AWD Twin Engine Fiesta

[Ivu04]

I did notice that the reverse light sensor was broken. Looked like the crimp around the plastic sensor body cracked and came apart. Seemed like fluid had been leaking from that port for some time. That might also have to do with it.

This guy had the same issue. Its a ford focus mk3 1.6 so should be the same gearbox!!

He shows that 5th is the first gear to go out, but it sounds like your gearbox is dry of oil...

 

[PapaJim13]

Yeah mine's scrap metal there's no doubt.

 

[PapaJim13]

My fiesta's recently been having some shifting problems. Shifts just peachy when the engine's off but it's near impossible to get it in any gear sometimes when it's on. I know the clutch isn't disengaging completely so I'll need to do a clutch job soon. I feel like the clutch itself is fine, but maybe there's a small leak in the slave cylinder or something, best to replace all when I'm in there. I'm decently good at rev matching and that helps and I need to almost float gears upshifting to help me even get it in gear. Those RPMs have to be damn near perfect.

Couple questions though. Can I drive it like this for the next week? I'll have enough time next weekend to drop the trans but I drive to work and class every day. I just don't want to break a second trans. Will shifting like this kill my synchros?

 

[Handy Andy]

A trick I do is to rev to a point - like say your RPM gauge is best for this... a given level of steps per gear - with the lowest gear needing the most concerns - and a level of patience - for the "Distance" the RPM needle revs up, it also must come down.

I did a graphic some time ago to help someone else that had a Manual Fiesta.

I posted it in this thread...
https://www.fordfiesta.org/threads/...g-a-used-2019-fiesta-s-manual.8952/post-24518
'Now, maybe this is a but much to know but the lower end of the shifting - to put the shifter into the next gear without using a clutch - is the key to keeping your syncros...

The keys to this are in the numbers...you can read the manual and it'll tell you focus on the speed to shift into the next gear...

OK, that's great, but who has time these days to read the speedo in traffic when you can LISTEN to the engine Rev and then make the shift?

Hmm...The best method I found was to bring the 1st Gear revs up to about 2.5K to 3K and easing off the pedal and let the RPM fall down to about 1.5K or 1.9K as your speed drops so will the window to engage the syncro - so the issue really is getting the engines' revs down fast enough in those lower gears (the trick here is this vehicle is a DBW a Drive By Wire which if you've ever speed shifted a car with a direct-cable to the throttle you used the throttle plate as a means to "grab air" and help the engine find a working load RPM to let your effort in shifting; by either push or pull, and letting the revs the motor does on that syncros effort on the spin of the crankshaft - helps the up or down to find that window.

Unfortunately Fords approach - with DBW the RPMs are "goverened" by the PCM following it's emission profiles so the RPM drop change is different. So dead stop starting takes the longest to shift due to need of the speed up RPM and it's required drop to get up into the next gear for it's range, and then as you gain that speed the Gearing gets closer making the need for "drastic RPM Changes" is far less. It's easier on you to work your way up the RPM scale to finally the higher-end gears like 4th and th5 are shifted with little pulses to the pedals position much like the older cabled throttle is less and less increments of power.

Remember too your forcing this response to the PCM and it's DBW system. So - you know that by feel of the pedal and by the pull-tug or push-engage effort needed to make the transmission go into or come out of gear and into the next one - you know that is what you describe as the "narrow window" - which if you had a cabled throttle plate instead - the air intake you can control to a higher degree to make the engine feather the air to act as a "sponge" so it can work as both the engines' RPM brake and help the syncro use the ability of you to push the syncro and feather the throttle open at the same time to speed the engine up or down to help find that window to engage the syncro and get the gear in.

I know this sounds long, but if you do this on a regular basis - the effort becomes natural and although it is not perfect, the effort is still possible - I do it and it's done by me as an instinct as a reaction to the traffic flow. Takes some time so be gentle - speed shifting can be done quickly and even faster than using the clutch to try and make the spin up or down the gear box needs to make. By using the syncro to do this, with the smaller changes in the RPM to let the gearbox use the syncro, and the RPM you're throttling to up or down to - help the gearbox spin at the right speeds needed to open the window and let the gear mesh.

I also find that FORD IB5 transmission and is B6 style too, use MASSIVE amounts of metal - so switching the gears means that syncro uses itself as the means to force the spin up or down; placing all the torque it has on those gears acting like a brake or centrifuge to spin ALL those gears to make just one gear line up.

