Great site... I have an '03 3.0 supercab with a 5 speed manual. Occasionally it acts like it doesn't want to go in gear while switching through during acceleration. You think it's in, but let out on the clutch, and GRIND till you find. It has been to Ford three times and they continue to tell me they can't reproduce the problem, it's suppose to do it, or there's nothing wrong with it.

I don't see a pattern to it's behavior; it's not weather dependent, nor does it matter if the truck itself is warm or cold. It will do it anytime without any warning. Anyone had a similar problem with theirs? What was the fix if there is one? It's not operator error as my father and a couple of friends have had the same issue while driving it. The fluid is fine by the way, and the truck has 61K. THANKS!!!!!!! and Happy New Year to all!

 

1 thought, slow down on the shift, feel the change.


2 nd thought, double clutch, see what effect.

? Is it from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 all or just 2 to 3?

 

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It varies; it has done it going into every gear. It's not necessarily that I'm shifting too fast, there are times you think it's in but ends up grinding; other times you can catch it not going in and you have to fight with it. Double clutching doesn't really help either. Usually I have to downshift to the next lowest gear and try again. It's not RPM or MPH dependent either. For example, I've gone from third to fourth around 3000 rpm's at 45 mph once trying to get to 55 mph, and at around 1500 rpms cruising about 35 mph and had it happen. Like I said though it varies and I can't really detect any kind of pattern it has developed. The third time I took it to Ford they kept it for a WEEK and couldn't get it to do it. It's sporadic and does it whenever it wants. And it's not just me - my father drove it after I told him about it - he had it happen to him pulling out of the driveway shifting from first to second around 10 mph. I was with him when it happened and I'm not gonna repeat on here what all he said somebody might get mad ha ha. He double clutched also and it still didn't want to go in. He had to stop the truck and start over from first. After that it shifted fine through all five. ?????????????????????? I've had the truck since I bought it new in October '03 and two weeks later it was in the shop for it. It's been going on THAT LONG.

 

ANYBODY have any ideas?????

 

Mine is a little picky too, but i just live with it. I put in a hurst shifter and that helped it a lot. The Hurst is really stiff for the first couple months but breaks in nicely. The only thing i still get is a little bit of a catch going from 2nd to 3rd at rpm's below 3,000 sometimes, but if i'm gettin' on it, all i have to do is smack to shifter towards the stereo and i it pops right into 3rd without catch. I think it's touchy cause the RPM's on the Ranger drop kinda fast when you shift, so you have to shift fast but if you go too fast it grinds.

 

I don't have problems with grinding when shifting too fast. Are you sure you're pulling it fully into gear? Sometimes when I go into first it will stop, not actually in first but above neutral. If I start letting the clutch out it will grind.

 

My '88 with manual started doing strange things like that, and temporarily locking out of reverse.
This all went away when I replaced a 5 year old throwout bearing that was shot. It got a clutch kit too but the disk and pressure plate are in reall good condition.
So, I attribute the problem with the bearing.

Good luck

Rich

 

I'm hoping this tranny will last until summer (as good as it acts it should) when I get the 302 in there.

 

If i shift it to 3rd too fast at lower rpms the syncro doesn't match the gears quick enough and it kinda barks into gear. The way i shift is basically push in the clutch at the same time i pull it out of gear, and basically i'm just pushing in the clutch to get it into the next gear. I like shifting quick and not rolling and hunting for the gear like a lot of people do with a stick. I also hate people that do know you can watch the crossing light and when it turns red let the clutch halfway out to hold to car from rolling backwards on a hill so you get a good take off.

 

It sounds like you're not clutching all the way. Or you're releasing the clutch too early before the transmission is actually in gear all the way. Slow down some on the shifting, it's not a ricer underground car. :P Good luck.

 

I dont think its an operator error by any means. The fella has stressed that hes not the only one with the problem.

I had the same problem occassionally with my 91 with the 2.3. It's got 312,000 miles on it. Sometimes I think I will have it in 4th, let out on the clutch, and nothings there! I think I have to agree with it bearing a throwout bearing though, because my problem went away after I replaced my clutch disc/throwout bearing/pilot bearing and all the goodies.

Anymore I just don't get into a hurry and skip 2nd and 4th. I'll gently get it up to about 3200 in 1st, and by the time I get it into 3rd, its dropped to the right RPM to let the clutch out. Same deal from 3rd to 5th. Call me crazy, but even with that many miles, she still climbs up the RPM chart quicker than one would think.

 

I have to agree with handyman; My clutch wasn't slipping, but it was shifting funky, clunking and banging, etc... I replaced clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing and pilot shaft bearing, also the shift lever bushing, clutch pedal bushing and changed the trans fluid. Made such an incredible difference in the truck!

The clutch disk that came out was in great shape, but looked like original pressure plate & throwout bearing.

BTW, this was on a 93 2.3L w/ 204,000 miles.

 

Theres a good chance it was the original clutch. When dad drove the ranger, it started messing up a year after he got it. It WOULD NOT shift into first. (This was at around 220,000 miles.) Didn't matter if your double clutched it, let it sit for 3 minutes with the clutch in and tried again..... you couldnt do it. You had to shut it down, put into gear, and then fire it up again. 7 years later and 85,000 miles later, after the truck had been mine for over a year, the clutch started slipping. I bought a clutch kit, pulled the tranny and did some work to er. Found the original pressure plate (Still had the ford emblem on it), and the clutch disc was broke. One of the springs was broke in 3 pieces and another was missing. I'd say it'd seen its better days...