Greetings, anyone else have this? It's a 4 cylinder 5 speed, and once or twice a day when the light turns green and I go to put it in low gear, it just doesn't want to go into gear easy. It's like the syncro isn't happy or something. The clutch is depressed all the way and not dragging. Any ideas? Thanks loads, Ernie Misner

 

I have that issue with my '04 - I found that if I shift into 2nd, it will then go into 1st fairly easily so, I've just gotten into the habit of doing that - it's as if shifting it into 2nd aligns the synchros just right for it to go into 1st.

Don't know what causes it - haven't dug into it deep enough to find out...

Given that this was a service truck and has over 130k miles on it, I'm attributing this to the previous owners/drivers not being overly kind when shifting...

 

Hi Terry, I can say that mine has done it occasionally since it was new. I think it's a quirk with this transmission. Seems like it always wants to not go into low gear when the light turns green and there is someone right behind me that is in a big hurry!

 

What are you running in that tranny? Spec is ATF and that is no good. My Mazda tranny in my F150 didin't shift well until I filled it with a thicker fluid like a syncromesh fluid. I chose Redline MTL.

OTOH, if you clutch is worn out and not fully disengaging, ever so slight amount of contact will keep it spinning and make it hard to get into first gear, though the fact that you can go into first fine after pushing it into second tells me that the clutch is NOT the problem. I also have experienced bad hydraulics preventing going easily into first.

Anyway, try a thicker fluid, maybe Redline MTL.

 

Thanks for the idea - I've been wondering why Mazda spec'd a manual transmission to run a hydraulic fluid as a lubricant - seems too "light" to me... I'll have to find some of that Redline MTL and give it a shot...

 

A better way to handle the problem is to shift into 1st gear before you come to a complete stop. Ford knew what they were doing when they spec'd ATF for the Madza M5OD transmission. A thicker fluid will only mask the the real problem of a failing master or slave or the clutch itself.

 

Did this problem come about slowly over time, or suddenly after some event????
You say it does it some times, not always, so when it does it, is it early on in the drive cycle when the tranny fluid is cold/more vicious, or later on after its warmed up some & the viscosity is lower???? Is it worse in summer, or winter????

Maybe begin with the basics, like checking tranny fluid level & noting if its time, or past time for a scheduled maintenance tranny lube change.

Ckeck clutch & slave master cyl for leaks, fluid level & freeplay adjustment.

If the clutch fluid level is low & the system has air in it, when you put the pedal to the floor, release throw won't be complete. Same if the clutch master, or slave cyl piston or bores seal is worn, or the fluid is old & absorbed a lot of water & corroded the innards of the cyl lining & fluid is bypassing when you clutch.
DOT-3 Brake fluid is used in the system, so it needs to be changed as scheduled, or at least as often as the brake system fluid is flushed, or about every 2-3 years, as it absorbs moisture over time.

More thoughts for consideration, let us know how your trouble shoot goes.

 

Good replies guys, thanks so much! My '05 Ranger has low miles on it and has been kept up well, so no low levels or anything. Actually just had the 30,000 mi. service not too long ago and does have ATF in there because that's what it calls for. It can be sluggish to go into low gear when cold or warm.... but can be a bit worse when cold I think. I'm now in the habit of hitting 2nd syncro, but not all the way into 2nd, then shift into low gear and this does seem to help. Invaribly though when the light turns to green and someone is right behind me I'll go straight for low gear and about 1 out of 10 times or so it doesn't want to go into low easily. I didn't understand the suggestion to put it into low gear while still moving. Although that would work, does anyone sit through a long light holding the clutch in while in gear? Wouldn't that be hard on the throw out bearing? Without going to a totally heavier fluid than ATF I wonder if there is any additive that would help. I really believer this might be a common problem that that type of transmission. Thanks again guys.

 

If it acts out more when the fluid is cold/more vicious, why would you want to go to a more vicious/thicker fluid?????

Have a close look at how the clutch hydraulic system is preforming & set up mechanically, so you know for sure your getting a full de-clutching action.

