96' manual trans interchangability?

[killacal]

Hi,

My 96' Ranger with 259k miles has started to have some trans issues. When shifting from 4th to 5th, 5th to 4th, or 3rd to 4th it sometimes "losses its way" and grinds almost non-stop, until i jam it back into 4th. The clutch has no effect... so i'm assuming it's something internal.

That being said, i skimmed through the forum and found some info on 2whl drive, manual transmissions and it looks like the 88'-2000 trans are the same.

Does this mean I can buy any manual, from any year in between?

Thanks... and if you know of a lead on a cheap manual in Mass, RI, or NH, let me know.

I posted this here, but apparently it was the wrong thread. mods please merge.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132352

 

[adsm08]

Any trans from 1990 on from YOUR SAME ENGINE should work fine.

 

[killacal]

That seems to be the consensus... but I'm concerned about wiring harness/speedo changes.

Did anything change, or am I all set?

 

[Earl43P]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/speedometer.htm

You'll find good information in that article.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that any trans from 98 up won't have the port for the speed sensor (VSS) that drives your electric speedometer.

I've often wondered if the pulse rate from the rear axle's (ABS) VSS would operate a 95-97 speedometer if you connected the wiring from it to the trans' VSS sensor wiring, but never pursued it.

So, if you want to rely on a GPS unit instead of your dash speedometer, you could certainly bolt up a newer transmission, at least up to 2000. After mid-2001, they replaced the 2.5 (Lima) 4 cyl with the 2.3 Duratech, and I believe the bolt pattern may have changed (you didn't specify your engine, but with that many miles I'm guessing it is a 2.3).

We have a guy here that occasionally sells used trannies, username RBoyer. Might send him a private message and see if he can hook you up. I recommend him highly.

 

[geocrasher]

For what its worth, I just put a new m5od in my friends truck and the only differences between the old 1990 trans and the newer one (I think it was '95) was the speedometer gear assembly where the VSS and the speedo cable connect- we just swapped the one from the old transmission, and we had to use the new shifter too (otherwise 3rd and 4th didn't work- oops!)