87 Ranger TK5 trans parts nightmares!!!

[LD57]

Cut and paste from a different thread, suggested I start a fresh one.
This:

Hey, newbie here, original owner of an '87 Ranger, 2.9 TK-5 trans, mfd. March '87.
The hydraulic throwout went, and working on that, but with the tranny on a stand in the garage, I put the shifter back in after fixing up that bushing with some 2 part epoxy, but it only seems to want to shift into 2 gears, I can't move the shifter to get it to select other gears. Did I screw up somehow and how do I fix that? Thanks!!

The other problem is NO ONE seems to be able to get me the right output seal!! The last one that looked promising was an SKF P501-17-335B but it's too big like the National I was sold. Original is 2.251-ish OD and the SKF is 2.374 OD.

Part two of the posting:

I seem to be able to move it into the gears by hand, and if I put it in 1st then put the shifter on, it acts like all is well but then won't go back over to the 1st and 2nd gate. ???? Did I put the bushing too low on the shaft, would that make any difference? I got the Dorman part someone recommended.

The shifter came out of the floor in my hand when it was about 3k miles out of warranty, but Ford replaced it as a recall. Not a problem since, clutch and stuff replaced once before, and it would be fine if it wasn't for that idiotic internal slave thing.

And pics:

 

[LD57]

Hey, moving the bushing up the shaft a bit seems to have resolved the shifting issue with the tranny sitting on a stand. Off to a different store soon to find a dang SEAL!!

And if the other store gets me another wrong hydraulic slave, well.....

 

[Shran]

Manual transmissions often can be hard to shift into some or all gears when the transmission is out of the vehicle. Reason being that the guts aren't moving so things aren't perfectly aligned, that is the best way I can explain it. Even tiny movements from the engine or the vehicle rolling can line up the pieces and allow it to shift smoothly. If there's no oil inside it, that will compound the problem.

Good luck finding your seal, every time I rebuild a transmission I find myself spending hours looking for one or two specific parts. It's annoying but I guess these trucks are 30+ years old now and a lot of parts have been discontinued for years.

 

[bcschief]

Is this a 2wd or 4wd and are you sure it's a Toyo Koyo and not a Mitsubishi transmission? The Toyo Koyo has an aluminum pan, and the Mitsubishi has a steel pan.

 

[LD57]

Hey Shran, thanks for the reply.
Yeah, I was spinning the shaft when trying to shift it and it's fairly full of lube. Only leaked about a pint during removal. Frustrated as bleep at my usual store, I went to O'Reilly and got the flywheel and slave cylinder in about 2 hours, and we ordered a seal based on my measurements that SHOULD be close enough. What a week.

 

[LD57]

Is this a 2wd or 4wd and are you sure it's a Toyo Koyo and not a Mitsubishi transmission? The Toyo Koyo has an aluminum pan, and the Mitsubishi has a steel pan.

Hey there. It's the TK and I think that's 14 bolts in the pan. Everything a store got me was for the Mits even when I was insisting it was the Mazda. I still have the letter from Ford in '88 I think, telling me there was a "recall on my Mazda transmission" for the failing shifter, It's 2WD.

I also have the 2.9L Cologne engine, which is great. It sat for about 12 years while I had a full size work truck, and brought it back from a lake and put her back in service. About 230k on the clock, I changed the gas tank and pumps and all fluids and she fired right up. Obviously got new tires as well.
Tons of life left in the old girl.

 

[LD57]

She was looking pretty sad after sitting so long.

Yeesh!

Close....

OY!!

A little improv, but good.

 

[LD57]

Good place for a tree.

YOW!!!!

 

[LD57]

She cleaned up nicely.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

She cleaned up nicely.

View attachment 95651View attachment 95652

Thats a damn sharp truck.

My Ranger sat for about 12 years as well (2.9/tk5) before i basically saved it from the crusher.

Mine aint nearly that pretty though. Im afraid at some point ill have to deal with the shifter issue....mines pretty wiggly. I just refrain from drag racing type shifts for now

 

[LD57]

Thats a damn sharp truck.
Mine aint nearly that pretty though.

Thanks! The camera is kind to it, she really needs a paint job. Damned economy!

If it's like mine, the bushing on the end of the shifter stick has hogged out some. There's a knurled spot on it and I don't know if the bushing is also knurled, but it's smooth now. Easy fix.

 

[RobbieD]

That's an honest, nice looking old truck. Good on you for keeping her alive and thriving.

Those wheels are sharp. What are they?

Thanks for showing some pics. I love seeing survivor first gens.

 

[LD57]

That's an honest, nice looking old truck. Good on you for keeping her alive and thriving.

Those wheels are sharp. What are they?

Thanks for showing some pics. I love seeing survivor first gens.

Thanks! Like I said, I'm the original owner and it's like family in ways I might 'splain later.

Those are American Racing wheels I bought at Discount Tire in 1991. They need refinished, but this stuff hides the fading pretty good, and is something great for corrosion control. Worked on an old airplane a lot, and if it's good enough for that, it's good enough for me!

Got pissed off at my usual store yesterday and went elsewhere and had the 2 major parts I needed in 3 hours. Got a "southern engineered" rear seal installed, and I'm ready to stab the tranny back in.
That is, after I drink another liter or three of water.

 

[LD57]

And hello Toonces!!

 

[RobbieD]

And hello Toonces!!

And Toonces sends his best regards!

Thanks for the confirmation on your wheels. I thought that they looked to be from the "wayback machine", and they do look sharp. Now that I think on it, I think they're Centerlines?

Also thanks for the wheel dressing tip; I'll have to try it.

Good luck with your truck. These old ones need a lotta love, but they're sure cool to drive and have.


I miss the original Saturday Night Live. "Look honey! Toonces can drive!"