Explorer M5OD on 2.9

[Andres629]

I'm planning on doing the M5OD swap onto my auto Ranger, but just a quick question. I know the bellhousing bolt pattern is the same, and I know the clutch assy. will bolt onto the crank, but here's my question; Is the input shaft on a 4.0 tranny longer than a 2.9 transmission? Or will everything be all good once I go to bolt it on up? I don't really want to go pull a transmission tomorrow to find out that it's got a longer input shaft. Thanks all!

 

[88rangerboy]

You should be good. I just finished swapping a 4.0 m5od and 4.0 clutch assembly on my 2.9 and I had no trouble at all. I just wish I had the gears that came in the 2.9 m5od.

 

[Andres629]

Cool, that's what I figured. Just wanted to make sure.

 

[cocoasranger]

The tip of the input shaft on the auto trans is supported in a bore in the crank flange. When you install the M5OD R1 it will be supported by the pilot bearing/bushing which in turn is pressed into a sleeve which is pressed into the pressure plate.

New pressure plates don't include this sleeve so you have to get it at a junkyard. If you press the pilot bearing into the crank flange bore it will fit but the input shaft will be too short to reach it.

 

[mjonesjr]

The tip of the input shaft on the auto trans is supported in a bore in the crank flange. When you install the M5OD R1 it will be supported by the pilot bearing/bushing which in turn is pressed into a sleeve which is pressed into the pressure plate.

New pressure plates don't include this sleeve so you have to get it at a junkyard. If you press the pilot bearing into the crank flange bore it will fit but the input shaft will be too short to reach it.

Ummm, you are wrong.

The tip of the input shaft goes into the FLYWHEEL, not the pressure plate. The pilot bearing does go into the flywheel. The input shaft doesn't come in contact with the pressure plate at all.



The input shafts on 2.9 and 4.0 transmission are the same.

 

[AllanD]

And the pilot bearing has never been in the crank on any 2.9 or 4.0 engine.

Ford switched to a flywheel mounted pilot bearing in 1985 for the last year they were selling the 2.8 engine in Ranger/Bronco2's.

As for the "different gearing" of the 2.3/2.9/3.0 Version of the mazda trans?

Frankly the difference between the 3.40:1 1st gear you have now and the 3.72:1 you could have had is nice to theorize about, but frankly on a 2.9 engine I'd gladly trade that 1st gear away for the 1.31:1 3rd gear of the 4.0 trans Vs the 1.50:1 3rd gear used on the other engines.

in the real world the tighter jump between 3rd and 4th is a lot more useful than the lower 1st gear.

this is voice of experience, I've run both ratio sets behind a 2.9 (and both ratio sets on a 4.0 as well) and in either case I prefer the "close ratio" gears

If you THINK you have gering issues with your 2.9 what you REALLY WANT is 4.10 axle gears.

My Ranger (when 2.9 powered) was really happy with 4.10's, even out on the highway, and yes, even with the relatively small 235/75-15 tires I run....

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