I came from a Scion to this, so having the Toyota tranny - I noticed their technology was different but the concepts weren't - so they keep the gearbox light which kept the syncros simpler and having to need less torque to spin up or down - make shifting the whole mess far easier and even after 209,000+ miles - the clutch was still original - so no worries on the clutch side, just the Fords weight of the gears, their mass - affects the way the syncro uses your effort to spin that shaft up or down to mesh that gear you want next.

Have to go, will post more soon...

Adding in...

There are several threads people discuss the changes they want to make to the gearbox, and to be honest, they are all great suggestions but the problem lies in the Engineering needs the maker placed on the car - being mostly the emissions and having enough power to move the car - both Manual and the Automatic side.

Here's one dealing with Tire size and how the output of the gearbox into that Ring and Pinion gearing affects the speed...
https://www.fordfiesta.org/threads/tire-size.9166/post-25442

The Differential (Ring) gear and it's pinion are what I'm talking about. They put a 4.15 to 1 ratio in instead of the Autos 3.8 or 3.7 to 1 gearing on the Pinion to Ring - which RAISES the lower end of the RPM scale in the IB5 gearbox to mesh - so pretty much the speedo is your relative speed indication, but the RPM and shifting the PCM is working the best with, starts at about 1.5K and goes up from there, with the emissions controls, placing the bottom RPM working threshold at about 1,500 RPM for every gear - meaning you can mesh to any gear with it's typical "bump to start" speed of 1,500 RPM for the PCM in programmed to try and drop RPMs to and below that level as long as the Fuel to Air mixtures are not too rich. As you speed shift up in range to the next gear - you'll see the 1.5K RPM mesh part comes up a lot as you drive in moderate traffic and it's speeds (30 - 45MPH as an example) When you rev too high for that gear, you have a harder time letting the RPMs fall to meet the timing needed to the next shfit up window - so the 1.5K RPM shift up drop point seems to work the best.

Putting on the AC and speed shifting - the effect is more pronouced, because the LOADING on the engine the AC makes, drops the RPM faster so using AC might help you gain confidence and help you with the timing-by-feel thresholds more effectively.

Then as you drive normally - the speed shift effort becomes more natural so the need to force the RPM drop wait time, that need, becomes less and less of an issue because you learn to apply and trim out the acceleration in the anticipation of throttle to speed window - then backing off the throttle, pull the stick out, let the RPM drop and push the stick into the next gear - effort and timing becomes more desired simply due to it being easier than to work the clutch and having to tolerate it's grab makes the change in speed almost herky-jerky like the clutch is rusty and grabs too easily.

In fewer words, take it easy and learn the timing by the feel of the stick then work the throttle - on this motor it needs more time to "wind down" due to it's Drive By Wire - trust your instincts - you'll get it - be patient.

 

[PapaJim13]

Thank you! I'll use this as a guide as I try to drive it this week. I feel like I'll need to drive it much slower than I usually do, only dropping the revs 1500 ish for every shift. I usually shift around 4-4.5k when accelerating. I've floated gears a while ago a few times successfully but it will be interesting to need to float. I was always scared to ruin it by shifting without the clutch but if I get good, it could be the new way to shift. Trial by fire I guess.

 

[SyntheticAtmosphere]

Keeping your revs low, will help with rev matching. Its much easier with big diesels. High grinding noises form trans means you are far out of range for successful engagement...low is close, but no cigar.
Also remember, you are balancing engine speed and road speed. Just as much as the engine can be in the right spot, the road speed might not.

 

[PapaJim13]

Drove to class and shifted according to the diagram (very helpful thank you) and only a few missed shifts but most went right in/close to right in.

Hell yea thanks!

 

[Handy Andy]

You'll find the "Bump speed" on the Rev RPM side, the starting (That idle to warm up speed when it's cold) and high-idle speed - is where this bump speed is - this is where the throttle plate moves to let "only this much air" in. So that is the typical "fall point" the thing tries to drop to as you shift from one gear to the next.

I've been working on some hacks that work for me when it comes to this type of shifting - on to and including a spacer used in the clutch pedals rest point to set up the clutch pedal, and it's plunger to be what I call - short clutch - where the clutch actuates the slave cylinder (clutch itself) sooner than the stock version. To me; it is why many grow tired of having to lift their leg and press it back down that pumping action - where much of the upper throw is wasted motion.

