Hey guys. This is my first thread. I need some help. I'm having some transmission issues with my 3.03 trans. It keeps popping out of first gear. I was wondering if a 3.03 out of a 1977 ford truck will fit fine in a 1980 model? I found one on ebay for $250 and they claim its brand new. I don't think it has as low of a first gear as my current transmission does though. How bad will that hurt my acceleration?

 

engine size matters with what will work on ford trannies, what eng do you have and what eng does the donor have?

 

I've actually found 2 of them on ebay and niether one says what engine the truck was equiped with. My truck is a 6 cylinder. The item number for the trannys on ebay are 290238629762 and 370151058684 if that helps. Are these trannys easy to rebuild? I've rebuilt a 3 speed muncie trans once in high school once but that was a long time ago.

 

Welcome to FTE

If you buy a used trans, what's the guarantee it will be any better? It may be worse.

What the term "rebuilt" means to one person, may not be the same to another. Rebuilt may only mean that someone replaced a bearing or two and the gaskets.

Ask to see the RECEIPTS for the so called "rebuild."

Your problem is a common one and is caused by the first gear syncronizers brass blocker ring (there's only one) being worn down to a nub.

When the 1st gear syncro's brass blocker ring wears, the trans pops out of first. If the 2nd/3rd brass blocker rings (2) wear, the trans pops out of 2nd.

Here's what I suggest you replace...the parts will prolly run about $175.00 to $200.00.

1st gear syncro brass blocker ring, 2nd/3rd brass blocker syncro rings (2), syncro shoes (6), front & rear bearings, input needle bearings (come in a pkg of 15) and main shaft needle bearings (come in a pkg of 25, so two pkgs = 50), front/rear seals, snap rings and washers (these come in a "small parts" kit), gasket set.

The same basic Ford Type 3.03 all syncromesh transmission was used in: 1963/83 F100's, 1975/96 F150's, 1963/82 F250's, 1967/79 F350's, 1963/91 Econolines, 1966/77 Bronco's, misc passenger cars (1963/67 Galaxies, 1965/73 Mustang, 1963/71 Fairlane/Torino/Falcon, 1970/77 Maverick, 1975/80 Granada and etc)...so parts are EZ to find. NAPA should have everything.

 

Thanks for the welcome. Thank you for all the information. I thought maybe it was the first gear blocker ring. I had a friend say it's probably the shift forks but i can get it in and out of gear no problem. It will go into first most of the time without popping out but it just ticks me off when it does pop out. It sounds like a bomb just went off under my truck. Do you have to press the first gear syncro off the input shaft though? I have an original Ford shop manual that my dad bought when he bought the truck brand new and it talks about pressing the first gear syncro off.

 

I sold these parts for 35 years. I can still rattle off all the Ford part numbers from memory.

In all that time...I might have sold two or three shift forks total, so I doubt the shift forks have anything to do with the problem.

As far as pressing 1st gear syncro off...I believe that's correct, but I'm not 100% sure. The last time I worked on one of these was around the time your dad bought this truck new.

btw: I edit a lot, so it's a good idea to read my posts again...after the FTE one hour editing time limit expires.

 

thanks again. I think maybe rebuilding this trans might be a little above my ability. I don't have all the special tools required to do all the work this manual shows plus the truck is my daily driver and I don't want it out of comission for very long.

From memory do you remember if they are easy to rebuild or not? We have some local driveline places near me that might be able to press the syncro off for me. Do I really need all those special tools to rebuild it?

 

It's a simple trans to rebuild, parts are EZ to find, but I do understand if it's your DD, you don't want it down for any length of time.

Ford shop manuals go waaay overboard on the use of their "special tools" most of which if you had, you wouldn't use in a lifetime.

IMO, it was a ploy to get the mechanics and service depts to buy all the gazillion Ford tools.

Mechanics decided what was really required, then bought 'em from Mac's and Snap-On.

As expensive as Snap-On tools are...it's cheaper than Ford's prices, which are ridiculously over priced..and...Ford doesn't make a single one, they buy them from someone else.

 

It does seem that they try and promote way more tools than needed to fix a problem. I've fixed plenty of cars without special tools that were supposed to be required.

I'm hoping I can get the trans to last until spring time when I put insurance back on my Mustangs and start driving them again.

Will it hurt the truck bad if I take off in 2nd gear alot, besides burning out the new clutch I put in it last spring?

 

If you can just get it rolling in first, and short shift to 2nd, all parts will be happier than a 2nd gear start.

 

I would not suggest doing that unless you had a rear axle ratio of 3.89 or 4.11.

With an F100, it's prolly no more than 3.00 or 3.25.

 

Thats what I usually do now. I get moving just enough then short shift into 2nd. I can kinda feel when I put it into 1st if its gonna stay or not. If it feels like its not gonna stay i'll just start in 2nd from a red light.

 

It does have a tough time getting going if I start in 2nd gear. I get alot of vibration until it gets to about 10-15mph.

I actually think my truck possibly has a 2.75 gear in it. Thats if I read the manual right that my dad bought that tells what all the features the truck could have came with.

Idk why but my dad bought every factory ford manual that was made for this truck. lol

 

You have lots of tranny options if you want to change to something else too.

 

Yep, pretty much any 'ol truck 4 speed will bolt right up to your bellhousing, just need to cut the floor out for the shifter and access panel, and maybe change out the slip yoke on the driveshaft.
With the tall rear end gears(2.75's in the couple I had,) a 300/NP435 combo actually works pretty good.