Tremec shifting hard.

[Racer57]

70 Cuda 383

I have a Tremec 5 speed. I "think" its the TK500. I do know that it has a lower 1st gear than other Tremec's. At least that's what I was told. My problem is that it feels like its binding when I shift and is by no means to where I could ever think about speed shifting. The shifts have to be very deliberate. When I shift, I have to pull harder than anything else I've ever shifted and then it "breaks loose" and pops into gear. My clutch is adjusted to where I have about 1" to 1 1/2" of play at the pedal so I'm afraid to take anymore than that out of it for fear of it slipping, yet the car wants to start rolling with no more than 2" of lifting foot off the floor. I feel that the clutch pedal needs more throw to it so that the synchronizers can do their job better. All the components came from Keisler including the throwout pivot arm (sorry forgot name). Sitting still with the car turned off it shifts very easy.

Those of you with a Tremec, how easy does yours shift and any ideas what's wrong with mine if yours shifts better ?

[BS CUDA]

70 Cuda 383

I have a Tremec 5 speed. I "think" its the TK500. I do know that it has a lower 1st gear than other Tremec's. At least that's what I was told. My problem is that it feels like its binding when I shift and is by no means to where I could ever think about speed shifting. The shifts have to be very deliberate. When I shift, I have to pull harder than anything else I've ever shifted and then it "breaks loose" and pops into gear. My clutch is adjusted to where I have about 1" to 1 1/2" of play at the pedal so I'm afraid to take anymore than that out of it for fear of it slipping, yet the car wants to start rolling with no more than 2" of lifting foot off the floor. I feel that the clutch pedal needs more throw to it so that the synchronizers can do their job better. All the components came from Keisler including the throwout pivot arm (sorry forgot name). Sitting still with the car turned off it shifts very easy.

Those of you with a Tremec, how easy does yours shift and any ideas what's wrong with mine if yours shifts better ?

 I have been told by numerous folks that you CANNOT speed shift the TKO. Most complaints I hear are 2nd to 3rd gear while thrashing. I have had a couple in the shop for this very same issue - we are Tremec Authorized. I know one guy that drives his car track to track with a spare trans in the trunk as he has had this issue - I still don't understand why he doesn't look at something different. Other than that they seem to be excellent transmissions.

 Also ensure the bell housing is dialed in perfectly when installed. Alignment can also be a factor.

 I thought Keisler was upgrading / remedying this to the units they were selling. Maybe not.

Good Luck!!

 

[Racer57]

I have been told by numerous folks that you CANNOT speed shift the TKO. Most complaints I hear are 2nd to 3rd gear while thrashing. I have had a couple in the shop for this very same issue - we are Tremec Authorized. I know one guy that drives his car track to track with a spare trans in the trunk as he has had this issue - I still don't understand why he doesn't look at something different. Other than that they seem to be excellent transmissions.

 Also ensure the bell housing is dialed in perfectly when installed. Alignment can also be a factor.

 I thought Keisler was upgrading / remedying this to the units they were selling. Maybe not.

Good Luck!!

No way can I even come close to "thrashing". I literally feel like I'm bending a metal rod before it snaps loose and then slides  into the next gear. Problems is that I don't know if its the tranny or the clutch isn't engaging right.

[sassygreen]

I installed a tremec. Love the overdrive. Do all the showing off in 1st and 2nd. 2nd to 3rd can not be speed shifted. Grinds reverse unless you shift to 2nd then reverse. something is inherently wrong with these things. Everyone has the same problems. Good luck with yours keep us posted.

[sassygreen]

Forgot to say that mine has mechanical linkage not the hydrolic. You might have air in the system if it is hydrolic.

[farmboy70]

A few questions.
Did you remove the under dash spring? If not you may not get proper adjustment.
Did you dial in the bellhousing? This is a must, side pressure on the imput shaft will cause shifting problems.
What clutch do you have?
Mine works better with less pedal free play, closer to 1/2 inch free play.
Dave

[bigblue73]

Try this - Loosen the bolts that hold the shifter bracket on the side of the tail housing.  From the bottom, push the bracket up and toward the front of the car and re-tighten the bolts.  What this does is raise the shifter linkage into parallel with each other.  This worked for me on a previous installation.  Good luck.

