jtm554
New Member
I have a 1997 ford ranger the trans is going so I want to swap it is a 2.3l 4 cylinder 5 speed and I want to know if a 2003 2.3l 4 cylinder 5 speed trans would work
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- Thread starter jtm554
- Start date
Welcome to TRS 
No, the 2001-2011 2.3l is a DOHC Mazda L engine so uses a different bolt pattern for transmission
Your 1997 2.3l is a SOHC Lima engine, if a 2WD then 1988-2000 2.3l or 2.5l transmission can be use, model is M5OD-R1(M5R1)
But must be from a 2.3l/2.5l SOHC engine and 2WD, the M5R1s were also used on 3.0l and 4.0l engines but like the 2.3l DOHC they have a different bolt pattern
The M5R1s do not have a detachable bell housing like older manual transmissions did, so they are all Engine Specific
As a side note
Your 1997 was the last year Rangers had the "speedometer cable" hook up on the tail shaft of 2WD transmissions
Speedometer cable was not used but there is a VSS sensor in its place
So if you get a 1998-2000 M5R1 you will need to swap tail shaft housings and move the speedo Drive gear on to the "new" transmission's tail shaft, not a big deal to do
No, the 2001-2011 2.3l is a DOHC Mazda L engine so uses a different bolt pattern for transmission
Your 1997 2.3l is a SOHC Lima engine, if a 2WD then 1988-2000 2.3l or 2.5l transmission can be use, model is M5OD-R1(M5R1)
But must be from a 2.3l/2.5l SOHC engine and 2WD, the M5R1s were also used on 3.0l and 4.0l engines but like the 2.3l DOHC they have a different bolt pattern
The M5R1s do not have a detachable bell housing like older manual transmissions did, so they are all Engine Specific
As a side note
Your 1997 was the last year Rangers had the "speedometer cable" hook up on the tail shaft of 2WD transmissions
Speedometer cable was not used but there is a VSS sensor in its place
So if you get a 1998-2000 M5R1 you will need to swap tail shaft housings and move the speedo Drive gear on to the "new" transmission's tail shaft, not a big deal to do
Last edited:
jtm554
New Member
Is the bell housing interchangeable? Or is it solid
jtm554
New Member
What years have the same bolt pattern has a 97
jtm554
New Member
As a 97
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2007
- Messages
- 13,987
- City
- Michigan
- Vehicle Year
- 1987
- Engine
- 2.9 V6
- Transmission
- Manual
- My credo
- A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
Any 2.3 from 83-97 should work. As would anything from a 2.5 ranger
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2001
- Messages
- 9,583
- City
- Dayton
- State - Country
- OR - USA
- Vehicle Year
- 1990, 1997
- Drive
- 4WD
- Engine
- 2.3 (4 Cylinder)
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Lift
- 6
- Tire Size
- 35"
You need a '88 to '97 to bolt up and be as compatible as possible. The slave cylinder changed in '92 and the shift lever out of the top changed some around '95 I think...
What is the trans doing?
What is the trans doing?
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