Here's a problem that I don't have the knowledge or skill to fix myself, so I am wondering how extensive a problem this is.

I can't shift into second on my 5-speed if my RPMs are over about 900. It grinds until I get it under those RPMs and then it slips in. It has done it since I bought it and I have learned to just slow down before down-shifting or don't down shift at all if I don't need to.

Any ideas?

 

You have a syncro that has gone out,time for a syncro rebuild.

 

Any idea what that is gonna run me?

 

I have the same problem, but it doesnt do it after the tranny warms up. I had the tranny out when I put a new flywheel in and couldnt find any visable damage just checking through the access holes, no filings or anything so we just put it back in. Another guy told me it is just as cheap and a whole lot easier to get a tranny at a junkyard than to replace the synchronizer. Problem is you wont know if that tranny does the same thing or not until you put it in. My decision was to drive it like it is.

 

A resonadle tranny shop will do it for about 300 to 400 bucks.

 

I had anoter thought, you might want to change you transmission gear lubr and use a high quality synthetic, like redline or royal purple. un a little thicker on if you can find it, we have used the royal purple several times and has fix a syncro problem

 

I had the same problem on my 97 5-speed. I told the tranny guy my problem and he said it needed a syncro kit. Ok, I had him do it, he charged $750. Started to do the exact same thing a few days later . Ok, drive it like that for a month to see if it went away. NOPE, took it back and he replaced the entire 2nd gear assembly, $400 later its great. Now 3rd gear wants to start something! LOL

 

gotta run synthetic in the trans, service manual says mercon v. but trans tag says full synthetic. i would try that first i run amsoil in mine, you can try double clutching it if your trying to stretch the life out of it.....clutch in get out of gear let off clutch push back in and get into gear.....i got a rebuilt tranny from phoenixhardparts there on ebay can look under ford 5 speed. rebuilt for $1050 plus shipping, have one in my 94 and am really happy with it. when i gotta put another clutch in the 97 im gonna drop a reman in that also. second is pretty bad in mine and third is starting to get bad, but im gonna nurse it till it starts popping out of gear then it will come out.

 

yeah, gotta just get the syncro's replaces. the syncros and a whole new clutch assemly for me was 1300 (1600 job, but they like me cause i keep going back and giving them money). ran great for a couple months then started grinding into 3rd again. got a whole new 3rd gear and a slider ring into 2nd. hopefully pick it up this afternoon....but on the bright side, it had a year warrenty

 

Time to start rev matching like the big rig boys.
Nothing like windin it up to 2600 rpms in the city with straight pipes to get it into 3rd/2nd for a stop light. Always turns some heads.