Going full circle

[scotts90ranger]

Wait, both shifter housings are in first but you're stabbing the shifter in the neutral location because the side pressure spring deal won't let you get the shifter in the first location, you might need to pry that pushrod deal over to get the shifter in there before the detents will release to let you move it? never taken that part apart since it's complicated and nothing generally wears out... That's likely your problem, you need to get the shifter into the gear the assembly is in...

And this here is the exact reason you only pull the shifter out in neutral! There's ball bearings that limit the shifter so it physically will not go into more than one gear.

 

[Josh B]

Woah! I likely parked it in 1st
The transmission I'm needing to put in has been rebuilt and had a new mainshaft installed, I do not know what gear it is in :/

This certainly gives me a lot to think about Scott, Thank you for that
I'll get it figured out somehow what gears its in

 

[scotts90ranger]

Look at the gap where the shifter stub goes in, both of those shiny round things should be pointing toward eachother with the gap in the middle, one is slid one direction. You need to either get the shifter stub to go in that one that's not lined up or get the shifter housing shifted back to neutral.

 

[Josh B]

Got it in 1st, is that ready to go there?

Did this one too

This was the weapon of choice, just push the button and slide it as you will

 

[scotts90ranger]

Make sure you move the slider on the transmission to the middle of it's travel too, then you're ready to go back together

 

[Josh B]

Make sure you move the slider on the transmission to the middle of it's travel too, then you're ready to go back together

The slider on the transmission? Scott, I definitely appreciate you getting me out of the rut here, it has been a very long two weeks here, including one of procedures and 2 days R&R. My nephews coming tomorrow to help with the lifting and I'm hoping get this done. Is the Transmission slider on the covers flip side? Or is it down that same hole?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yes, on the transmission itself, the one in the rear on the pictures you've posted, just with your fingers slide it forward, it should look similar to the other one where it's centered in the splined hub, that will free it up and put it in neutral so you can put the top cover on.

Conveniently I'm pretty fresh on the M5OD inner workings, and your pictures told the story once I saw what they were telling

 

[Josh B]

So how close is this one?

 

[RobbieD]

Yes, on the transmission itself, the one in the rear on the pictures you've posted, just with your fingers slide it forward, it should look similar to the other one where it's centered in the splined hub, that will free it up and put it in neutral so you can put the top cover on.

Move the slider from the red arrow to the green arrow:

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yes, that's what I was trying to explain... was getting late and my internet sucks...

 

[Josh B]

It had been up on jacks and jack stands at least 2 weeks so late yesterday I took it down to check out its structure and about half way or less one of the jacks tilted which in turn tilted the other one, but then, we've had a lot of rain lately, and that's the very reason I decided to check it.

I took it all out, cut some fresh and larger jack pads and put it back up. I have a jack and a jack stand at each front axle, each are holding their share of weight. I felt a lot better after doing it, even though it isn't easy to do when you're already wore out Then it rained another inch after dark

Today my nephew came and helped me get the transmission installed and then the Transfer Case hung up there. He was a lot of help. After that I was just bolting and looking for bolts, not sure how they all get away so fast

It was near dark as I was wrapping things up, getting everything bolted on up, the exhaust and drive shafts all together and in order. I wanted to check it out a little bit tho it was rapidly getting darker.
I finally hooked up the battery and hit the starter but just a click, then I followed the red wire and hooked it back up and tried again
It turned over, (been 2 weeks) fired up like it was floored, popped loud like a little bomb and a smoke screen appeared then blew away in the wind
I'm thinking it has been leaking water into some cylinders, but had still hoped to drive it a few more times, and still do

 

[Josh B]

I have certainly had a long and difficult couple of weeks plus, and that's about all I'm gonna say.
I have had some excellent help in the last few days trying to pull this thing together, and it has been very highly appreciated.
After getting the gear shifter sorted out things back on track my nephew helped me yesterday getting the transmission bolted up to the engine and onto the cross member, and the transfer case in place also.
That is what I needed him to do and as we got that far along, I said buddy we;re here so they took off'

I spent the rest of Friday working on getting the kinks out of the exhaust and the drive line and double checking everything else. Last night I tried to fire it up but it just popped and blew some smoke so I left off with it there

Today I disconnected the coil and cranked it just a bit, then waited about an hour, went back out and connected the coil and it fired right up. It's still my old engine so I won't be pushing it too hard while I prepare to proceed with the engine

You guys are certainly a lot of help also and I also appreciate that

 

[Josh B]

I did get to take it for a drive today, a little over 6 miles, equal to once around the block I live on, including a paved country road.
The transmission wants to grind going in to 4th gear, whether making forward progress or in downshifting, it's right at the low side of 4th. Not sure if that will work itself out or not

 

[Josh B]

I did get it all tweaked out today, the exhaust front to back all pulled together and torqued. The drive line all sorted out, front wheel and rear.
That was a long 2 weeks, and a bit over, and I am one whooped pup, but good to know it's done

Next up!? The engine

 

[Josh B]

It is nice to have the wheels rolling. I'm not real certain what to think about the transmission yet.
It is the one I got from minnesota, which was shipped in an empty cardboard box, and I got the TC cockeyed somehow and soon had a stripped shaft.
I changed back to the original and the rebuilt set a long while, I was also tinkering with the Explorer automatic transmission a lot then.

I got a cousin to give it a go, he found another main shaft, I didn't ask where, but I don't presently think it was new. I have driven it a short ways a couple of times just checking it out and today I made a full round-the-town and it isn't doing too bad.
I'm wondering tho about the "grind"?
Going in to 4th it slips out if I don't pull it in, and also downshifting too, it cannot be left to hope, it has to be pushed, or pulled, in. Can that ever go away, just go away, after maybe a couple thousand times or so?
It also kicks out sometimes when downshifting into 3rd
What actually causes it to do that?