04 manual transmission

[Engine7]

Shifts like crud

Its got a hard first to second and second to third shift. Been back to the dealer many times and always says it normal. Probably because its under warranty. I driven other Rangers and they have had some smoother transmissions, may be a model year thing? I was just trying to get mine to shift a little smoother now that its out of warranty and I don't have to worry about that issue. Heard other people changing fluid and getting a smooother shift thought I would see what kinda luck you guys had. I appreciate all the interest.

 

[BlackBII]

Do ya'll have problems with it not wanting to go into first? mine shifts like a dream while im moving, but sitting at a light or something it just don't want to go into gear. I now know of 5 rangers various years, motors and transmissions that do this.

Try putting it in Second before putting it in First at the Stop light, that has worked for me on many RBV's(M5OD) and my old F-150.

 

[AllanD]

"V" doesn't work so well in these transmissions, use straight Mercon-spec fluid.

Actually the later transmissions seem ok with "V".

starting sometime in '01 or '02 ford switched from plain brass synchro rings to brass synchro rings with a composite friction surface.

Personally I call them "plastic", but they are really a carbon fiber material.

THOSE rings were DESIGNED to be run with mercon5.

I run the "plastic" rings in my own trans (they require SPECIAL/DIFFERENT)
synchro collars to FIT, but I still run "3" in my trans.

Probably next change I'll fill it with "5" because I have several cases of the stuff and NO other use for it.


THE thing about an '03 or later gearbox is that not only do they have the "plastic" synchro rings, but also have assymetrically cut "dog teeth".

this is the cause of the usual engagement "chunk" going up into third.

You might notice if you shift more "agressively" that the transmission actually shifts better.
On upshifts anyway...

If you lift throttle as you clutch and let the engine slow down the synchro will "buzz" on 2nd and 3rd gear upshifts while declutching with out lifting and just shifting across quickly will USUALLY go in smoothly...

Or atleast that's how my trans shifts...
the 2nd, 3rd and 5th of my trans are from an '03 3.0 trans

 

[gw33gp]

I had an occasional hard to shift into first gear from a stop problem with my transmission. Shifting between gears while moving worked fine. Someone recommended a Royal Purple lube called Syncromax for my transmission. It is a lube that is recommended for manual transmissions that require automatic transmission fluid. I changed to this Syncromax and I have much less problem shifting into first from a stop now. In fact I rarely notice any problem at all and the shifts between gears on the move seem smoother now.

I did not notice an immediate great improvement but the more I drove it the better it got. It was not just a matter of breaking in the transmission either because I had about 60K miles on it when I changed the fluid. I have about 87K on the truck now and the transmission works great. Many of those miles were towing duty.

 

[Engine7]

thanks

I had heard about the composite parts also, and was told to be careful what fluid to add. I think I am going to change it and make sure it has mercon v in it to start with. I'll also try changing my shifting habits to see it that helps, it does get better "if you get down on it", as I would say. Brass worked find for several decades, why do they have to go and change something that works? Thanks for the help, I may even add some of the trick shift stuff and see what the results are. I will keep you all posted on the progress. Thanks.

 

[fixizin]

Does anyone KNOW, with Mazda Engineering Dept. authority, which components make the M5OD "sensitive" to Mercon V? Is it the resin-impregnated fibrous synchro material?

But yep, the old Mercon Plain Jane is still out there, and that's what I'm putting in my '99... soon as I can jury-rig a hose onto my hand pump...

 

[fixizin]

Can anyone translate this sentence... or break it out into what sounds like 2 different scenarios...?

If you lift throttle as you clutch and let the engine slow down the synchro will "buzz" on 2nd and 3rd gear upshifts while declutching with out lifting and just shifting across quickly will USUALLY go in smoothly...

 

[darkspork]

Actually the later transmissions seem ok with "V".

starting sometime in '01 or '02 ford switched from plain brass synchro rings to brass synchro rings with a composite friction surface.

Personally I call them "plastic", but they are really a carbon fiber material.

