Athos
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2014
- Messages
- 10
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Orlando, FL
- Vehicle Year
- 1991
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 2.3L
- Transmission
- Manual
First time here on these forums - hoping someone can give a little advice. I've spoken to a couple mechanics and done some homework online, but I know just enough to be dangerous.
Specs:
1991 Ford Ranger Std Cab
2.3L
5-speed manual (I believe this means I have a Mazda M5OD-R1)
240,000 miles (I bought it Oct/Nov of last year. The previous owner bought it in 1993, and claimed the odometer had rolled over twice.)
Synopsis:
Last week, I went to start up the truck (relatively cold, it had been moved from one parking lot to another an hour earlier), and it would not go into first gear with the clutch fully depressed. Attempting to put it in reverse resulted in a grinding sound. The truck was towed to a shop. It worked perfectly. They looked at it, drove it around, and could not locate the problem.
After picking it up, the truck was driven by my father for an hour or so, and it acted up again - this time while driving. While shifting from gear to gear, he was locked out, stuck in neutral. Towed again, worked when it got to the shop, once again they couldn't find the problem. I picked up the truck and drove it home without incident.
This is my daily driver, and despite its high mileage, the truck is in excellent condition. I've put ~7500 miles on it since I bought it, driving a 40 mile round trip to school and back. Right now, however, I'm hesitant to take it out since the issue could cause serious problems on the road.
Second/third/fourth opinion:
The second tow truck driver blamed the pressure plate. A friend with some experience suggested a problem with the pilot bearing. Finally, I've spoken to another mechanic, who (in consultation with a Mazda tech) said it's most likely the slave cylinder. Since replacement requires dropping the transmission, he also suggested a clutch kit, master cylinder, and flywheel. This last diagnosis seems consistent with known issues mentioned here.
Options:
The last mechanic I spoke to quoted me around $500 for labor, and I have the option to shop around for cheaper parts, which seem to run in the $240 (shipped) range.
My mechanical experience is limited. I've changed brakes, hoses, belts, a water pump, an alternator - but I've only ever assisted with dropping a transmission once, and that was mostly just as an extra set of hands. That said, I'm a grad student with a two-week school break coming up, and I have a few friends who are, if unskilled, at least willing to help.
Questions:
Does the slave cylinder diagnosis seem sound? Is there any way to confirm this without dropping the transmission?
Best I can tell, this transmission was used on Rangers from 1988 to 2000. Would an instructional video like this be helpful, even if it's for a newer Ranger?
I'm decently handy - would I need any special tools to drop the transmission? Is it feasible to accomplish for someone who hasn't done it before, if I have access to proper instructions/diagrams?
Bottom line, I'm trying to see if I can save myself $500 on that labor cost, but I don't want to ruin my transmission either.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
Specs:
1991 Ford Ranger Std Cab
2.3L
5-speed manual (I believe this means I have a Mazda M5OD-R1)
240,000 miles (I bought it Oct/Nov of last year. The previous owner bought it in 1993, and claimed the odometer had rolled over twice.)
Synopsis:
Last week, I went to start up the truck (relatively cold, it had been moved from one parking lot to another an hour earlier), and it would not go into first gear with the clutch fully depressed. Attempting to put it in reverse resulted in a grinding sound. The truck was towed to a shop. It worked perfectly. They looked at it, drove it around, and could not locate the problem.
After picking it up, the truck was driven by my father for an hour or so, and it acted up again - this time while driving. While shifting from gear to gear, he was locked out, stuck in neutral. Towed again, worked when it got to the shop, once again they couldn't find the problem. I picked up the truck and drove it home without incident.
This is my daily driver, and despite its high mileage, the truck is in excellent condition. I've put ~7500 miles on it since I bought it, driving a 40 mile round trip to school and back. Right now, however, I'm hesitant to take it out since the issue could cause serious problems on the road.
Second/third/fourth opinion:
The second tow truck driver blamed the pressure plate. A friend with some experience suggested a problem with the pilot bearing. Finally, I've spoken to another mechanic, who (in consultation with a Mazda tech) said it's most likely the slave cylinder. Since replacement requires dropping the transmission, he also suggested a clutch kit, master cylinder, and flywheel. This last diagnosis seems consistent with known issues mentioned here.
Options:
The last mechanic I spoke to quoted me around $500 for labor, and I have the option to shop around for cheaper parts, which seem to run in the $240 (shipped) range.
My mechanical experience is limited. I've changed brakes, hoses, belts, a water pump, an alternator - but I've only ever assisted with dropping a transmission once, and that was mostly just as an extra set of hands. That said, I'm a grad student with a two-week school break coming up, and I have a few friends who are, if unskilled, at least willing to help.
Questions:
Does the slave cylinder diagnosis seem sound? Is there any way to confirm this without dropping the transmission?
Best I can tell, this transmission was used on Rangers from 1988 to 2000. Would an instructional video like this be helpful, even if it's for a newer Ranger?
I'm decently handy - would I need any special tools to drop the transmission? Is it feasible to accomplish for someone who hasn't done it before, if I have access to proper instructions/diagrams?
Bottom line, I'm trying to see if I can save myself $500 on that labor cost, but I don't want to ruin my transmission either.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
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