i've heard rumors that the ford 5speed manual was MADE to powershift. (yeah, ok...)

But, considering this is a potentially dangerous/stupid thing to do, i'm curious to how many out there do powershift up/down on this transmittion, where the points of shifting are, and how well it works... sadly my synchromesh isn't the best, so i haven't tried it yet on my 94, but my 89 would do it at 20k/h, 40, 50, and a little over 70... dont know the rpms (no tach - stupid eh?) but it usually took a sec until it synced... also needed a hard push. Not easy to do it on that truck at ALL.....

So post one, post all! Please leave year, engine size, 2 or 4 wheel drive and the points if possible. of course, suggestions, comments and flames are welcome on this subject, and (in this writer opinion) all of its foolishness.....

 

oh sorry, 89 2wd 2.3

 

Whats the point in being lazy? the 2.3 and 5-speed is a good,reliable set-up that would run for several hundred thousand miles.But if your just intent on destroying it,go ahead,but I will get the pleasuse of posting an "I told you so" when I see your name under a post that reads"trans won't stay in gear,or shift smoothly".

 

This has nothing to do with being lazy.

This has to do with a concept of this type of transmittion, that many people in my community have a habit of doing. I agree, it can destroy the tranny, and i have no intentions of doing so, or encouraging others to do the same, or giving YOU the satisfaction of an "I told you so" post. Im only curious to how many out there outside my little town do this. I know. Its stupid. Its lazy, and its wrong. But we're all monkeys anyways. Banana?

lala

 

Actually,I think this feature was made for people who just HAVE to drive around with one foot up their ... But seriously,the syncro's are there to make high-speed,quick shifts possible without grinding gears.

 

They just make it easier to shift without the clutch. Yea, that's my brand of lazy.

 

I think it would be nice to have someone post what the synchros actually do. I'm not an expert but I think the synchros are actually like mini clutches that slip until the two gears are running at the same speed. With the clutch out the two gears can only be going the same speed if the engine is running the right rpm. If I'm wrong will someone correct me? Thanks.

 

the '88 i used to have years ago with a 2.3 2wd s/c body i had overhauled the motor and put a new clutch in at 145,000 miles. about a year and 20,000 miles later a hub releif spring on the clutch plate broke (still dont know why) and a peice of the spring got caught between the clutch disc and the pressure plate. i was 15 miles from home at the time and in-town to boot. i could stop the truck by keeping my foot on the brake with clutch pedal in, but if i put it in neutral i had to shut the motor off to be able to put the transmission in gear. i had no choice but to powershift, and i thought the shifter was going to break from the force i had to use on it. when i took it apart there was the peice of spring, the pressure plate was really scored up. put in another new clutch disc, and drove it to 203,000 miles before i traded it in. never had another problem with clutch/transmission, would not recommend powershifting a ranger tranny, im surprized i didnt tear mine up, i dont know what all would be damaged, but this transmision was not built to take that kind of abuse. i wouldnt try it on my newer ranger either. (probably the same as the '88 ) i dont understand for shure how syncros work, but that sounded like a good discription to me.

 

Ground speed + rpm + gear selection = Go.
A vehicle with a manual tranny is just a numerical equation. You don't need the clutch once you are moving. Getting the feel of it is what takes practice.
AL.

EDIT: You'll find it easier to shift with the rpm dropping rather than increasing. The amount of force required to shove the shifter into gear is not that much when all the numbers line up. Shifting without the clutch is easier in the higher gears.

 

once on a VERY cold day, i found that i had lost almost all pressure in the clutch system. It was about -37C without the windchill

fortunately, i was only a few blocks from home (drinking all night at a buddies ) and had no choice but to powershift as well... yeah, it does take alot of force to do it depending on the condition of the tranny, but it got me home.... a little dot3 down the resavoir and some warmer weather loosened it right up and it was all good again.

a few times i had the opportunity to do this with a 98 4.0 ranger supercab. when it did power shift, it did it with ease. Almost like it was made for it.

I would definately enjoy a post from someone with experience with this type of transmittion, just to "demistify" alot of the hogwash and get a clear, concise concept of what it really is and what one is doing during this practice.

lala

 

My ex was talking about how you have to be an expert at driving to be able to power shift (she was still learning to drive), so before she even finished the sentence I did it. At first she asked if my truck (at the time a '77 Toyota Pickup) was one of those fancy "clutchless manuals". Didn't take much force to do it in that truck. Even less in my Ranger. I tried it once just to see what it felt like compared to the 'yoda and it almost felt like the stick would drop itself into gear when you hit that point.

 

Yeah, I'll do it a few times a year in my TransAm even though I know it's hard on the tranny/clutch/rear end and I've ripped up the springs/rivets on a clutch disk. With the the gas pedal on the floor, I press in the clutch as fast as I can, slam the shifter to the next gear (very hard on tranny syncros and the machined portions of the gear(s) common to the syncro), release the clutch as fast as I can (hard on clutch disk and pressure plate and carrier in the rear end), and enjoy the launch and going sideways . Repeat this when going through a few more gears . Remember, the gas pedal is to the floor the whole time. Don't miss a gear because if you do and if you don't take your foot off the gas FAST, you may float a valve. That valve does funny things when it hits a piston .

As for doing it in my Ranger.............why bother. These trannies are hardly set up or designed for powershifting. For starters, just look at the long throw on that shifter, lol. Since Rangers aren't performance rigs (they are a truck, not a sports car), it just doesn't sound like any fun. Also, the feel of the tranny and shifter does not inspire confidence for powershifting, even if I was thinking about doing it. BTW, the better the tire "hooks up" the harder on the drivetrain it is. I will omit information on sidestepping the clutch too.

 

it depends on what im doing if im lazy yea i will power shift but usualy only between 4th and OD. but if you want to power shift do it less than 3k as the syncro doesnt like to go that fast.

whats "sidestepping" any how? is it ware you duble clutch between gears?