Well..Dad and I went and got my Ranger today in Tullahoma 200 miles away from my home.It's really nice.Needs a little body work,a 5.0 Conversion,and maybe some minor engine work.Anyway..The thing that really bugs me is the shifter.It's got ALOT of play.I can't get into 5th with it.I can only get into 1st-4th gear and reverse after I got the hang of it.But,when I put it in 5th position,it goes into what would be 3rd because it over-revs the engine.It's the only thing that bothers me.I'm gonna have to get it fixed because I'm gonna drive it for awhile before it gets it's big powerplant.

If I go with a EFI 5.0 from a Mustang..Can I hook the Ranger's factory computer into the 5.0 computer instead of throwing it all away?

Jacob

 

Hey again Jacob! Pull the rubber boot from around the shifter. Pull the cover and replace the Plastic or Nylon Ball and cup, the shifter goes through.
When you go with the 5.0, you'll need everything from the mustang. The Ranger isn't compatable with the Mustang. By the time you are ready to do the conversion, you'll already know what you'll need for it. MANY affordable books here at FTE to show you how to do it right! May as well get started! You are going to have soooo much fun! Talk with you later....

 

Thanks again Scooter.Where can I get this little ball and cup?

Jacob

 

Probably any Ford dealer. I would call a few parts stores to check on availability first. Auto Zone/Advance Auto/NAPA/Car Quest.
Probably be about $15.00. ..... See you later....

 

Thanks again.This is a big help!

Jacob

 

Hi Jacob,
The Ford dealers books or computer may tell you that one set of those parts is no longer available. The cup on the bottom and the top are the same. Be sure to get the associated spring washers too! Be sure to check that both of the shifter ball alignment pins in your shift tower are in place and that neither one of them is loose. If you find one of them is loose you'll have to "peen" it in place. If one of these backs out you will loose the ability to shift.
I just did this repair to my Ranger and it isn't really that hard to do. One of the most important things to check is those alignment pins. I got my 91 4X4 ext cab for $100.00 from a guy that told me that he did not have the money to replace the transmission because it was stuck in two gears and ruined. I checked the trans when I got home and found the pin on the right side had backed out and the shift lever twisted in the tower putting it in between two gears. I replaced the ball cups and spring washers and peened the pin in place on both sides to prevent future problems, pushed the shifting forks back into place, mounted the tower back into place and now that shifter sure does feel good. Total repair cost? $22.00. By the way..the transmission that the guy said was ruined...well, the syncro rings weren't even scuffed up. I talk to you soon and remember...

 

Thanks man.Where do you get the parts to fix it?At the dealer?I've got a friend with a Chevy Blazer that's having the same problem that you were having with your truck.I think that I'm gonna try and fix it for him.

Jacob

 

Hi Jacob,
The parts were purchase at my local Ford dealer. I no longer have the part numbers though...Sorry.
Hope that you get the problem worked out. Like I said...It really isn't that hard. Get your dealer to make a copy of the parts breakdown for you on paper. That way if you do faulter somewhere you'll have a picture to help you through. If the paper that they make the copy on is heat sensitive be sure to get a copy made on regular printing paper as in time those sheets will turn all black. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to pass it on to someone else that has the same problem.Let me know if you need anything else.

wthomas@horizonview.net

And Remember...

 

Thanks again man.I'll go to my local dealer sometime this week and check into it.Sorry that I have all these questions,but what exactly is it called so they don't look at me like I'm crazy?

Jacob

 

By the way:

I just called Auto Zone and they don't have it .

Jacob

 

I don't think that you will find any of the parts that you need for this repair as after market parts. None of the auto part stores that I checked had them anyway.

Just go to your dealer and tell them the regular info, make, model, year and tell them your problem. They will bring up a picture of your transmission and you pick out the parts that you need. You'll need the washers (2) my part number that I just found was
1L2Z-7Z120-AA and the cup or sockets (2).
This may not be the part number for you but at least you can give them an idea as to what section to look in.
Have them bring up a pic of the shift tower assembly and PLEASE be sure that you are looking at YOUR MODEL OF TRANSMISSION. There are a few to choose from and some of them will look almost identical. I suggest getting all the numbers off of your tranny that you can find before you go to the dealer. This will assist them in getting you the right part. Don't take "that item is no longer available" for an answer to your problem and unless required, don't buy the whole shift tower assembly. Just double purchase the the top socket parts and invert the assembly to fit the bottom. Or double order the bottom and invert that to fit the top. Ford has recently modified the shift tower ball cup standards and this may not be a problem at all for you. None the less, inverting the parts is Fords new modification too. I can't remember which one they told me was not available. You'll figure it out.
Be careful not to strip the bolts that hold the cover for the cups and washers in place.
Hope this helps. And Remember...

 

Hey there 3-RANGERS and welcome to FTE! Thanks for helping us out. I haven't owned a Ranger in awhile. Even then, I did a Conversion a month later. I just wanted to let you know, I thank you for your assistance. We'll be hearing from you again soon I hope....

 

Hi Jim,
Thank you so much for the greeting, the compliment and the pat on the back. It really means a lot to me. I just want to try and help where I can.
I really appreciate you taking the time to post this message for me and others to see.
Sincerely,
Wade Thomas

Please, feel free to mail me.
wthomas@horizonview.net

 

I stopped by my local Ford dealer today and got a quote on those parts to fix the shifter.They wanted just shy of $200 for the kit.That's outrageous.I had the guy look it up 4 times to make sure that he was looking up the right thing - He was.This dealer up here jacks up the prices of everything in the first place.The building that they're in now is the same one that they started in 40 years ago.Anyway..I may drive 75 miles this weekend to the closest dealer other than this one to see what they have.They could get it here in town if I wanted to pay for it.I'm not paying that lol.I'd rather throw the shifter and hope for some luck ...

Jacob

 

Jacob, Did you get all the part numbers?