Hey brand new user here. I got a 4x2 1989 f150 with the m5r2 in it. I bought it last year from the original owner at 125,000 km. I drove it from June to January when I started redoing all the body as it was rusted out pretty bad. One day during that time I lost every single gear and figured out it was due to shifter bushings that I ordered and switched out right away. Now here's where my real problems started... While I changed out those bushings I took advantage and changed the oil in the tranny. It would get like super hot in there before like couldn't even keep my hand down on the floor while I was driving. I think someone put 80/90 gear oil in there. Before the bushings went out every single gear worked fine. Since then I have been having a mess of problems especially with 5th/reverse. Wouldn't go into 5th at all for a while and then one day I tried and its been working ever since and it all ran great for about a week until today out of nowhere reverse started grinding every single time I try to engage it. It used to be a little hard sometimes and I never forced it in there but sometimes would have to play around and find the sweet spot. All of this and it didn't grind until today. When the truck is turned off it goes into reverse just fine. Don't seem to have any problems with any of the other gears now either. Like I said 5th even works well now. Today I bled the clutch and even took off the shifter and added a little wavy spring washer that was included but optional in the shifter rebuild kit I put in last year. When I tried originally it was too tight and kept too much pressure on the shifter so I didn't put it in but kept it. I tried that today just because I had it and figured id give it a try. Overall it seems smoother shifting into all the other gears but still grinding reverse almost every single time. Sometimes playing around go into first pull forward a few feet then back to reverse I can get it like 1/5 times without grinding. And like I said when truck is turned off it goes into reverse just fine so that's what I've been doing for now... Could it be my clutch? Also worth mentioning when I bled my clutch the oil was black in the master cylinder. Bled it while continuously adding new fluid til it came out clear. I am at a loss... If anyone could help me I would be forever grateful. Truck is looking good after body work and fresh paint and got pretty low mileage for being over 30 years old so I would like to try and save it. Thank you in advance

Also worth noting I do have a brand new 5th/reverse shift fork but would rather not have to pull the tranny if I don't need to

 

Try going into 5th before Rev, see if that helps. Makes my ZF much easier to drop into R. Also, I bet you have clapped pedal box bushings. The small bushing for the master cylinder that attached to the box also dies. I have heard of 87-91s with splitting firewalls, you may want to look into that.

That box also specs ATF. Cheapo 'Universal ATF' from your auto store is fine or go for Mercon V which is probably more correct.

 

Can't say for sure because I have not specifically done this, but you should be able to lift the floormats and remove the transmission floorboard cover. This should give you access to the top cover bolts which should allow you to change your shifter fork.

 

unfortunately not. the 1/2 and 3/4 forks are right there but 5/r are in the back part of the tranny and you have to drop it to change it

 

thanks ill check that out

 

thanks ill check that out

 

unfortunately not. the 1/2 and 3/4 forks are right there but 5/r are in the back part of the tranny and you have to drop it to change it

 

I usually have to go into 4th before Reverse on Mazda tranny and like someone had mentioned before, 5th before reverse on the ZF. Just some of the little quirks that go along with an old ford. Also, someone had mentioned the bushing on the clutch pedal shaft. I'd bet that thing is original and toast by now, it's probably worn the hole into an oval. It will leave you stranded sooner or later because the clutch safety switch won't engage due to the slope in the linkage. Simple fix of bypassing the switch, or replace it. Good luck man, hope this helps.

Here's what the bushing looks like (Sorry for the huge photo)