Syncro issue, Ford GT 05


velhaik

GT Owner
Mar 15, 2012
6
Manhattan Beach, CA
My shop (Twins Turbo in Signal Hills CA - prop to them, great guys) found material from the syncro’s in my transmission fluid. I'm starting to look into the cost on rebuilding it some time down the line. Anybody have great people in SoCal or anywhere in the US for that matter that rebuild tranny's for the GT at an affordable price?
Thank's a bunch,

VE
05 GT
 

PL510*Jeff

Well-known member
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Nov 3, 2005
4,876
Renton, Washington
Stillen
 

Wwabbit

GT Owner
Mar 21, 2012
1,259
Knoxville, TN
There was a thread recently about a lost 3rd gear. An Atlanta (Corvette?) shop fixed that one. Search the thread.
 

nota4re

GT Owner
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Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
My shop (Twins Turbo in Signal Hills CA - prop to them, great guys) found material from the syncro’s in my transmission fluid.

Other than finding material in the fluid, any other symptoms? What fluid to you re-fill with?
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
Any shifting anomolies? What fluid are you running in the transaxle?
 

kmillen

Well-known member
Jan 29, 2007
504
Unless something has changed and another company has been trained, we are the only company in the world that has been trained by the engineers at Ricardo to work on the Ford GT transmission. The good news, we are in Costa Mesa, CA.

As Kendal has mentioned, it would be good to know if there was any concern regarding the actual performance of the transmission or if the only sign of a potential issue is material in the fluid? How many miles are on the car?

Unfortunately in terms of a "rebuild" there aren't very many options as there are very few replacement parts available for the internals of these transmissions.
 

velhaik

GT Owner
Mar 15, 2012
6
Manhattan Beach, CA
fluid

Other than finding material in the fluid, any other symptoms? What fluid to you re-fill with?

replaced with royal purple which improves a lot but still a minimal amount of grinding downshifting 4th to 3rd
 

velhaik

GT Owner
Mar 15, 2012
6
Manhattan Beach, CA
Where are you guys in Costa Mesa?
 

kmillen

Well-known member
Jan 29, 2007
504
We are right next to John Wayne airport.
 

nota4re

GT Owner
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Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
I like Royal Purple and use it in the diff of the Boss Mustang but I wouldn't dream of using anything other than the OEM-spec, $38 quart, fluid. Ricardo created a fantastic transaxle and it has been holding up great in 1000+ HP applications. They also worked very hard to develop just the right formula for fluid. It ain't cheap, but I'd use extreme caution in using anything else. FYI: It's pretty normal to have a very fuzzy drain plug magnet at the first fluid change - but obviously chunks sizeable enough to be recognized as a synchro sets off the alarm flares.
 

Mullet

FORD GT OWNER
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Oct 21, 2008
2,468
Houston Texas
Drive it until it breaks. My drain plug looked like a Chia Pet. I'm sure it was from some 1/4 runs I did where it wouldnt go into second. Transmission drives just fine and I beat on it all the time.
 

velhaik

GT Owner
Mar 15, 2012
6
Manhattan Beach, CA
Thanks, all good advices. I'm in Manhattan Beach. What's the name of your shop, and address while we're at it.
 

Wwabbit

GT Owner
Mar 21, 2012
1,259
Knoxville, TN
If you like, you can start an oil analysis program with the current oil and check it every few hundred miles and at changes. The first check will give you a baseline of particulate types and amounts. Subsequent checks will show you what is on the rise. I use a local Caterpillar engine shop that has an in-house lab. They have sample bottles for free pickup and reports cost $15, with a full spread of metallurgy. It takes several recurring checks to get trends of course. I use it in all my big airplane motors too. I once moved a plane to northern CA for the summer. Brought it back to TN in the fall and the next oil sample showed a spike in silica - desert sand. If your tranny is making metal at an increasing rate you will see it and you might even find the source if you are grinding a particular bushing or bearing surface that can be identified by location. Just a thought.
 

