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1st Gear Lock-out after new clutch and MGW

stang17

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Just had my stock clutch swapped out last week after only 6,300 miles with an Exedy Mach 600 cushion button clutch, Exedy lightened flywheel, stainless clutch line, Exedy throwout bearing, and MGW shifter while the tranny was out. Stock clutch looked brand new, no glazing. There was tiger striping on the flywheel as expected. Reason for replacing the clutch was due to fact that the pressure plate wasn't holding the power consistently above 6,500 rpm. Car only had about 6,300 miles on it.

Picked the car up from the dealer and experienced first gear lock out. I have never had a lockout issue prior to this with the stock clutch or shifter.

Specifically, the 1st gear lockout would happen when I was in 2nd gear, coasting to a stop, clutch in-shift to neutral, foot off clutch, come to complete stop. Press clutch in, go to shift into first, but would not want to go in. I'd bring the shifter back to neutral, pump the clutch, try first but still get locked out. I would then clutch in, shift into 2nd, then be able to shift into first and start moving forward.

Car continued to do this sporadically for a few days, most often in the first few driving miles after start up. I called George over at MGW and was advised to check the lock-out. I proceeded to go back to dealer last Friday, watched the MGW lock-out video together, and witnessed them first hand go through the lock-out procedure. They even used a vacuum tool to ensure the clutch line was completely air free. Shifter seemed fine.

Drove the car home and no issues for a few days. Yesterday, I'm driving out of the parking lot at work and come to the first red light. Go to shift into first and it goes about halfway into first, stops, than the shifter starts to vibrate violently back and forth like a a meth-head shaking a bobble head doll (all while clutch is still engaged), I back it into neutral, release clutch, press clutch back in, try to shift into first but still locked out. Bring shifter back to neutral, pump clutch again, this time shift into 2nd then up to first, and now able to get into gear and start accelerating.

So to recap, this issue never once happened to me with the stock clutch and shifter. Only after the addition of the new clutch, clutch line, and MGW shifter has this issue has started. After speaking with MGW several times, I'm confident it is not a shifter issue. I have about 200 miles on the new clutch and it seems rock solid. I personally witnessed the dealer bleed out the clutch line, so I know it can't be an air issue. My only thought is that maybe the transmission got preloaded to one side when completing the clutch install and this is what is contributing to the lockout. I just find it odd that when you pump the clutch a few times and shift into 2nd, it corrects the lockout issue.

Can anyone comment if having preload in the transmission could be a potential cause of why this lockout sporadically happens, and more so within the first mile or so of driving after start up. Almost seems like once enough heats gets into the drivetrain, the problem resolves. It seems like maybe the transmission isn't completely lined up and when pumping the clutch, it shifts the transmission slightly to where it goes back into alignment and corrects the lock-out problem; and once enough heat is the system, the metal is more pliable or something.

I plan on going back to dealer today after work to see what they think. :shrug:
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Tommy V

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If it goes away after the trans fluid heats up,I would try swapping to a better synt trans fluid like BG synchro mesh.No.way to misalign the trans.
 
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stang17

stang17

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Another puzzling thing is that if I go out to the car after it has been sitting for a few hours, I can shift through all of the gears without any issue prior to starting the car up. In other words, I'll get in the car, clutch in, and row through all of the gears a few time getting a feel for the MGW. Everything feels smooth. I then start the car up, come to my first stop after 20 seconds of driving, and then the problem starts.

I thought I saw somewhere in another post, someone mentioning about unbolting the cross member and retightening those 4 bolts. Is this such a thing?
 

Tommy V

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That's usually for driveshaft vibration.Normal for a manual to go through the gears easy when not started.Again I would change fluid and see if that helps as long as it goes away after warm up.
 

johnson.ba

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From neutral, is it going past the first gear or locking out between first and third. You are supposed to verify the reverse lockout is set correctly. My guess is the shop didn't do that and the screw is off a little bit one way or the other. If I remember correctly from my install, the screw is under the rubber boot which will be a major PITA if its not set correctly...
 

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mustang1

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this doesn't sound like an easy fix. Maybe its better to install aftermarket shifter, and aftermarket clutch at two different times.
 

johnson.ba

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It just makes troubleshooting and isolating the problem mire difficult. Its way easier to install an mgw when the trans is already out, but it sounds like the clutch isnt the problem, although he could try bleeding the clutch line just to make sure
 

GTBOB

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I wonder if you could just "loosen" all of the bellhousing bolts and let the tranny settle on its own WITHOUT a tranny jack under it? Maybe they had too much pressure on the jack during install and your input shaft is feeling an unnecessary, horizontal load?
 

jasonstang

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Sounds like the clutch is not fully releasing.
Often aftermarket clutch might have too high spring rate for the stock hydraulics to fully disengage the clutch.
 
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stang17

stang17

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Well I just ordered the BG Synchroshift II transmission fluid and rear axle fluid combo from Optimum Performance. Once that arrives, I'll swap out the fluid as suggested. I'm not 100% sure this is going to correct the issue as the OEM fluid is only 6,500 miles old and it had never given me a problem prior to the clutch and shifter install. Nonetheless, it seems like a worthwhile upgrade and should help quiet down some of the clunkiness that I've had in the transmission since day 1.

If this doesn't solve the issue, I'll try the suggestion of loosening the bolts without a tranny jack under it and have them retorqued.
 

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Tommy V

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I.dont see any of the issues above causing this problem as u described,if it truly only locks u out when on.a cold start alignment issue have nothing to do with that.My trans was real notch when cold and also hard to get into first until warmed up.Air being in the system would cause this but as much as u have pumped the pedal it should be out by now.
 

jvm051

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Is it doing the same thing in reverse as well? I just had my Exedy Mach 600 clutch installed as well. And if I come to a complete stop and put car in neutral, then try to shift into reverse it will not go in at all or if I do first it’s difficult. If I shift into another gear first then into reverse or first, it’s fine. If car is off I can get into any gear just fine.
 
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stang17

stang17

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Is it doing the same thing in reverse as well? I just had my Exedy Mach 600 clutch installed as well. And if I come to a complete stop and put car in neutral, then try to shift into reverse it will not go in at all or if I do first it’s difficult. If I shift into another gear first then into reverse or first, it’s fine. If car is off I can get into any gear just fine.
I haven't had a problem with reverse yet. I spoke with George at MGW several times and confirmed if the reverse lockout wasn't set correctly, it would have difficulty getting into gear all the time.

I just hit 320 city driven miles on the clutch and it has magically stopped giving me an issue as of 2 days ago, even with this colder weather we have been having. This leads me to believe that there must have been air remaining in the system that finally got pumped out after 1,000+ pedal clutch engagements.

I had watched the dealer first hand use a vacuum to get the air out the first time I went back to troubleshoot, but they must have not gotten it all.

How many miles do you have on your clutch currently?
I'm thinking you may still have air in the clutch line that is effecting the engagement/disengagement.

I can also tell you that the clutch feel much better at mile 300 than it did at mile 100.
 

jvm051

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I’m at about 1000 Miles and 8 passes on the dragsteip launching between 6500 and 7000 RPM so air should be out at this point. Other than the minor inconvenience, it’s not too big a deal. Will see if anything else comes of it.
 
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stang17

stang17

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Installed the BG tranny and rear axle fluid yesterday. I can't believe how much of a difference the fluid swap made. Have not experienced any difficulty getting into gear and shifter feels a lot less notchy. If anyone else with a MT-82 hasn't done this swap, I highly recommend it.

I'd say the fluid made more of a noticeable difference than when I upgraded to the CF driveshaft.
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