5spd manual transmission shifts hard

[Ranger-Roush]

First off I would like to give credit and thanks to this site. It has been helpful and informative. With that said I have decided to give back by contributing some of my own knowledge.

For those of you having shifting issues with your 5spd manual trannys this may be helpful.

Right after changing the clutch, slave and master cyclinder, and fluid, which is ATF, on my 96 ranger it still shifted hard as if the syncros were worn out. The truck had around 120k miles at the time. With no solution in sight, aside from rebuilding or replacing it, i decided to replace the Mercon5 with 75w-90 synthetic gear lube(transfer case as well). Now I know several people are going to say that you cant do that because of the splash bearings and clearance diameters, however this transmission was well worn in so I did not think the clearance diamaters would be an issue. Low and behold it shifts like a dream. As of right now it has 218k miles and not a single problem, still a shifts like it did 100k miles ago. I'm in upstate Ny so in the winter time it's best to let it warm up for a few minutes first but other that that it's been flawless. Now I just bought a 2004 ranger XLT 4x4 with the 4.0 and 5spd manual. It too was shifting hard so I changed out the ATF for gear lube as well. This time I used 75w140 synthetic and have driven it about 1000 miles this far. My gas milage has not been the greatest so I'm thinking about draining it and using the 75w90 synthetic. Anyway from everything I have read no one recommends using gear lube, so I'm here to say that it does work and will not destroy a worn in tyranny that has at least 100k miles on it.

 

[Ranger-Roush]

I would also like to note that I worked at a local ford dealership for 5 years as the lead technician until I completed my bachelors in Mechanical engineering. I now work in a machine shop specializing in aerospace components as the chief engineering designing manufacturing processes and writing machine programs.

 

[Dirtman]

Oil is slippery.

 

[19Walt93]

I'm glad it worked for you but I suspect switching from Mercon V to Mercon/dexron would also have fixed it. When Ford stopped selling Mercon they released a dedicated transfer case fluid which cost $12 a quart. The bottle says it meets Mercon specs, just like the power steering fluid does.

 

[Shran]

I replied to your comment in another thread but ran across this one too - gear lube will destroy a M5OD in the long run. Drain and refill with the proper fluid.

 

[Dirtman]

I replied to your comment in another thread but ran across this one too - gear lube will destroy a M5OD in the long run. Drain and refill with the proper fluid.

Your not a chief engineering designing manufacturing processes and writing machine, what would you know!