Ok, so I have a 98 Ranger and I need to add gear oil. I know how to do it, but I dont really know what to look for. When I got under there this morning I was totally confused. I think I have to look for a box type thingie with a bolt thingy on the side, but I dont want to screw anything up. So, can anybody take a picture of theirs to show me what I should be looking for? Like, if you could point to the bolt thingy I should put the oil in ... that would help soo much! I dont like taking my truck to a mechanic unless I have, so I try to learn how to do anything myself. Ok, well, thanks guys!

 

Add gear oil to what? The transmission, the front diff, the rear diff, the transfer case, is it auto or manual? You gotta give us some clues...

By the way, both the manual & the automatic transmission (and the transfer case use ATF.

 

Its a manual trans. Sometimes its hard to shift into 1st and reverse. They guy at AutoZone told me I needed gear oil, short for [Regular] Mercon (thats what the dealership told me I needed for my truck). The guy at AutoZone told me what to look for under the truck, and how to do it. (he also said I could just remove the shifter and the boot, and there would be a whole to pour the oil in, but its not a god idea to do it that way cause you wouldnt know how much to pour in and that could hurt the trans). I was also told at AutoZone that I cannot use ATF, that would also hurt my tranny. Somebody also replied to another Q I posted about this, and said something about "Well, if you mean 'gear oil' as in tractor oil, then thats wrong, you need Mercon ... blah blah blah" Im not completely stupid. Nor do I live ANYWHERE near a tractor (thank God). All I was asking for was a picture of that little box/pumpkin shaped whatever you guys want to name it. I would really appreciate it.

 

You should really invest a few $$$ in a shop/repair manual as these things are generally covered.

If you think you have a problem shifting I wouldn't just go dumping fluid in anywhere. Investigate first then determine what needs to be done. Start by checking fluid levels in the drive line, and looking for signs of leaks. Wet areas with a build-up of grime are usually not too far from a leak. On the side of a manual trans there are 2 very large bolts, one says "Drain" the other says "Fill". You remove the "Fill" plug and stick your finger in to inspect the fluid. It should be filled up level with the bottom of the "Fill" plug hole. If you don't know when the fluid was last changed, it would be a good idea to just drain it and re-fill with new fluid.

As far as the type of fluid, there are 2 choices "Gear oil" (the same thing that goes in your front or rear differentials like 80w-90), and ATF Dexton/Mercon III (yes ATF goes in most Ranger 5sp transmissions). Check your owner's manual for the proper fluid, and do not just trust some guy at an auto-parts store. A general rule of thumb, is most 4x2 trucks came with the Mazda trans that has a 1 piece body and this trans takes ATF, while many 4x4 trucks may have come with a Mitsubishi trans that has a removable bell housing. The Mitsubishi trans is the one that takes "gear oil". A common problem for the Mazda trans is to leak fluid from 3 rubber plugs up near the top of the trans. This will usually lead to an early death, and a big repair bill.

After you check the trans fluid, look at changing the differential's oil if it has been a long time, then check the fluid in your clutch reservoir. Most of the trucks I have seen just use brake fluid in the hydraulic clutch systems, and it retains water the same way it does in the brake lines. So periodic flushing every 2 years of so is just good PM. The biggest problem with the fluid in the clutch system is it is the biggest pain in the backside to bleed properly. If you do decide to do it DO NOT allow the fluid to get low while you are bleeding it and suck in an air bubble, you will be sorry.