tjack96
Member
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2019
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- Albuquerque, NM
- Vehicle Year
- 1999
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger 2.5
- Transmission
- Manual
Hi folks, heres some introduction:
1986 Ford Ranger XLT, custom inline 6 swap (1971 250 c.i.). I've already made my custom motor mounts and the engine is sitting in the engine compartment, so dont tell me it cant be done, because, well, ive done it and it looks stellar, it was just months of custom fab work and trial and error. To make this engine work with a manual transmission i procured a 1999 m5R2, installed a 1995 f150 300 inline 6 flywheel and 11" clutch kit to keep the zero balance and the proper tooth count on the flywheel. Frankly, the engine wont know the difference as far as i know, and the transmission should bolt up to the engine just like a 300 six (same bellhousing pattern, same clutch)
Now, onto the issue: . I was stabbing in my transmission today when the transmission would not mount up fully-it refused to mate with the engines rear face leaving an inch gap. I pulled the dust cover off the bellhousing, shined a light in there and determined that the slave was bottoming out on the pressure plate, preventing the transmission from mounting flush with the rear of the engine. I dropped the trans, removed the slave and went back to the parts store and exchanged it (the one i had installed was a 1988 model, i chose that one so that it would connect to the 1988 f150 clutch master cylinder), with the 1999 model f150 clutch slave cylinder and i found that the 1999 unit is slightly shorter by about 3/8". I'm yet to attempt the install again but my question for all of you guys out there who have swapped an M5R2 into your trucks is whether or not you had clearance issues with the internal slave cylinder? I've done plenty of clutches and dont recall the slave ever sitting flush with the pressure plate fingers, that would wear them out prematurely along with the throw out bearing, So am i just losing my mind or is this specific trans/engine combo doomed due to incompatible pressure plate/slave cylinder pairing? Or is slave cylinder just not the specific one necessary to make this transmission fit right?
EDIT: Okay, i feel really foolish here, i should have done more research; these slave cylinders are designed to be in constant contact with the pressure plate fingers, hence the large spring beneath the throwout bearing, how i never picked up on this having done three or so ranger clutches with the m5r1's is beyond me. Having the exact year slave for my transmission now, and now knowing that the constant contact is normal, i think i solved the issue. Either way, you all have a blessed day!
1986 Ford Ranger XLT, custom inline 6 swap (1971 250 c.i.). I've already made my custom motor mounts and the engine is sitting in the engine compartment, so dont tell me it cant be done, because, well, ive done it and it looks stellar, it was just months of custom fab work and trial and error. To make this engine work with a manual transmission i procured a 1999 m5R2, installed a 1995 f150 300 inline 6 flywheel and 11" clutch kit to keep the zero balance and the proper tooth count on the flywheel. Frankly, the engine wont know the difference as far as i know, and the transmission should bolt up to the engine just like a 300 six (same bellhousing pattern, same clutch)
Now, onto the issue: . I was stabbing in my transmission today when the transmission would not mount up fully-it refused to mate with the engines rear face leaving an inch gap. I pulled the dust cover off the bellhousing, shined a light in there and determined that the slave was bottoming out on the pressure plate, preventing the transmission from mounting flush with the rear of the engine. I dropped the trans, removed the slave and went back to the parts store and exchanged it (the one i had installed was a 1988 model, i chose that one so that it would connect to the 1988 f150 clutch master cylinder), with the 1999 model f150 clutch slave cylinder and i found that the 1999 unit is slightly shorter by about 3/8". I'm yet to attempt the install again but my question for all of you guys out there who have swapped an M5R2 into your trucks is whether or not you had clearance issues with the internal slave cylinder? I've done plenty of clutches and dont recall the slave ever sitting flush with the pressure plate fingers, that would wear them out prematurely along with the throw out bearing, So am i just losing my mind or is this specific trans/engine combo doomed due to incompatible pressure plate/slave cylinder pairing? Or is slave cylinder just not the specific one necessary to make this transmission fit right?
EDIT: Okay, i feel really foolish here, i should have done more research; these slave cylinders are designed to be in constant contact with the pressure plate fingers, hence the large spring beneath the throwout bearing, how i never picked up on this having done three or so ranger clutches with the m5r1's is beyond me. Having the exact year slave for my transmission now, and now knowing that the constant contact is normal, i think i solved the issue. Either way, you all have a blessed day!
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