Hi folks,
Dad has owned a 1995 Ranger STX 4.0L 5MT for probably 15 years and gave it to me last year. It now has 148,000 with the original clutch. It's been fine all these years (except a dashboard light that is too big of a PITA to replace) but is starting to develop some shifting problems.
I have some experience with sports cars, but none with trucks. So lets give this a go:

- I have a lot of trouble getting it into the first gear gate. It feels like it's blocked, and the force required to get it into the gate feels like it might actually break the shift lever first. All other gears are easy to get into. Never grinds this gear, it's just a hassle shoving it in.

- Sometimes it will not go into R. It is not the same "blocked gate" feeling as with 1st, rather it actually grinds when engaging, even though I am standing on the clutch. I will pause and pump the clutch a bit, cross my fingers, and it eventually works. But this has disaster written all over it - I am either going to be stranded or replacing a transmission if I do not get this checked out ASAP.

Both problems are less than a few months old, and when they started, were very sporadic. Frequency is building so it's time to act.

I am going to take it in to some shop for the 150K service. I don't know exactly what's scheduled here, but I will do a full transmission fluid change if it's not.
I will also take it to a transmission specialist for a clutch job.
Any favorite transmission fluid?
Does it make sense to try that - the full service + fluid change - before the clutch job? Or one before the other?

Just wondering if any of you have similar shifting experiences. I am pleased that we've managed 150K on the standard clutch, so this is not too heart-breaking.

When doing the job, I plan on doing everything in there - pressure plate, disk, throw-out-bearing, master slave, etc. Anything else I should consider? Are there any favorite clutch kits out there? As long as it meets OE specifications then I am fine with aftermarket, no need to pay more for Ford parts. But 150K is quite impressive! Saw a few OE kits online for $150-200ish which included all of the aforementioned parts.
Here are two:
http://www.carpartsdiscount.com/auto...ml?3593=116688
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/de...I31-12059.html

I also want to tighten up the shifter. Any bushings or shifter parts worth replacing at the same time (even though probably accessed from the top)?
Anything else to look out for in general while doing this work/service other than what's scheduled?
I pray it's not the synchros.

Any and all help appreciated. Thanks!

 

Don't be so fast to dismiss Ford as your parts supplier. They can be competitive on the price and you know the quality is superior.

Check the owner's manual for transmission oil specification.

Both of my Ford's that have over 150,000 miles have automatics and the one with a manual transmission only has 80,000 miles so I don't have any clutch or shifting issues that would answer your question.

I think that 150,000 is not that much mileage anymore. Ford builds some superior quality vehicles, IMO.

 

I haven't dismissed Ford parts yet. As I said, I am pleased with how it held up this long. Don't know the price yet of an OEM replacement, so just curious if others in this situation if have gone with another manufacturer and were happy.

Any idea what this should all cost at an indy shop? I read some threads here quoting $800ish for the clutch job. No idea what the 150K service entails.
It's my first time having anything done to this truck other than an oil change.

Thanks again.

 

First off, I'll say that my little Ranger has 135,000 on it and I'm not looking at replacing the clutch. HOWEVER you may be right on the money with the tranny fluid. The biggest killer of the 5 speeds is that the transmission level is NOT kept up by the user. They use automatic tranny fluid in most of the 5 speeds. Being an '86, you may have the Mitsubishi tranny which does take auto tranny fluid. The problem with these as they age and if it isn't watched is that over time the low vicosity fluid will seep out. Check that first. Secondly it doesn't sound like your clutch is fully dis-engaging which may be because of the hydraulic slave cylinder which has a reservoir up by the master cylinder. Again, make sure it is up to level. If you can, check out someone else' Ranger of the same time frame and compare the shifting and clutch action on it.

IF you do end up replacing the clutch, it's smart to replace all you have noted above. 3 places I've talked to around here are talking an ~$800 job with parts included. Much of the bill is labor. Maybe you can get them to combine the 150K Service and the clutch replacement for a combined savings.. some shops will do that. Oh, and +1 on the Ford parts.. There are some very good aftermarket parts, but if you are planning to keep the truck, if you get it serviced by Ford with Ford parts, mostly they are then guaranteed for life.

 

^ Thanks for the reply.

Reservoir is full. I will take it to a transmission shop and have them check the fluid level first and go from there.
If I fix the grinding R problem with fluid or a clutch replacement, will that solve the stubborn first gear as well? Or should I also look at a shift linkage/bushing replacement?

 

Mitsubishi transmissions use gear oil, Mazda transmissions use ATF.

To the OP, sounds like the master, slave or combination of both including air in the system isn't allowing the clutch to fully disengage.

When pulling the trans it's somewhat best to go ahead and replace the slave regardless. The Ford/ Motorcraft unit is by far the the superior part, not too many have had good luck with the chain store brands. Some have had ok luck with NAPA, but it's universal the Motorcraft part is the one.

