Clutch problem---2000 GT

**Dan B.** · 08-08-2015, 11:48 PM

OK. So I've owned the 2000 GT for two days and seems that I broke it already. Was banging gears today and went for third when all of a sudden it would not go into gear. The pedal went clear to the floor and the transmission would not go into gear. So I shut the car off and moved the shifter through the gears and it felt as normal. I pumped the clutch pedal a couple times and the pedal all of a sudden felt somewhat normal. When I started the car back up I put it into gear and begin to pull out and a small puff of smoke came out from under the car. I think the clutch was still somewhat engaged with the flywheel when it was sitting still and it's smoked the clutch a little bit. I limped it home and put it in the garage and played with the clutch pedal adjustment. After some fiddling around I got it adjusted that the pedal picks up clear at the top. When engaging the gears with the car running and clutch pedal depressed it sounds like you can hear the clutch still engaging the flywheel as the car sitting still. It is also still very clunky to move through the gears like it is still engaged and won't let it shift freely.

Any ideas of what it could be? It seems like I have the cable adjusted up far as I can so I'm not sure that's the issue. The clutch doesn't seem to be slipping so I don't know that that is the problem. Could it be a bent clutch fork?

**SlowSix** · 08-09-2015, 12:10 AM

I had a clutch cable break on me last summer in the middle of the highway. I could get the car in gear with it off, but couldn't shift with the car running. I would check that. They do stretch out over time.

bent clutch fork is a possibility but I would go with clutch cable first.

**Stangman701** · 08-09-2015, 01:29 AM

Maybe the headers melted the outside of the clutch cable. Had that happen once with similar symptoms

**2000GT** · 08-09-2015, 08:55 AM

I would replace the cable first. It's a lot less labor intensive than replacing the fork.

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**Dan B.** · 08-09-2015, 10:04 AM

Pulled the cable out......it slides smooth and appears fine (what can be seen outside the sheath). I'll throw a cable and quadrant at it and see what happens.

**SlowSix** · 08-09-2015, 11:51 AM

If you buy a cable, get a maximum motorsports or ford OE one.
A lot of the aftermarket ones and adjustable ones are junk

**Dan B.** · 08-09-2015, 11:57 AM

I bought the Ford cable and quadrant package from Jegs. Item # 397-M-7553-D302.

**Dan B.** · 08-12-2015, 10:48 PM

New quad and cable. No change. After talking with a friend we think it's the pressure plate. Going to yank it soon and see what's going on inside the bell housing.

**2000GT** · 08-12-2015, 11:05 PM

Don't buy a Spec unless you want a leg work out for your left leg

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**Monkeygrits** · 08-12-2015, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by SlowSix

I had a clutch cable break on me last summer in the middle of the highway. I could get the car in gear with it off, but couldn't shift with the car running. I would check that. They do stretch out over time.

bent clutch fork is a possibility but I would go with clutch cable first.

I carry a spare cable in my car because of this lol. It took me a little while to find the right quadrant. I went through 3 before I found one that gave me enough adjustability. Ended up using a Steeda quick release. The red one. I also installed a return spring to keep the bearing from constantly spinning. If you purchased a quadrant make sure u buy an adjuster as well. The fore and steeda quadrants are good quality. Many of the cheap adjusters won't stay in place. The 2 I mentioned above click as you turn them. You need an adjuster to get the slack out of the cable depending on how big the ramp is on the quadrant you purchased.

**TooFast98Cobra** · 08-13-2015, 12:47 AM

Dan I have all three things . New . UPR brand . Cable . Firewall adj. And quadrant. I think I even have pedal stop. I'll never use the stuff .lmk

**TooFast98Cobra** · 08-13-2015, 12:51 AM

Just looked . Couple shift knobs and a bullet pedal cover set too.

**Dan B.** · 08-13-2015, 09:20 AM

Bill.....you have any clutch and pressure plates laying around?

**TooFast98Cobra** · 08-13-2015, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Dan B.

Bill.....you have any clutch and pressure plates laying around?

Sorry I don't .

**SlowSix** · 08-14-2015, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by TooFast98Cobra

Just looked . Couple shift knobs and a bullet pedal cover set too.

what kind of shift knobs do you have, out of curiousty?

**Dan B.** · 08-14-2015, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by SlowSix

what kind of shift knobs do you have, out of curiousty?

Same here.

**TooFast98Cobra** · 08-14-2015, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by Dan B.

Same here.

-two round polished knobs, one of them has a linelock etc.. button on the side.

-one polished knob that sort of looks like a top hat . wide on top then gradually gets smaller towards the bottom. I might have one more that was leather from my 98 cobra. I'll have to check the shelves.