91/4x4/2.9/5 speed/3.55 axles
Ok, so after frying the computer, cleaning and such I got it running again. I changed the tranny fluid, but it is still making the "noise" from the trans main bearing being worn?
Is there a rebuild kit for them, should I go hit junkyard, what trannys will go behind the 2.9, are they inter-changable?
Any and all info would be greatly appreciated, I have searched and searched, but really can't find the answers.
Thanks
Joe
Here is data sheet

 

Personally I'm an advocate of rebuilding your old trans. But it does depend, if they old trans is junked to bad, or has a wear problem into a part that is not replaced during a rebuilt (wear into the case itself for example) then a swap might be better. As a general rule of thumb most the stuff in the junkyard is JUNK. There are rebuild kits. If you aren't driving it anyway, I would suggest tearing it down, taking special care of where parts come from and in what sequence. By tearing it down, you can see what is worn or failed and needs replacement, and you can order everything you need to do it right the first time.

Have you tried replacing the fluid, and did you use the right fluid?

 

Well from what I can find, the noise is common? If so, who has the rebuild parts, would Ford still carry parts for them? Yes I changed the fluid, even added some Lucas as suggested, still noisy,,, soooo, I guess I will be pulling the trans at some point and time here in the near future and seeing what's up.
What other trans would be a direct swap?

 

Crap shoot any way you go. I have gotten very good trans from salvage yards and some not so good. I have had trannies rebuilt that where worse then when I took them in. Buying one from a rebuilder is still a gamble. You don't know how high a quality parts where used or how much effort and pride was but into the rebuild. It is still best to purchase from people you know the chances of getting a warranty issue taken care of is better.

 

How long was the 2.9 used? I may hit a pick-n-pull this week or next, see what is there,,, I haven't really looked that closely at them, but do these trans have a separate bell housing like the NP435's and T18's, where you just match one up to the engine you have?
I think mine decoded as a Mitsubishi?

 

I believe it will be a an AL4D. They are built a little different. The bell housing is the front half of pump housing.

 

OP said he has a 5 speed (manual). The A4LD is an automatic.

 

Oops didn't catch that. check this post out https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...-i-put-in.html

 

The TK-5 in my 84 2.8 4x4 went critical last year, even FINDING one in wrecking yard was near to impossible, let alone was it a good unit...........Bought a rebuilt from a reputable shop and never looked back.

 

check autozone for rebuilds. I had mine making noise (mazda 5sp) turns out the PO had had blown shift rail plugs. Anyhow cost about $700 for the 1st build, then another $500 when OD went out about 40000 miles later. I think the major auto stores have rebuilds for around $900 with a warranty. Not sure about yours however.

 

I will start doing some research, see what I can find,,, is the Mitsu FM146 a good trans, or should I upgrade, or IS there an upgrade?!

 

Don't waste your time with an off the shelf rebuilt unit. Pre-made rebuilds are budget rebuilds. Budget rebuilds only replace what needs to be replaced, so they often lack upgrade parts, and you get a trans that has a lot of parts that have "acceptable" wear. You are better off getting a rebuild kit, and learning how to tackle it yourself, or find a good shop that does in house rebuilds.

 

Were it mine, I would follow Khan's suggestion. If you don't want to do it yourself, remove it and haul it to a local shop. You can see them take it apart and do the inspection, and let you know what parts it needs. Manual transmissions are relatively easy to work on.
Back when time was plentiful and money short, I bought a used transmission from a scrapyard at $/lb price. That and the original were combined, along with some new gaskets, to make a frankenstein transmission that lasted as long as they had the car.
I literally climbed on a pile of scrap iron to find one that looked like the broken one, and hauled it to the scale. I knew the owner/operator, so maybe that was why he'd sell me at 'metal' price. I think the total for the car and transmission was less than $100...
tom

 

Oh, I plan to rebuild it myself, you can't own an old truck (or 5! ) without knowing how to work on them. Where would I look for a rebuild kit?! NAPA?

 

I used google for:
manual transmission rebuild kit Ford Ranger 5-speed

And got hits on e-bay, www.tbrans.com Standard Transmission Parts - Wholesale Transmission - Manual Transmission Gears amazon.com
Online Transmission Parts discount parts, kits, shift kits, coolers ....
I guess NAPA, AutoZone, Advance, Kragen, Shuck, Pep Boys, O'Reilly, and players yet to be named would be valid sources. You might even get one at a Ford dealers parts department... Or the advertisers on this site.
Be prepared for the stink of the gear lube... And check your pilot bearing in the center of the crankshaft. Some have needle bearings, and some have a bushing. Either way, you want there to be enough lube, but not too much.
Many times you can narrow down the noise source to the main input shaft bearing or the gears themself. In neutral, engine running, the input shaft is spinning, and everything else is stationary, so if noisy then, the bearing is the likely culprit. There is also a needle bearing or bushing at the rearward end of the input shaft. It can be noisy in neutral, but would be quiet in 4th gear as it would be locked to the output shaft.
The output shaft main bearing would be noisy coasting down the road in neutral.
I suspect the gear that would show the most noise would be 1st gear rather than the others if it was a gear tooth problem. The layshaft or counter gear turns all the time in neutral and every other gear, as it is powered by the input shaft. It would not be turning coasting down the road in neutral. FWIW.
tom