1995 Explorer-got taken to the cleaners

[Tedybear]

http://therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166971

It was a few posts down the forum.

The replacement one also has a bit of slop, but not quite as bad. Also the old one had really bad wear on the plastic speedometer drive gear. The 'new' one has sharp defined gear teeth. The old one was rounded over pretty bad.

As mentioned in the other post. We only had one issue with the swap. The upper bolt next to the dowel pin. 100% different size then the other 4 bolt holes.

The old one had all the same hardware, the new one I thought had the same? (it was all 13mm or 1/2" bolt heads, that much I remember) However that one bolt above the dowel pin we couldn't start it. We even removed the transfer case to the point it almost fell in my lap. And tried to start it. It was at that point we found that while the bolt head was the same size, the threads where noticeably smaller diameter. It's the oddest thing I've ever seen. It all looks 100%, but the bolt is something like 1 size to large for the hole.

It's drawn in good and tight, that dowel pin was a PITA. We lined everything up and slowly rotated the bolts to draw it in place evenly. That dowel pin is more interference fit then just a guide pin. If not for that? It would have slide on like butter.

S-

 

[Tedybear]

Next heading down the rabbit hole.......

Been having issues with this old beast with the shifting....

We installed the bushing kit (thread around here somewhere...Dorman Junk Kit..)

Still shifts darn hard!!... But we traced some more details sense I have been driving it around.

First, I figured it was ONLY in the transmission because the hard shifting was happening both engine running and off.

That changed.

I found it's likely that the clutch is dragging slightly, or something else is going on.

When it gets to temp, it's hard as he** to get into gear. I can still drive it around, but it is wicked hard to get into mainly 1 gear or even reverse (that one grinds) Stone cold? Works fine!


So last night it started to gear clash when I was trying to put it into reverse. I double clutched it...nadda, still grinding. First and second gear? Hard as he** to get into 'em.

I finally managed to park it. Shut the engine off and it slipped into reverse/1st and 2nd without to much of a fight. Still hard and notchey, but shifted much smoother and without the gear clash into reverse.

We are going to try bleeding it out later today or tomorrow (if dry outside). I'm not convinced it's an air pocket, but it would be a lot nicer if that's all it was. Probably as mentioned before, clutch issue or pilot bushing dragging on the input shaft. There's no leakage at the slave that we've noted, fluid is still fine. Maybe bad master?....(I'm reaching as I do not want to drop that transmission)

More ideas as we continue down the rabbit hole are welcome....

S-

 

[Andy D]

just for grins check the lube level in the trans . Be care ful mashing the shifter. The forks are tender

 

[Tedybear]

just for grins check the lube level in the trans . Be care ful mashing the shifter. The forks are tender

We changed the fluid a couple of weeks ago. Odd part is that the fluid strongly resembled something like a crap ton of graphite was added to it.

At any rate. We hit Pick and Pull again today, and spent more then I wanted to. (another post under General....should do the trick)

They do not have any of the manual's in any ranger or explorers setup for 4wd. I know the extension housing would need to be changed, but I'm also pretty sure the output shaft would also need to be swapped as I do not think it would fit into a transfer case. If all that's needed is the tail housing swapped for the extension housing? That's a different story.

I let the wife know, it's likely that if bleeding the clutch doesn't help, then the whole thing will need to come out and be evaluated. Sense there's none in the area at the local "UPULL" yards, I'll have to rebuild the one that's in there-if needed. (If I look it over once out, and the syncro's are all toasted? Then it's a rebuild...)


Right now we are trying to cover all the bases.

S-

 

[Tedybear]

Update:

Finished up the gate issues and ran it up to my families place.

We bleed the clutch a few times.

The fluid was pretty HOT and I also noted it was almost a milky color.

I think what might be happening is the fluid has a lot of water in it. This might take several bleeding sessions to remove the bulk of the old clutch DOT-3 fluid. Maybe the fluid is 'boiling' slightly and that's causing the clutch issues.

Not sure. I can safely say the slave isn't leaking and is working. Just that pedal is awful low when it engages and disengages. The pedal will release when within a inch of the floor. Let up just about 1/4", and the clutch will strongly engage. The issue gets worse when 'hot'.

We will monitor it for a few days, and likely re-bleed the clutch a few more times to flush out all that old fluid.

S-