Greetings all... I'm hoping someone out there has had a similar problem or can give me some guidance.
2002 Ford Explorer Sport
109,000 miles
4L engine
M50D-R1HD 5 speed manual transmission
living near Los Angeles, so no extreme weather to worry about
I've owned it for about 3 years and 30K miles.

It has become increasingly difficult to shift from neutral into 1st gear. The problem is more pronounced when the transmission hasn't had a chance to warm up. Sometimes shifting from neutral into 2nd, then into 1st will work, but sometimes it's difficult to get into 2nd. Sometimes it's so hard I think I'm going to snap the linkage.

Which also reminds me... I know this is a truck and the shifter isn't nearly as tight as, say, my Jetta SportWagon with the manual, but the Explorer shifter seems extra sloppy... lots of play. Before I start looking at the linkage, I just wanted to ask if this is fairly typical, or maybe if it sounds like there might be a linkage problem too.

Anyone have any stories or advice to share?

Cheers,
-John

 

Even if the previous owner changed the transmission fluid, it's time to do it again. These trannies use ATF and gears are very hard on ATF. I don't put more than about 15 or 20K on the tranny fluid before a change.

Have you checked the clutch master fluid level?

My '91 Ranger and '98 Explorer are both a little difficult to get into first gear compared to the other gears. If you're moving at all, first can be impossible unless you hit that magical speed sweet spot where it slips in effortlessly.

Third has also been somewhat difficult (relatively speaking), especially if you're in a hurry. I used to drag race my buddy in his V8 Grand Cherokee and I would lead him in first and second gear. When it came time to shift to third, he would pass me. It just wouldn't go easily into third. These transmissions aren't smooth shifters.

Lest I incur the scorn of those on the forum for drag racing, this was done out in the desert on a dry lake bed in the California OHV areas. No law-breaking on my part and plenty of visibility to watch out for anyone else who might be out there. Even in my younger years, I was a responsible person.