New to the forums, first autocross! help!

[DrivenSVT]

I have a couple friends to autocross their Foci and talked me into buying one as a daily driver. I picked up in 03 SVT 5door with 140k. After replacing three wheels two wheel bearings and tires, It seems to be good. I took it out for its first autocross this weekend. What a blast to drive! This thing is great but I have one issue so far. A couple of the runs I couldn't find second gear, it just didn't exist. I wound up shifting to third and then back to second but it didn't work each time. For DD duty, it works fine.

I noticed an insert on the shifter at the trans that looks like it's broken or missing a chunI. Kind of a rectangular teflon insert. Is this a replaceable/available part?

Next AX is on the 19th and I'd like to fix it before then.

[Sponsor]

[tukaniSVT]

First off, to the forum.

Yes the part is replaceable. I believe CFM has it. CLICKY HERE FOR LINK.

Have you changed the Tranny fluid in the SVT since you picked it up? That will also help with a better smooth transition on shifts.

Also, have you checked the Lower Motor mount, is it still stiff or mushy? That will effect the motor moving from the tranny a bit, be surprised how that little bit of movement can effect you in AutoX.

Congrats on the SVTF, and good luck and enjoy AutoX. We all here, fully enjoy it.

-Ray-

[tukaniSVT]

Also, keep it as stock as possible, the SVTF is a great contender in H-Stock.

-Ray-

[DrivenSVT]

Thanks for the link. I'm planning to stay H stock. Carl @ Massive will be hooking me up with Koni's. Yes, the mounts r mushy and the shifter rattles like a mofo in first gear. I got the car for a good price so I shouldn't be too surprised to put a few bucks in it. Clutch was done last september and it shows synthetic fluid on the receipt.

How about the chatter? TB chatters when disengaged but goes away with a tap of the pedal. Is this a dual mass trait?

The motor ticks a bit once warm. Is this normal? It doesn't seem to effect much but seemed louder in LH sweepers. Oil level is spot on.

[ViperThreat]

Beginners mistake with the SVT when shifting hard is to confuse reverse with 1st gear. First time I tracked my car, I downshifted from third to second, and couldnt get in.. Turned out i was just pushing a bit to hard to the left. That could be it.

As for the chatter, thats a stock clutch thing, I thought they took care of that with the newer clutches, but maybe they didnt. Most guys I know with the OE clutches dont have the problem anymore.

[tukaniSVT]

Yeah, my first tranny had some chatter noise, then when I got it replaced with another OEM one, I haven't really heard it since. I changed it at 126K when it blew and I am now at 168K ... still running strong through all of my hard pushing in AutoX.

I dont know about confusing 1st with Reverse. Pretty hard to do since their is a gate that you have to put some force on to get it into Reverse.

I do agree that you have to learn how the gears are made in the slots, because it does take a bit of time to get use to as any manual tranny. I also had a hard time doing quick shifts with my first go around with the focus.

But in AutoX, you really don't need to shift that fast, it's really more about timing and when to shift into 2nd.

-Ray-