Toyota and several other makes and models (Even Fords own Aspire) of older times that had used Standard transmissions also had an adjustable rod to make the clutch work more comfortably and keep the driver from suffering fatigue in traffic jams. You set the clutch rod to the right point so that your leg relaxed to a position and the spring lever and it's force counteracted against it, generating a rest point - you set your clutch to be disengaged at this point so you're not dragging it and wearing it out.

I call this short clutch because your lazy leg, being the one that does the clutch - is not able to rest to keep you balanced behind the wheel. Forcing you to hold yourself using other means possible, this is the fatigue I'm talking about - all the other manuals in my years of driving had some form of adjustment you can make to keep one foot working and the other set to balance so you didn't shift or fade out trying to get out of town at the 5'-o'clock rush hour.

So although I'm not proud to admit it, I did do something similar to the Fiesta's Clutch stopper and used Elevator bolts and washers to make a spacer - and then trimmed the "idle up" plunger to allow the shift in clutch to raise the idle speed, but able to return to normally in position and not idle up. This also helps as you press in the pedal, disengage the clutch to let you shift easier instead of adjusting that rod you don't have any option to in the Fiesta, you adjust the seat position to handle that "resting point" for your leg.

 

[PapaJim13]

When pulling my axles, I’m having a bunch of fluid leak from where the axle is inserted to the trans. Is this normal? Was the trans just overfilled and leaking excess now?

 

[PapaJim13]

Also tips on removing a stuck driver side cv axle? I know it snaps into the trans but none of my sophisticated techniques are working haha

 

[Handy Andy]

This may sound weird but usually that CV joint needs to be turned 1/4 turn once it's been pulled out to it's first stop - as in all the slack into the differential side (the spline side) is taken out - then 1/4 turn then you should be able to prybar case-to-inner axle flange to release the snap rings - they just have to be equaled out (squared) so they can squeeze then pop out.

So if you have not done so - place some weight back on the lower control arm to help press the axles splines back to equalize pressures - so the snap rings can rotate - spin the wheel a few revolutions then try (lower control arm raised slightly to take the weight off that axle) and pull out; that take-up-slack, then pry, then 1/4 turn then pry again trick - see if that helps. IT may be the angle and weight the axle has that keep it in, holds fast to the splines and snap rings - they're too tightly bound to release. Doesn't like itself to be tilted or torqued when it's off-axis. That 1/4 turn helps keep those snap rings to splines aspect squared to each other.

 

[PapaJim13]

I ended up just tying a strap to it and a hammer and just swung in the air until it popped out. Won’t hurt it that I didn’t do the 1/4 turn right?

 

[Handy Andy]

Nope - you're ok, sorry to hear the axle got stuck i the first place - but for future reference - the swinging it in the air part might prove more helpful...

That 1/4 turn was for the pry bar at the casing - you took some chances with the axle flying apart but when the weight is off the outer end of the axle the removal effort with the splines and snap rings do a lot less damage - sounds like you got it right - just the method was a little unorthodox.

• I've seen others use slide hammers onto roller dollies having the axles strapped to trunks of trees to use momentum to pull the axle off. Not just the Fiesta does this problem occur - many a FWD transaxle refused to release the axle and required this type of drastic emergency surgery to remove that stubborn inner spline.

Most of the time you want the casing side to stay intact and not elongate when the axle gets removed so the case stays within form and the new one and it's seal integrity remains - so the if the snap rings refuse to budge they just need to have the axle turned to let the splines and snap rings clear out and reseat - so what you did in a way solved the physical part due to the weight of the thing hanging off the case

 

[SyntheticAtmosphere]

You might be able to find a spec for the spacing of the open end of the c clip before re installing the shaft. Usually found in factory repair manuals.
You can also sometimes purchase a new clip.

 

[PapaJim13]

I got it all put back together today and it works! Hardest auto repair job I've done myself so far. The feel of the clutch pedal is slightly off though. I purchased the lux kit on rockauto so it should be identical. I used the harbor freight vacuum bleeder to bleed the clutch and I ended up flushing it as well. No visible air bubbles but there's probably half the pedal weight as before but the clutch seems to be grabbing right in the middle of the stroke as it should. I had the clutch line pointed down at some point during the repair and I'm thinking there may be an air bubble in the master cylinder as the fluid in the tube may have leaked out. It just feels different but I'm positive it disengages completely as I ran it on jack stands quite a bit before I put it on the ground again so the wheels were free. I might have a shop take a look at it but if it works it works.