tranny swap soon? what to do

[2.3litersOfFury]

i have an 88 2.3 with the mazda m50D-R1 5 speed in it and my slave cylinder is going out and probably my clutch soon after. the tranny shifts kinda rough and doesnt like third gear so i figured it would be a great time to upgrade

looking for a bit "beefier" trans with taller gears and shorter shifts.
any ideas something thats a some what bolt in or minor fab work?

will the m50d-R1HD be an option?
t5?

i have two yards not to far from me so it shouldnt be to hard to find what i need.

 

[Taragon]

M5OD is the best you can get for what you have.

 

[adsm08]

There is no upgrade for the 2.3 M5OD in terms of beef. The HD will not work because it is only for the 4.0 SOHC. The T-5 is not as strong.

I'd fix your clutch issues and see how many of your transmission issues clear up.

If you want more pep out of it, try buying something that isn't a 4-banger.

 

[Barxxx]

T5?

T5, not as strong? I sure beg to differ about that piece of information, because I've seen them behind 600 HP 2.3 Turbo Coupe engines. Borg Warner rates some of the late W/C T5s at over 400 HP capacity. I have one going into my 83 Ranger.

I will admit they're not the best choice, because if you want to have the shifter in the stock location, you'll have to use a C***y S10 tail housing which i did a short time ago, otherwise the shifter comes up under the seat. Also, you have to use an external slave cylinder, like on a Turbo Coupe. I should say, you HAVE to use the TC bell along with the slave. Then there's the drive shaft. I don't know what I'll have to do to mine, because I'm having oil pan issues right now and will deal with it later.

 

[Barxxx]

Rough shifting?

Do you know how to double clutch, or shift without the clutch is a better way to describe it. I do it all the time. It seems its easier to shift that way and you're not dependent on the condition of the cylinder. If you have clutch issues, isn't it hard to engage first gear from a stop? If so, start in gear, wind it up to where you usually shift at, when you come close to that speed, apply a little pressure to the shifter and let off the gas. It should come out of gear into neutral. Pause a split second and complete your shift into second gear. You can't go directly into the next gear, because they'll clash. Practice and you'll get good at it. If you drive a big rig, its almost the same. Gas engines are a little harder to learn. Its not for speed though.

 

[pcollins]

Double clutching and shifting without the clutch are two fairly different things. Double clutching is a method used in big rigs and other stuff with unsynchronized trannys. When they're rolling in a gear and then depress the clutch and shift into neutral. Then release the clutch, then depress it again to go into the next gear. Most truckers that are experienced don't use the clutch once the rigs rolling (to my knowledge. pretty sure there are some truckers on here that may chime in)?

"shift without the clutch" is, well...Just that. Shifting without the clutch.

 

[Toms01PSD]

Double clutching and shifting without the clutch are two fairly different things. Double clutching is a method used in big rigs and other stuff with unsynchronized trannys. When they're rolling in a gear and then depress the clutch and shift into neutral. Then release the clutch, then depress it again to go into the next gear. Most truckers that are experienced don't use the clutch once the rigs rolling (to my knowledge. pretty sure there are some truckers on here that may chime in)?

"shift without the clutch" is, well...Just that. Shifting without the clutch.

The only thing I use the clutch for in my rig is starting and stopping. It's how we save clutches... Double clutching in a car is pointless as you just depress it then go straight into the next gear. Never tried floating the gears in one but I doubt it would work anyway.

- Sincerely, Truck Driver

P.S. floating is shifting without the clutch once you get rolling. You have to use the clutch when starting and stopping.

 

[adsm08]

T5, not as strong? I sure beg to differ about that piece of information, because I've seen them behind 600 HP 2.3 Turbo Coupe engines. Borg Warner rates some of the late W/C T5s at over 400 HP capacity. I have one going into my 83 Ranger.

I will admit they're not the best choice, because if you want to have the shifter in the stock location, you'll have to use a C***y S10 tail housing which i did a short time ago, otherwise the shifter comes up under the seat. Also, you have to use an external slave cylinder, like on a Turbo Coupe. I should say, you HAVE to use the TC bell along with the slave. Then there's the drive shaft. I don't know what I'll have to do to mine, because I'm having oil pan issues right now and will deal with it later.

Yes they are rated for more, but I have seen more t5s with broken cases than I have M5ODs.

Postin' from teh Galaxy

 

[2.3litersOfFury]

once i get the tranny out ill take a look at it. ill replace the clutch and cylinder and fix the leaks these trannys are so known for.

i double clutch on ocation and i rev match during down shifts

i have problems getting into 1st unless im at a dead stop and third is always hard to find

 

[adsm08]

Double clutching is not a bad thing. Dont speed shift when not 100% needed and your transmissions will live forever.

Postin' from teh Galaxy

 

[scotts90ranger]

I speed shifted the heck out of my M5OD and at 200k miles it needed new syncros, but on ebay you can get a complete M5OD rebuild kit for $175 shipped with all bearings and syncro's along with some shift bushings.

If you want tighter shifts, get the Hurst shifter...

After the rebuild my M5OD shifts perfect, crisp, goes right into gear, works great... way better than my Tracker's tranny shifts after the rebuild... Oh, and after 200k on the clock, everything internally looked perfect other than the worn 5/R slider and the synchro's which I replaced...

 

[Toms01PSD]

I speed shifted the heck out of my M5OD and at 200k miles it needed new syncros, but on ebay you can get a complete M5OD rebuild kit for $175 shipped with all bearings and syncro's along with some shift bushings.

If you want tighter shifts, get the Hurst shifter...

After the rebuild my M5OD shifts perfect, crisp, goes right into gear, works great... way better than my Tracker's tranny shifts after the rebuild... Oh, and after 200k on the clock, everything internally looked perfect other than the worn 5/R slider and the synchro's which I replaced...

What is speed shifting...?

 

[scotts90ranger]

slamming gears, shifting as fast as possible, not waiting for things to align properly in the transmission... not really the best for things . With the turbo lag I have (although very little since it's the stock turbo) it's probably not as bad as it would be doing the same thing with a 4.0L or something.