THOSE rings were DESIGNED to be run with mercon5.

I run the "plastic" rings in my own trans (they require SPECIAL/DIFFERENT)
synchro collars to FIT, but I still run "3" in my trans.

Probably next change I'll fill it with "5" because I have several cases of the stuff and NO other use for it.


THE thing about an '03 or later gearbox is that not only do they have the "plastic" synchro rings, but also have assymetrically cut "dog teeth".

this is the cause of the usual engagement "chunk" going up into third.

You might notice if you shift more "agressively" that the transmission actually shifts better.
On upshifts anyway...

If you lift throttle as you clutch and let the engine slow down the synchro will "buzz" on 2nd and 3rd gear upshifts while declutching with out lifting and just shifting across quickly will USUALLY go in smoothly...

Or atleast that's how my trans shifts...
the 2nd, 3rd and 5th of my trans are from an '03 3.0 trans

Sorry to bring up an old topic but my 03' shifts pretty crappy like described in by some people in the post. Back in early March while it was still pretty cold outside I drained and refilled my transmission with Mobil 1 multi-atf fluid (semi-synthetic), it met the specifications for Mercon and Mercon V. My owner's manual calls for Mercon for the transmission. I plan on changing the fluid again soon and was wondering if I should use Valvoline Dex/Merc (regular or high mileage) or if I should by Motorcraft Mercon V? Will the Dex/Merc or Mercon V be better for my transmission?

 

[AllanD]

Oil in a manual transmission directly affects shift quality,
but shift quality like brands of Mustard are an individual taste kind of thing.

It's kinda like an arguement I had over and over again with a hundred different people about front end alignment.

the specificacitons for alignment Caster, Camber and Toe are carefully
considered by a group of educated engineers with years of experience.

However, their calculations are based almost as much on several guesses
as they are on known facts.
The variables is specific brand of tire, driving conditions and driving style.

If you take a car that's expected to be driven in a particular way
then you install better tires and stiff swap bars on it and hand the
keys to a complete nutcase you are going to discover that the tires
won't wear evenly.

Now comes the part where people go into brain lock and start mindlessly repeating themselves "bt the alignment was just set to spec aand it's perfect"
If the tires wore funny and it's to spec the obvious answer is that the spec is wrong for the ACTUAL useage.

To get back on topic transmission seem to be designed like my grandmother
was going to be driving it, shift point rpm has as much effect on a '98-up Mazda going into 3rd as anything else...

Personally mine on my 4.0 with an assymetrically cut 3rd gear ALWAYS goes
into 3rd.... IF I shift it to 3rd ABOVE 3500rpm.

Do you ever hear the transmission "growl" after it's already in gear?

 

[martin]

It will never shift like the transmission on a big truck. Partly due to the additional crap they have inside them so that people that can't drive can still shift them.

 

[darkspork]

Do you ever hear the transmission "growl" after it's already in gear?

In first gear the transmission makes more of a howling sound as the clutch engages the flywheel. The sound can be avoided if I give it extra gas or get off the clutch more quickly. I have read that the clutch may be "glazed", I have no idea how the truck was driven before I bought it (I've owned it for perhaps 3000 miles). In terms of shift quality I'm looking to get the transmission to shift in a manner where the shifter slides into gear smoothly (sort of like a Miata, but I know that this cannot be accomplished). But back to my original question: Dex III/Merc or Motorcraft Mercon V? As I said its an 03' but the owner's manual calls for plain Mercon.

It does seem to me that the shift quality is adversely affected by the atf thats in it. When I bought it, it didn't want to go into any gears while it was cold out but on warmer days it shifted smooth; when I drained it the transmission fluid came out black with a slight red tint. Then when I put in the Mobil 1 semi-synthetic ATF it shifted pretty good while it was cold out and shift quality seems to be deteriorating as it gets warmer out.

 

[dorman68]

0w30 gear oil will make the M50D's shift like a dream.

How many have tried this? Sounds like a good idea but I am too chicken to try it.