Fordnatics List Archive

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Mail From: (email redacted)

Hello Fordnatics,

I'm a recent list-member and I've been lurking for about a month now.
I am the proud owner of a 94 Mustang Cobra. This is my first new car,
and my first 'Muscle Car'. Now, I've been bitten by the torque bug.
I LOVE it!!! I am interested, like many of you, in cost-effective,
non-warranty-voiding, smog-legal (I'm in California) performance mods.
I want to keep the car naturally aspirated and I want to keep those F-
bodied cars on their toes. I am looking for suggestions on what to
start with. From what I've read so far on this list and some
magazines is that the rear-axle ratio is a good place to begin. I'm
seriously considering swapping in a 3.55 setup. I'm not an expert
mechanic, but I don't mind getting greasy. I'd like to know what this
swap entails. I've figured out that you need the pinion and ring. Do
you also need a gear to keep the speedo accurate? Can I do this
myself or with a friend? Should I have it done professionally? I'd
appreciate any advice or pointers to other resources. Eventually, I'd
like to have the car set up like the GT-40 package that SVO is setting
up for the 94's minus the Aluminum heads since I already have GT-40
iron heads and other goodies. What else (besides money ) will I
need to reach my goal?

Is it normal to have problems engaging reverse? I've tried holding
the clutch in for about 5 seconds, but sometimes it still doesn't want
to engage. So then I just go through the gears and then it will
engage reverse. It's had the problem (if its a problem) since it was
new. Also, third gear is whiney (none of the others are) and the Ford
'service advisor' said that it was because Ford 'beefed up' third
because it was a weak spot in previous years. Should it sound any
different than the other gears?

Thanks Fordnatics!
-Eric Solorio
(email redacted)
Bone stock (for now) 94 Mustang Cobra
GO (UCLA) BRUINS!!!

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: chucko (Chuck Fry)

Unless you're a fanatic about doing all the work yourself, I'd let a pro
install the ring and pinion. Not only does this require special tools,
but failure to get it exactly right will cause the R&P to wear out
prematurely.

You will need to change the speedo gears. I'm not sure what drive gear
Ford puts in the new Mustang T5s. If it's the 8-tooth gear, the
available driven gears will not hold up. You'll have to swap the drive
gear (which involves partial disassembly of the transmission) and the
driven gear, or use a reducer box in the speedo cable. If it's the old
7-tooth drive gear, swapping driven gears is a piece of cake.

Your tranny complaints are par for the course. Reverse is not
synchronized! Selecting a forward gear before you shift into reverse is
a good idea. And mine has whined in 3rd for a very long time, with no
other symptoms. It's still going strong at 135K miles.
-- Chuck

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: (email redacted)

>Is it normal to have problems engaging reverse? So then I just go through
the gears and >then it will engage reverse.

I had the same problem with my '93 cobra. I talked to a friend of mine that
does service for Ford and he said to shift into 1st then goto rev and it
should go right in. It does on mine.

jim bixby
(email redacted)