Technical Everything was hunky-dory until -

Oh I didn't know it was a T-5. Lippy

 

Sounds like the throwout bearing might have hung up momentarily? Glad it's back to normal

 

Hmmmm, I've read and been told " If it has Tits or Wheels, some Problems will happen" My life's experience has been, True Statement. LOL.

 

Some of the clutch cables don't have liners in them. It is possible for the cable to hang up. I try to use oem Ford units as they used to have a liner. That may not be the case now. You didn't say it killed the engine. If it was in 2 gears or a brake problem, it would have stopped the engine. Short of the clutch not engaging, there's not much else that would allow that on an intermittent basis. If your shifter had a problem, you would have felt nothing when you moved it. if you felt resistance, you would have been moving a gear. Because you said forward and reverse, and that's different directions, the chance of a pin coming out of 2 shifter rods at the same time is slim. Besides, it wouldn't have worked normally after that. I've never seen a throwout bearing hang on the collar before but it could happen. The alum. snout has been known to break and cause problems. Shine a light in the cable hole on the bellhousing and see what there is.

 

2 gears at once comes to mind. Were you on a slight incline when you parked? I had a Muncie that would do that of course at the worst possible moments.

 

If the clutch was the problem, the RPMs should have risen with no forward motion. If the RPMs lugged down when the clutch was being released, then the problem was from the trans on back. I won't say it's impossible, but if I remember right, the design of the T-5 shift interlock makes 2 gears at once pretty difficult. The brake hose is a possibility, but I would also be tempted to pull the drums and look for anything that may have popped loose.

 

Again, I have experienced stacking gears in the past but this is not what happened, the car wouldn't move in any gear, the clutch worked fine as did the shiftier, the clutch cable was replaced last year with a summit Racing HD lined cable.

Actually I was on a incline.

This is the strangest hick up I have ever experienced with any car, I am home now after driving roughly 170 trouble free miles since the problem. HRP

 

Busted a tooth in the diff? Anything noisier than it was before?

Freed up the piece and now it all rotates happily again?

 

Have an emergency brake in the rear drums but don't use it? Your emergency cables are hanging up because you unloaded and loaded the car which pulled the cables. They will self energize some. Adjust looser and should be fine.

 

Since you were on a slight incline, I’d assume it was left in gear when parked?
So when you started it foot went on the brake and you depressed the clutch and put it on gear. Then let off the brake and released the clutch.
If the car didn’t try to edge backwards in my mind that eliminates the clutch cable hanging up.
Just my thoughts. If it happens again and on a slight incline, leave it in gear, shut the engine off and open the door. See if you can depress the clutch with your right foot and push the car backwards with your left foot on the ground. If you can then I’d think drive train. If not I’d think brake issue/clutch-maybe.
But let’s hope it doesn’t happen again

 

I love it when a plan comes together.

 

I’m going with brakes locked up for some reason.

 

Randy passed you a joint!------Haaaa!

 

I love it when stuff fixes itself!

 

I'll get the car up on jack stands next week and check out the brake shoes and the emergency brake cables.

I'll let you know what I find or don't. HRP

 

Nah... not me. That's the crap that sets you up for getting stranded during a Hollywood rain storm at night.

 

I had this happen too, it was a delaminated brake shoe. Sometimes it was fine, sometimes it didn’t want to move. Then one day the right rear wheel locked up while leaving the neighborhood. Had to drive home in reverse. Check your brake shoes for delamination

 

I had a front brake on the Lincoln brakes that would lock up or drag occasionally, only way to free it was let the bleeder open and let pressure off. I thought it was a line collapsing holding pressure , but it didn’t happen all the time. Turned out to be the shoe was sliding off the upper ledge and sticking, holding the brake on. I dabbed up a washer to go under the mounting pin to extend the shoe travel just enough it didn’t stick. Replacing the shoes was the final solution, the thicker linings were enough to keep it from extending too far. I had never ran into this, where the shoe moved beyond its support.

 

I wouldn't lean towards the cable being the issue, because you can feel it in the pedal if they are stretching or stuck, but maybe the pressure plate isn't disengaging? Not likely since it magically fixed itself, but that'd be more in line with the issue than the cable.

I'm betting a snap ring or bolt came loose internally, possibly a shift fork is bent or a blocker ring is damaged causing the transmission to not engage the gear even though the shifter lever was in gear and felt normal. It could have just bound up for a second, then freed itself after you restarted.

I'd encourage you to drain, flush, and refill the transmission before pulling the whole thing out. Inspect the old stuff, and use some good stuff inside. I prefer Royal Purple for transmissions, transfer cases, and differentials.

 

I have experienced the raised pads on the backing plates worn to were the brake shoe gets hung on a lip and hangs the brake shoe applied. I am talking about were the brake shoes rest against the 3 spots for each shoe. It took a while to figure out but the shoes were hung on the outside of a worn groove in the backing plate. its worth a look...

 

Never go to a show without a buddy, who has a chain. One way or another, your going to make it home.

 

OK guys, the wagon has been on jack stands since last weekend, I have pulled the rear drums and everything looks good, I checked the emergency/park brake cables, they too work as they should. I checked all the flexible brake hoses, no problems there.

I drained the T5 transmission and and found nothing that would indicate any problem there, I refilled it with fresh Dextron 11 transmission fluid.

I drove the car to Greenville last night and everything seems fine. I am at a loss to what caused the problem. HRP

 

Maybe the brake shoe's were stuck to the drum's for some unknown, mystical reason. Whatever it was, I hope it never happens to you again.

 

He told us not to say anything, Danny. I'll post the video. It's so funny. You were like, what the heck...
Superman was squatting down behind your car hanging onto your bumper, trying not to laugh!

 

Why thank you. No one has ever called me Superman before

 

Gotta call you something. We've called you everything else.

 

HRP, I think the old Ranch Wagon was reminding you that the Lady should be handling the driving chores ! LOL. Hope y'all had a great time.