Brand New 2020 GT w/MT82 Notchy 2nd to 3rd

[quikcolin]

Hey guys,

I asked this question on a closed Mustang Facebook group, but figure the quality of opinion would be superior over here.

I have a 2020 GT with the MT82. The car is new (only 400km). Everytime I shift from 2nd to 3rd there is a notchy feeling (not so much grinding but more notchy). It isn’t smooth like 1st to 2nd and 3rd to 4th and so on. 2nd to 3rd is making my OCD flair up like a Tiki Torch.

Is this a break-in thing, or just a reality of the MT82? Is it the shifter, or the transmission? Would a Barton or an MGW shifter replacement fix this issue?

I'm not sure taking it to the dealer is going to help. I can already hear them telling me it's normal operation...

I'm concerned that the MGW has it's own quarks like notch shifting and a lot of vibration? But there are differing mounting options that might help? I'm new. Please help haha.

Sponsored

 

[JC5188]

Hey guys,

I asked this question on a closed Mustang Facebook group, but figure the quality of opinion would be superior over here.

I have a 2020 GT with the MT82. The car is new (only 400km). Everytime I shift from 2nd to 3rd there is a notchy feeling (not so much grinding but more notchy). It isn’t smooth like 1st to 2nd and 3rd to 4th and so on. 2nd to 3rd is making my OCD flair up like a Tiki Torch.

Is this a break-in thing, or just a reality of the MT82? Is it the shifter, or the transmission? Would a Barton or an MGW shifter replacement fix this issue?

I'm not sure taking it to the dealer is going to help. I can already hear them telling me it's normal operation...

I'm concerned that the MGW has it's own quarks like notch shifting and a lot of vibration? But there are differing mounting options that might help? I'm new. Please help haha.

My 2016 with MT82 always had a little “nibble” going into 3rd. If I was driving it aggressively however, I didn’t notice it. Only when driving “normally”. Put 40k miles on it, never got any worse

 

[quikcolin]

My 2016 with MT82 always had a little “nibble” going into 3rd. If I was driving it aggressively however, I didn’t notice it. Only when driving “normally”. Put 40k miles on it, never got any worse

"A Nibble" is a good way of putting it. Did you find that when it warmed it, things smoothed out a little bit?

 

[JC5188]

"A Nibble" is a good way of putting it. Did you find that when it warmed it, things smoothed out a little bit?

I mean, maybe a little? It really depended more on how I was driving it. It wasn’t concerning enough to me to pay much attention to, because it never got any worse. Never locked out or anything like that.

 

[quikcolin]

Found a good thread on exactly what I'm experiencing

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/mt82-d4-nibble-right-off-dealer-lot.151570/

 

[kiksbutt]

It's a multi-faceted problem...I heard folks say MGW doesn't fix it, others say it's the BG II fluid or the likes, or combo of things. For me, heavier shift knob (500g) helped a lot. My 2011 was a POS that nibbled and grinded and took the joy out of driving. Cheapest way to try is the knob and try others if doesn't fix.

 

[quikcolin]

It's a multi-faceted problem...I heard folks say MGW doesn't fix it, others say it's the BG II fluid or the likes, or combo of things. For me, heavier shift knob (500g) helped a lot. My 2011 was a POS that nibbled and grinded and took the joy out of driving. Cheapest way to try is the knob and try others if doesn't fix.

What fluid do they recommend?

 

[NGOT8R]

I have this nibble on my 2019 Bullitt as well. It did it with the stock shifter and it does it with the Steeda Tri-Ax too.

 

[Elp_jc]

It's perfectly normal for this transmission. But it's more prevalent when cold. It also seems to be going away as the tranny breaks in, at least in my car. I just passed the 4,500-mile mark today, and I barely notice it anymore, even when cold... and I haven't changed the fluid yet. I plan to do it at 6K miles (along with the 2nd oil change), to get rid of all the assembly and break-in crap in there. So I'd say it might have something to do with break-in. More than half the mileage on my car were in 6th gear (highway), so it's taking longer for the tranny to break-in.

 

[blind*guardian]

My Reverse was really notchy when the car was new. Really had to force it in, but it got better with break-in and it's almost normal now, so perhaps yours would break-in as well.

 

[bnightstar]

What fluid do they recommend?

Something that made huge difference on my car was switching my brake fluid to Motul RBF660. When fresh the car shifts butter smooth.
Once you get air in the brake/clutch fluid you feel that shifts are harder more annoying in other words is really important to bleed your brakes and have fresh fluid for your clutch line.
I also switched my trans oil to Motul DCTF but not impressed with it to be fair.
Mine started having 2nd to 3rd issues just now though it did have the lockout happen from time to time before as well. I know how annoying that is.

 

[ctandc72]

Install a MGW shifter. It might not be a fix for what you're experiencing - but I can tell you as someone who has daily-driven a manual transmission vehicle for literally 25+ years it's the best upgrade I've ever done as far as interaction / shifting a manual transmission. And that includes Muncie, Top loader, Saginaw, Dana 4 speeds, 5 speeds, other 6 speeds. And that includes Hurst, B&M and other shifters being added.

You will NOT regret it. It makes each shift more positive and makes shifting easier once you are used to an ACTUAL connection to your transmission that you can feel - which you really don't have now with the factory shifter.

I can tell you that every person I know with a manual transmission Mustang who has shifted / driven my car now has a MGW shifter. Include a couple of other cars (different makes / models) who upgraded.

I've helped install 4 at this point. Only part that SUCKS (at least on the Mustang) is the rubber shift boot. I leave that for people with small hands.

 

[dx2]

GT MY2020 here, notchyness to 3rd was more intense from 0miles until about 1000 miles and got better each time, sometimes its still there, now at 1500miles. Until lately I was quite soft to the gearbox and clutch, no hard shifting but since March once in a while I rip through gears, just not too often but it's terribly fun.

realistically you pay for MT aftermarket parts what you would save for not buying a more expensive 10speed automatic but thats ok for me because getting the mt82 allows flexibility and choice after the purchase instead of relying on the car manufacturer to give you a better equipped stock car which might still not be good enough for some people. modding it is part of why I bought it.

my plan: bg syncroshift, braided steel line, MGW shifter which I will order this month. Good thing with the GT is it feels good spending money on it but I have to hold myself back on the upgrades. no clutch upgrade, at least not for the next 2 years .

 

[Kong76]

When you are shifting 2 to 3 are you gripping the knob and shoving it in gear or are you open palm pushing up and letting the centering spring do its job?

The centering spring does a really good job and all I do is guide it.

 

[ice445]

Normal. Mine did a lot more often in the first 5k from new. Now at 8k it only does it when cold. Stock fluid.

Sponsored