 

My Mazda M5OD was notchy on ATF, the Redline MTL took away the notchiness. Redline MTL also has tons of antiwear and has friction modifiers formulated to make the syncros work well. I would never run ATF in a manual tranny. Syncromesh is not a lot thicker. You would not want heavy lube as there is a splash lube bearing and that will not get lubed if the oil is too thick, but that is well beyond MTL. My F150 ran 10s of thouseands of miles on it with no problems. Got it in the ranger now.

ATF is about like a motor oil 20 weight. MTL is like a 30 weight. I once tried 20w50 in my Mazda and then it would not go into gear, but it shifted fine up through 10w40 which the Ford Dealer service rep said I could run in there. In fact, my '84 ran a couple hundred thousand miles with the manual tranny filled with 10w40.

Your problem could be somewhere else but the MTL is a good idea regardless. You have to order it from redlineoil.com or some other supplier, nobody seems to carry it. I have a local hot rod shop will order it for me and that saves shipping charge. About $15 a quart. If that is too expensive, try a syncromesh fluid you can get locally.

There also is an easy way to fill the tranny with a long hose up into the engine bay.

Back in the 80s Dodge started using ATF in their manuals and they were getting complaints of gear rattle. The cure was a thicker fluid.

 

"the suggestion to put it into low gear while still moving"

It means downshifting into 1st gear before you have stopped.

TallPaul - Ford has used ATF in its Mazda M5OD for years without problems. It is designed for the pressure loads the teeth one gear puts on another gear's teeth, something that engine oil does not do well.

 

on the issue with sitting at a light with the truck in gear & clutch pushed in, i doubt it would lessen the life of the throwout bearing, even when the clutch is fully released the throwout bearing is spinning. on oil: ive ran pennzoil sycromesh fluid for years, really works well for me, ive tryed different brands & types of atf's and ive found pennzoil sycromesh fluid to work the best for me.

 

As far as I know, ATF is designed for automatic transmissions where it serves several functions. ATF typically does not have near as much antiwear additive as gear lube. Redline AFT does have excellent anti wear additive levels and if one is going to go by the book, Redline would be a great choice, likely better than Mobil 1 ATF.

As for motor oil, I'll clarify that I do not recommend it. I used it long ago before I knew better. Still, the '84 F150 ran fine for a couple hundred thousand miles on that 10w40.

There have been many threads on using a fluid thicker than ATF and many have reported good results such as I have had. The main caution was that too thick and a splash lubed bearing in the M5OD would burn out. But manual transmission fluid is not too thick. As the Ford service manager told me up to 10w40 was okay and the MTL is about the thickness of a 30 weight.

It would be interesting to see what lube is recommended for the same tranny in other countries.

 

Thanks loads guys. I'll look into the MTL, very interesting to know there's a good alternative to the ATF. I don't think I'll ever want to sit through long lights with the clutch depressed. I feel more safe and relaxed with it in neutral.

 

I would not sit though a light holding the clutch pedal down while in gear. I understand some folks do that as a matter of course, but I have never done it that way, regardless of throwout bearing wear or not. If your foot slips off you can lurch into traffic.

But if your problem is due to a mechanical or hydraulic fault, then sitting with it in gear makes sense for a couple days until you can get it fixed.

But, looking back at the original post, you say once or twice a day it does not want to go into first gear, so this is not a regular thing, yeah, I suspect there is no issue at all. A fluid change can't hurt, and may help. But another thing to do (my son will do this) is to downshift into first as you come to the light, depress the clutch and come to a complete stop before pulling the lever to neutral. Then it should go right into first, no problem. I think what is happening is you are in just the right spot in the gearbox where it meets some resistance. A hair one way or the other and it is fine, and by pushing the syncro of a differrnt gear it moves it enough to make it go in easily.

Some trannies may just be finicky in that way--I don't know.

Anyway, great you drive a stick. Don't give up the stick. What we need is more consumer demand for manual transmissions before the auto companies do away with them altogether.