Trans is going, need advise
 

Well a nice cold spell just rolled though and brought with it a nice reminder of just how bad my trans is getting.

For as long as I've had the car, when my transmission is nice and toasty warm it works well enough, but when it is cold, (especially when it is cold outside as well) my 1-2 synco just dosen't work, and it grinds pretty bad. Useually I would jsut shift slow when it was cold out till it warmed up, then drive normal. Now it seems it has gotten worse, since it cooled down, (below 70 degrees), even after the tran warms up, it grinds when I try and shift fast/hard.

To test it out a lil, (in case I just suck as a driver), I got on the gas in first, stomped on the clutch, let off the gas and tried to slam it in 2nd, (with no intention of lettign the clutch out, or continuing to accelerate), and it still grinds everytime, so I figure that the synchos have just worn to the point where it can't shift hard anymore.

Also sidenote, for some reason the 4-5 syncho always did the smae thing, jsut not as bad. I don't think I messed that up though, must have been previous owner.

Unfortunatly I learned to drive stick on my Cobra, so I take full responsibility for the trans dieing at 52K, but in my defense, the T-45 is far from the strongest tranny around.

The advise I would like is whether I should have the T-45 rebuilt, or if I should look for a new trans. I kind of want to go to a T-56, but that would be pricey, and I don't think I could afford that till spring, and that is a long time to drive on a hurt trans in my opinion. A beefier 5 speed wouldn't be bad, but my dream setup for my car calls for the 6-speed, so I don't know.

Any input will be apreciated.

p.s sorry for long ass post and bad typeing/spelling

TREMEC TKO500 or TKO600 dont even bother with these Shi**y transmissons im gonna have to get a new one im most likely going to get a tko600.... T-45s can goto tranny hell

have a local tranny shop replace the synchros and build it with beefier internals. The t45 is a decent tranny... just not super strong. Abuse any tranny and it'll give out. There's no point in buying a tko500 or 600 for you since you don't have a power adder or enough engine power to warrant it. You can build a t45 with pretty stout stuff inside and a good tranny guy will know how and what to do. It'll probably cost about the same to replace it directly as to have it rebuilt but rebuilt is built and that's a good thing.

It's is common for the trans to be nearly impossible to shift in cold whether and in fact, the problem you described is what happened to the early TR3650 in which the synchros were replaced and the trans was filled w/ a slightly smaller amount of fluid (synthetic). Are you running synthetic in it? If so, try that, that might clear the problem.

dont get the TKO 500/600 unless you have one hell of an arm...i have heard that they are extremely hard to shift

thanks for the input so far guys, i forgot to mention, the main reason I was thinking about something stronger is that a Kenne Bell is in my cars future. Probably not for a couple years, but a full engine rebuilt and a twin screw are gunna happen.

Also I am far from done with the car till then, I been going slow with the mods because I don;t make much money, but I have the strong possibility of starting a new better paying carrer on Monday.

So I plan on doing some suspension work to it, then I will do a few more bolt ons, then I will start getting parts together for the engine rebuild. I was planing on putting in a new trans with the rebuild anyway.

There is a small possibility that I may do the engine rebuild minus the blower in about a year (over next winter), that will include port/polish heads, cams, forge out the engine. Then I might have it tuned like that, and add the blower the following winter.

I've always had plans for this car, and I'm determined to get them done. (sorry for the tangent)

anyway, I guess rebuilding the trans wouldn;t be out of the question, I have several freinds that work at a local trans shop. I don't know, this will require a lot of thought.

btw, don't know if this would effect any of your opinions, but since my clutch has been feeling a little soft, and chugs a lil under heavy load, I was planning on puttign a new clutch in while th trans was out.

how bout a t56 conversion?...then you can run 4.10's with the kenne bell..i plan on runing that but w/ a centri-charger

I was thinking about the t-56, very temping.

I talked to my friends at the trans shop, they suggest replacing trans, and my friend there is excited to see me put a six speed in, and witht he prices he was guesstamating, it could be done. (he told me I could get parts at shop cost, which would be awsome, and thier shop buys trans for a company that rebuilts um how ever they want, so I could concevably get what ever ratios I wanted in the trans, which would take a lot of thought, but could turn out awsome.)