Josh

 

Bullit, my toyokyogo{Mazda} in my 85 uses regular gear lube, 84w-90?, so I'd be hesitant to make such a blanket statement.

The problem getting into 1st gear may be due to a worn blocking ring {synchro} or cone. If the ring/cone pair is worn, the gears will try to engage before the gears spin up to speed. The grinding going into R is normal if you don't take the time to let the gears spin down from running in neutral. If the gears were not spinning, as in you were in another gear, and shifting to R causes grinding, either the clutch is not releasing completely or there is VERY little friction in the gears, and they are spinning up from the almost imperceptible friction of the clutch with the pressure plate.
If you don't drive the truck daily, you can have the pressure plate 'freeze' to the clutch disk, and make getting into any gear with the engine running almost impossible. I've had that happen, and think it is caused by a light coating of rust on the pressure plate/flywheel dragging the clutch disk. Putting the transmission in gear with the engine off, and then starting it has broken it loose successfully.
I am not sure why you are replacing the clutch. If the clutch starts to engage relatively close to the floor, rather than at the end of its travel, and the clutch doesn't slip if you give it full throttle in, say, 4th gear, replacing it will not change any thing else.
If the slave or master need replacement to get full clutch release, then, for the slave, you are spending all the money on labor to almost equal that for a full replacement, so it makes sense to me. If it is the master, I'd hold off on the clutch replacement.
tom

 

The Toyo transmissions are not the "Mazda" trans... The Mazda is the M5OD-R1 and Mazda M5OD-R2

The early trans are always referred to as the Toyo Kogyo to avoid confusion which is what you are doing.

Joah

 

Check with FORD for the lubricant to the transmission. Even so the cause of many of the ODs and thereby failures of the manual transmissions can be attributed to low tranny lubricant. I'm not talking about abuse, just normal use of them.

Please let us know what you find.

 

Bullit: What ever. Toyo Kyogo IS Mazda. Your preferred nickname is one thing, but the transmission I refer to, as fragile as it is reported to be, was made by the same company, and to avoid confusion you should refer by model rather than brand. You could have stated the "M5OD-R1/2" instead of Mazda and been a lot clearer. IMO.
I would expect most posters here are not professionals, and as such, need more specific information than a generic 'mazda'. Again, IMO.
The owners manual is really a good source of information on the proper lubricant.
tom

 

Nobody besides you when they hear Mazda trans think of the Kogyo trans. BTW it is Kogyo, you can't even get that right.

Another the owners manual is very explicit in separating the Toyo and Mitsu trans. Notice it isn't called a "Mazda" trans until the M5OD debuted.

M Madza
5 5 speed
OD overdrive

Josh

 

The Toyo Kogyo and Mazda Transmission were both made by Mazda. But the M5OD-R1&2's are more known by being called the "mazda" transmission. The Toyo Kogyo transmission also known as TK4 & TK5, I beileve was last used in 88 and then the switch was made to the M5 transmissions. The Toyo Kogyo is known by it 14 bolt pan on the bottom and are a bear to rebuild if you don't get all the pieces properly installed. The Mitsubishi Transmissions are known as FM132, FM145 and 146. The FM132 is a 2WD transmission found behind the 2.9 until '92. The FM145 was a 4x4 trans used from 85 to 87. The FM146 was used from 88 to 92 also a 4x4 trans. IMHO the Mitsubishi's are better used as a boat anchor.

I want to know how in post #1 it started out as a 95 ranger and in post #4 it changed to an 86?

 

Thanks a lot, guys. You have a nice community here.
I haven't a clue which transmission is in my '95 STX 4.0L. I will take it to a shop and tell them to explore starting with the parts you guys have suggested. Will report findings when it's all done! Glad it may be simpler than a clutch replacement.

While I have not experienced slipping, I have not "tested it" by flooring it in 4th. But it does not catch at the bottom, I would say closer to the top, maybe just above the middle. But it's been like that for as long as I've driven it (including when it was dad's years ago).

Cheers

 

Phew, good news. Mostly.
Throw-out bearing has a leak, which drained the reservoir. Stupid me tried topping it off yesterday and it wouldn't take much so I thought it was full. Turns out, that under the cap is a BOWL so I was actually not adding any fluid to the system.
So they bled and filled the master cylinder and it's all golden now. I will keep an eye on it so see how bad the leak is. If slow, then I will top it off as a band aid. If it's bad, then I will go in to replace the bearing and while in there, also the rest of the clutch assembly. But hopefully the leak isn't bad enough to merit going in until clutch goes out.
Clutch is still strong.
Thanks again for all of your input!

 

You have the M5OD-R1 in your truck. If your slave cylinder is leaking then you will have to take the transmission out to replace it. While you are there you may as well put a clutch kit and have the flywheel resurfaced.