heck, even the john deere tractor I learned to drive stick on, and the boom truck I drove for a while had a lock out. (However, my '80 cj-7 does not!)

 

The lockouts engage at 3 - 5mph I think, I know you can be slightly rolling and put it in gear even with a lockout, and get a bit of chatter as you do. Not recommended.

 

Just my bit of uninformed info until someone with a gt500, or knowledge of their tranny, responds :)

 

- Tony

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Thanks folks!

Yes, I figured Ford & Shelby would not be so stupid as to build a dream car without a "R" lock-out system next to "5th" gear.

I personally still prefer "R" on the left side next to "1st".

 

Another bad feature of cars sold in America, I'm including Volkswagen, is that the transmission allows you to engage "1st" gear without pressing the clutch. As in, you can shift into 1st and stall the engine (and damage the transmission!) :doh:

 

Cars I have driven in South America and Europe will not let you do this!

You can try shifting without the clutch and the system "locks out!"

A much better system in my book.

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Thanks folks!

Yes, I figured Ford & Shelby would not be so stupid as to build a dream car without a "R" lock-out system next to "5th" gear.

I personally still prefer "R" on the left side next to "1st".

 

Another bad feature of cars sold in America, I'm including Volkswagen, is that the transmission allows you to engage "1st" gear without pressing the clutch. As in, you can shift into 1st and stall the engine (and damage the transmission!) :doh:

 

Cars I have driven in South America and Europe will not let you do this!

You can try shifting without the clutch and the system "locks out!"

A much better system in my book.

 

My clutch cable snapped in my old VW. I was able to get it into gear and drive it to the shop (around 24 miles away) anyway, because the clutch was always engaged, and it allowed shifting without pushing in the pedal. Sure I had a few rough starts, but it saved me having to call in for towing. :)

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Typically only the forward gears in trans have synchronization gears. The synchronization gears are what allow you to go from one gear to another without grinding the gears, while moving. There are no synchro gears for reverse.

Actually our T56s do have a synchronized reverse. Obviously it's not a constant mesh synchro, but look up the description of the TT TR-6060 and you'll see it described. On my older T56 that I put in my 93 Cobra there is a 'high effort' lockout that takes plenty of muscle to overcome to get it into reverse. There is, however, a solenoid that can be wired up to defeat the 'high effort' function. I suspect that in our transmission the same solenoid has been modified to completely lock out reverse (not even a 'high effort' option because of the synchronizer) unless the car is not moving.

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