M5R2 transmission swap-Slave cylinder issue

[tjack96]

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!

 

[tjack96]

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[1989-4btranger]

can we see some pics of that inline 6 in a ranger engine bay? I'm curious as to how much room you will have for a rad and what mods u did to fit it?

 

[danielp3344]

I second that motion, I was just pondering putting a 300 in mine.

 

[tjack96]

Sorry for the late response, i'll send some pictures when i get home from work today. Thanks for your interest

 

[tjack96]

So I actually found these pictures I took a few weeks back, I'll put up more to show the modifications I did to make it work later this evening.

 

[Ramcharger90]

That looks like it fits surprisingly well.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That looks like it fits surprisingly well.

Looks like the water pump goes into the radiator support...

 

[tjack96]

Looks like the water pump goes into the radiator support...

Actually not, I'm using the radiator from the Maverick that I got the engine out of, it fits between the body ahead of where the stock ranger radiator mounted, and with a slim electric fan, I have about an inch of clearance, I'd show you some pictures if I didn't have the radiator off being serviced. I chose the smaller six for this reason, a longer 300 inch would surely give me clearance issues long ways, but the small sixes-they fit pretty well, just, not with the stock components. I removed the AC condenser and am not keeping the stock AC system. If I hadn't removed that unit along with the radiator then this build would have taken a very different shape.

 

[MikeG]

How much torque do you think you'll get out of that 250 six?

Drove a Granada with the 250 six, worthless pig-pile of a car, but if the engine could move that car AT ALL, it should get a ranger to scoot......

 

[tjack96]

Stock the 1971 250 made 240 ft lbs at the flywheel, with 150 horses, the stock 86' 2.9L made 140 HP with 170 ft lbs (Im assuming all the mentioned specs are consistent here). Also, you can't see it in the photo but I did a 2v conversion on this engine so i had the head milled and have a 2 barrel carb adapter bolted directly to the intake. From the Tech Room on Classic Inlines.com, where a completely stock build was done with only a 2v conversion, distributor and header swap performed, they gained a net of 24% power. I don't expect to get that since im not running headers, not yet at least, so, to make a longer answer short, i think i may scratch something like 175 HP and maybe 270 ft lbs of torque at the flywheel. Comparing that to the stock 2.9 I pulled out of her, i thinks that an appreciable gain.

 

[danielp3344]

That sounds (and looks) awesome, definitely giving me some ideas for a 300 swap.

 

[tjack96]

So here's those pictures I promised: To get the radiator to fit (no pictures of that sadly, sorry), i had to remove the lower cross member at the front of the body and the center piece where the valance and grille bolts in the center, and then i tack welded some plates that allow me to bolt the radiator right into the cut out of the body so its front is flush. This provided me more space for the water pump and electric fan I mentioned in a previous reply. To get more clearance even with my 3" body lift I ground the lip in the trans tunnel where the engine bay sheet metal was spot welded to another piece, and then tack welded it back together to keep the two halves joined. I fabricated my own motor mounts from 1/4" plate steel, and using frame-side mounts from a 1971 Maverick, made some functioning custom motor mounts. These come with a single threaded bolt through the bottom that slid right into the K-member where the original v6 mounts fit. the position of the stock oil filter runs right into the steering box, a 90 degree adapter may remedy this, but i chose to go with a relocation kit instead. In addition to all this (pictures not included for these next parts), I had to custom fabricate a rear sump oil pan to clear the k-member. The Falcon L6 engines only ever had front sump oil pans (except in the case of the Fairmont pans), and there is no aftermarket rear sump available for the 250, and so, I bought a used rear sump pan for a Ford Cortina from a shop in Queensland, Australia, had the flange cut off of the American 250 i had, and then welded the American flange onto the Australian pan. The pickup tube was provided with the pan and i did some mild fabrication to it as well. I removed the cross member for the original drive shafts carrier bearing, i don't like two piece shafts so i bought a single aluminum unit, and, I needed the clearance. I will need to move the transmission mount back 6 or so inches, not a big deal, and i converted this truck to manual steering to avoid parasitic drag and the headache of somehow pairing a power steering pump with my motor and gear box combo. I went with an M5R2 Transmission as noted on this threads intro, i had to cut the floor away to make room and hammer the side of the trans tunnel just a little to get more room for my extension and wrench. I did the same at the lower passenger side of the firewall by the heater box so that my exhaust manifold and its studs could fit, this was a cake walk, no biggy there either. In total, this swap wasn't as hard as i had first envisioned it being, the motor mounts were the hardest, past that, everything was very straight forward and has been done by many people before me. If anyone is interested, when this build is complete i may attempt a Tech Article about it. Lots of folks here have mentioned the 300 Six, i think that could work, you would just need to move the radiator forward or cut out the firewall, and custom fabricate your mounts, beside that there's nothing too difficult.

 

[SenorNoob]

Impressive work! I like it.