[Indyjones]

Hi there. Here's my question. I heard that the 99 Cobra has the T45 Transmission compared to another one for the 2001 model year. Is that true? I know that the GT had a change in midyear 2001, so for the first half of 2001, the GT's had the older one and from then on they had a new one. I'm wondering if the Cobra also got a new Tranny midyear or if all 2001 Cobra's have the new one? What's the advantage over the 99 Model? Any input is much appreciated! Thanks. I'm in the process of looking for a Cobra, so I need to know what year is better. Thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Indy

[COBRA90GT]

Correct, '99s had the T-45 and the '01s came with the TR-3650. Also, the '01 GTs received TR-3650s sometime in Feb (or Mar) of '01 and onward....

http://www.ttcautomotive.com/English...ts/TR-3650.asp

[20Cobra01]

I believe cobras also made a switch half way through the year. Maybe someone else has more info. My buddy has an 01 with an early build date and he has a T45. There was also a change half way through the year on the styles of water pumps.

[Indyjones]

So is the T45 a bad choice? I test drove a 2001 Cobra last week and it had a good and easy to modulate clutch...soooo much better than the 2001 GT's I test drove....is that because it had the new tranny or are the clutches on all Cobras easier to use compared to the GT's unrelated to the tranny. Thanks, Indy.

[COBRA90GT]

Originally Posted by 20Cobra01

I believe cobras also made a switch half way through the year. Maybe someone else has more info. My buddy has an 01 with an early build date and he has a T45. There was also a change half way through the year on the styles of water pumps.

Wow, that's strange. This is the first time I have heard of someone with an '01 snake who had a T-45 installed from the factory (not saying it isn't possible, it's just contrary to all of the information I have come across on Mustang sites).
Do you know his build date by chance? I wonder if they had a shortage of TR-3650s when his cobra was being built/assembled... It would explain why the T-45 was mated to his '01.

[20Cobra01]

Cobra90GT, I know he has an earlier build date, not sure what though. He did buy the car used so who knows what someone could have done to it..... I will never trust the dealership he bought it from. Does anybody know for sure if all 01 cobras have the 3650?

[SVTCobra2001]

All the 01' Cobra's should have come with crappy 3650. They are notorously weak in the shift fork area. There is a TSB for them. They used Alum. Forks compared to steel in other cars. I guess Ford thought it would save in weight. Ahh. No.. The older un revised T-3650 was not a good tranny. The T-45 really was not better. Weak gears. The T-45 was a slightly worked over T-5 when it came to strength. All the old Mustangers know how well 2nd stood up to power in the T-5.. I am glad we went to the T-56. I wish they would have them built to the Viper standards though. Much stouter internals.

[wbpo]

TECHNICAL
Shifting Evolution
TTC-Tremec’s new TR3650 5-speed combines the shift-ability of the production T45 with the durability of the legendary TR3550
By Donald Farr

When the Bullitt Mustang hit the streets in 2001, there's no arguing that the car had all the right elements for a specialty Mustang – more horsepower, muscular looks, and a lot of neat trim to differentiate it from the regular Mustang GTs. Less obvious, and just barely mentioned in Ford press release literature, is the fact that the Bullitt models were the first Mustangs equipped with TTC-Tremec’s new TR3650 5-speed transmission.

Designed to replace the T45, the TR3650 was the first production-based 5-speed to come out of the merger between Borg-Warner, manufacturer of the T45, and Tremec, a company best known in the Mustang world for its aftermarket Tremec 3350 (including the legendary TKO version) 5-speeds. "In general, the TR3650 represents an evolution of design from several sources," explained TTC’s Kevin Ryan. "With the T45’s T5-similar heritage from Borg-Warner and the Tremec TR3550’s track-proven durability, the design philosophies were combined in the TR3650 to provide extended durability with refined shift-ability and quiet operation." After the TR3650 5-speed’s production debut in the Bullitt Mustang at mid-year 2001, the new transmission also became the standard gearbox in all Mustang GTs and Cobras. It’s also a tremendous upgrade for owners of 1996 to early 2001 Mustangs, especially for the older cars that may be in need of a new transmission and, of course, for performance enthusiasts who require a stouter 5-speed for drag racing or spirited driving.

The TR3650 was designed as a drop-in replacement for the T45, requiring only minor modification to the back-up lamp switch pigtail in electronic speedometer 1999-to-present models because there is no gear-drive speedo in the TR3650.

The new TR3650 incorporates a number of design improvements, including its 360 lb/ft. torque capacity compared to the T45’s 325 lb./ft. This was accomplished primarily by the increase in the center distance from 81mm to 85mm. The TR3650 also provides an increase in synchronizer capacity, with a fully synchronized, constant-mesh , reverse gear train that produces a much more durable and smoother shifting operation over the double-disconnect T45 design, which produced in-consistent shift loads and block-outs. The TR3650s new multi-rail shift linkage, while retaining the track durability of the TR3550, has been refined to provide the enhanced shiftability delivered in the T45. Utilizing state-of-the-art materials, the overall TR3650 package provides increased durability and smoother shifting with lower effort operation.




Adopting TTC’s "Fill for Life" philosophy, the TR3650 uses premium synthetic ATF ( Mobil1 ) as the factory oil fill, as opposed to the Dexron III used in the T45. This change is an improvement that demonstrates TTC’s long-term durability focus for its products.

By taking the best of Borg-Warner’s T45 and the strength of the TR3550, TTC-Tremec has created a production 5-speed that offers both smooth shifting on the street and speed-shifting durability for the track. It’s a great upgrade, not only for 2002 4.6 Mustangs but also as a T45 replacement in earlier models. –MP


Not all '01 Mustangs got the new TR3650 tranny. The easy way to find out if a Mustang is fortified with 3650 goodness is to kneel down and look for the drain plug on the bottom of the tranny. The plug on a T45 is located on the side.



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