Indy GT

Yea, I got one...too
Mark IV Lifetime
Jan 14, 2006
2,526
Greenwood, IN
Velhaik, Kendall has given you very good advice on strictly sticking to the Ford specified Motorcraft Ford GT Transaxle fluid. It was formulated (and I believe still sourced) by Ricaro, the transaxle design and production group.

And Mullet certainly has a wealth of experience in placing extreme demands on mechanical equipment:biggrin. I would also heed his advice as well.

Change out the fluid to OE, continue to monitor, and DRIVE.
 

Fubar

Totally ****** Up
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Aug 2, 2006
3,979
Dallas, TX
Thanks, all good advices. I'm in Manhattan Beach. What's the name of your shop, and address while we're at it.
Stillen shop is right by the airport. http://www.stillen.com/ They have done some racing with the GT and I suspect they know what they're doing.

I know it sounds like a broken record but there were quite a few threads about different oil fluid options with the GT. Originally the motor oil for the GT was a very special blend that Ford only required for the GT, however they have changed to a more general motor oil now that is recommended for the GT500 as well. Although I have always used the Ford fluids, I think you would be safe changing motor oil to something you like more. The transmission fluid is very special tho. Folks here have seen problems when different trans oil is used and Ricardo has stated that the blend for this transmission has special properties that were not accidental nor easy to come by. I know it is easy to become loyal to a certain brand but in this case I would highly recommend sticking with the Ford OEM fluid. Additionally, Indy GT always brings an insane amount of knowledge to these threads and on the few occasions that he decided to commit to researching and commenting on an issue, you can rest assured that he has left no stone unturned and that his advice is not 'shot from the hip.'
 

Indy GT

Yea, I got one...too
Mark IV Lifetime
Jan 14, 2006
2,526
Greenwood, IN
Thanks for the kind words Mark. I try to do my best and share my mechanical background with our ownership brotherhood. There are however, many other equally talented and very knowledgeable owners who share this special Forum.

After attending Dave's Rally 1 in Detroit and having extraordinary contact time with engineers who were lucky enough to be selected to participate in the FGT program, I became convinced the design team recommendations were very well thought out, researched and the team had tested and collected supporting data for these recommendations. The certification/qualification testing our car went through during development speaks volumes to the final trouble-free supercar product we owners still enjoy now years after production ceased.

When our special 5.4L engine was developed, a new full synthetic Motorcraft 5W-50 oil was simultaneously introduced specifically for the GT application. I realize many owners are passionate about "their" oils and numerous threads discuss the use of using other brands. That's fine, use what you like. Knowing the development testing which went into the Motorcraft fluid GT recommendations is a no-brainer for me and is what I use exclusively. This applies to engine oil and very importantly the transaxle as well. If you have a difficult time finding the specified products, Torrie on our Forum can ship them to you quickly and give you a fair price.

And Mark is correct, when the Motorcraft 5W-50 first came out it was exclusive to the FGT application. Although I do not think the oil properties have been changed, just an increasing scope of applicability. Since 2006, this same oil recommendation has been extended to other Ford high-performance products, GT500 and Boss 302 applications.
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
...when the Motorcraft 5W-50 first came out it was exclusive to the FGT application. Although I do not think the oil properties have been changed, just an increasing scope of applicability. Since 2006, this same oil recommendation has been extended to other Ford high-performance products, GT500 and Boss 302 applications.

I have no knowledge that the motor oil specifications of XO-5W50-QGT have been changed; it seems unlikely that Ford (Motorcraft) would change the specifications yet keep the same part number for the product. In some engineering drawings or specifications, revision letters are added to the part number when changes are made to a part which is interchangeable with the original design. However, I know of no such revision to XO-5W50-QGT, and even it has occurred, it would be an improvement to the specification. For a change to a different formulation which would not include the original application, the part number would have to be changed.

The extension of the application of this oil to the GT500 and Boss 302 applications has only done one thing for Ford GT owners - it has brought the price down significantly due to the larger quantities that must be produced to satisfy the greatly increased vehicle base.