Tony

[V02Barracuda]

I have the TKO500 Keisler that I installed in 2008.  Mine shifts like butter.  Effortless.  At first, the pedal adjusting sleeve was too short (Keisler supplied) so a friend of mine made a longer one for me.  When I had the original Keisler sleeve in there, I could barely shift it when the car was running.  Once I put the longer sleeve that my friend made me in there, it's been great. 

As for the 2 - 3 shift, I've found that if I let the shifter find 3rd gear (rather than me forcing it in that direction) it'll go right in.  In fact, another friend of mine suggested that to me and I tried his theory.  It works.

Good luck.

[ToxicWolf]

2-3 shift is at its worst at high rpms.  By the time you get up to 6000 rpms it is very hard to make a fast shift.

Change:  Man, leave out one letter in "shift" and you get a bad word.   

[Racer57]

I have the TKO500 Keisler that I installed in 2008.  Mine shifts like butter.  Effortless.  At first, the pedal adjusting sleeve was too short (Keisler supplied) so a friend of mine made a longer one for me.  When I had the original Keisler sleeve in there, I could barely shift it when the car was running.  Once I put the longer sleeve that my friend made me in there, it's been great. 

As for the 2 - 3 shift, I've found that if I let the shifter find 3rd gear (rather than me forcing it in that direction) it'll go right in.  In fact, another friend of mine suggested that to me and I tried his theory.  It works.

Good luck.

How much pedal free play do you have ?

[V02Barracuda]

Not 100% sure of my free play but if my memory serves me correctly, it's about an inch.  1 inch at the most.

[Racer57]

Now it will not go into 1st unless its forced. Going to call the original installer and set up a date to take it back to him.  Something is just plain not right. I'm starting to suspect that the tranny alignment never has been correct. The shop appears to be legit so far and I'm fairly confident that they will make it right.

The car has had several issues ever since I bought it from a "flipper" that I had thought was a "restorer" when I bought it. Originally the car had the stock 4-speed and a 3:91 but it had a very bad whine that I thought was the tranny. I had talked to the shop and during the conversation they said they had installed Tremec's before. So without thinking too much more, I decided to go that route. After pulling out the old, they found the rear end bearings and gear set was shot causing the whine so I had a 3:55 installed. Looking back on the whole deal, I wish I had stuck to having them finding the whine and fixing it and that would've been the end of it. But no, I had to go whole hog and here a year later I'm still fighting it.

On the bright side, all of the major stuff is pretty much fixed except for this tranny issue. Once its taken care of, then I'll be able to really enjoy the car. I was crying in my beer to a buddy and he said "WTF did you expect from a 43 year old car dummy !!" Don't ya love how buds keep things in perspective ? 

[73EStroker]

Racer - having lived with a bad clutch for years I can most likely say you have clutch disc bind. IE you are not getting enough release. This will definitely cause hard shifting and lots of wear and tear on the synchros. You should see the car starting to move at about 1/3 pedal travel on clutch engagement. Others have already said you have too much free play at the top of the pedal. Adjust a little out and try it each time. I have now set mine up and got all the right components in and it is absolutely like new. I run the Passon 5 speed so more testing and results to be posted. Careful if you increase clutch fork travel as you may jam the clutch fingers into the pressure plate hub.

[Jesus H Chrysler]

I got the complete auto to manual conversion from Keisler in 2005.  When I finally got around to installing it in 2010 I learned you need to check the bellhousing runout.  When I did this I found it wasn't machined in spec.  I had to get a set of these to align the trans input shaft to the crank.

http://www.robbmcperformance.com/products/dowels.html

I can't say mine shifts like butter, but after 3,000 miles or so I'm not having any serious binding problems.  I can only imagine if I had left it mis aligned how much stress would be introduced.

[inviolet]

I have a TKO 500 also; Under load (anything over 5,000 rpm) shifting is hard. Anyone try a better/different short throw shifter? Maybe that will help?