M5OD guide

[NakedDucks]

If I were to write a guide (with pictures) about the M5OD trans...

Other than how to:
-identify which engine one came from
-build,
-what will interchange
-and even how to convert to between 2 and 4 wheel drive versions...

Is there anything else the folks of TRS would like included? I have a lot of the parts (some pretty rare), but may ask for others to be sent to me for photographing and then returned (I will pay shipping both ways....or I may buy them if possible)...

Is this subject even a tech article you’d like to see?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I would.

 

[JMF661]

I would also be interested in such details. I plan on swaping an m5od in place of my current a4ld at some point in the near future.

 

[Shran]

I am intimately familiar with these things now and would be happy to help with this project if needed. I think it would be a huge benefit to the community.

 

[gaz]

∆ from 2 wheel to 4 wheel drive output.

 

[Shran]

∆ from 2 wheel to 4 wheel drive output.

In the grand scheme of things, this is really very easy - you just need your trans, a 4x4 tailhousing, a 4x4 main shaft, an output seal, and main/countershaft nuts. That's assuming you reuse everything inside yours. The part most people get hung up on is that it requires a complete teardown, and more than likely you will find other things to replace at the same time.

PlumCrazy posted a very nice low gear swap writeup a while back - I referred to it the first time I did mine. The factory service manual is pretty decent for rebuilders as well, although it doesn't contain a lot of the technical stuff like the differences between early, mid, mid-late and late model transmissions, bellhousing patterns, gear ratios, stuff like that.

 

[RonD]

There are more M5OD-R2 how-tos out there than M5OD-R1s
Would be good to do an R1 and specify its an R1

Also point out that the M5OD transmissions have a one-piece case so are engine specific, R1 or R2
There were 5 R1 engine versions, most came in 2wd and 4wd sub-models, but not all
The 4.0l versions had different 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear ratios than the 3.0l, 2.9l and 4cyl versions

2.9l/4.0l OHV version 1988-2000 2.9l was only 2wd and then 2wd or 4wd after 1990 with the 4.0l, 2.9l and 4.0l used same block so same bellhousing but different gear ratios

4.0l SOHC HD version(R1HD), 2001-2011 2wd and 4wd, has an extra bolt hole in bellhousing, but still interchangeable with above years, has a different shifter arm than earlier 4.0l version

3.0l Vulcan engine version, 1991-2008 came in 2wd and 4wd

2.3l/2.5l Lima engine version, 1988-2001, came in 2wd, and 4wd but limited after 1997

2.3l DOHC Duratec engine, 2001(mid year) to 2011, only came in 2wd


The 2wd versions lost the tail shaft speed hook up in 1998, as did the 4wd transfer cases

The 2001 - 2011 M5OD-R1s ALL had an OSS speed sensor added, 2wd or 4wd, so 2001-2011 Ranger can ONLY use these years as replacements
1998-2000 Rangers can use the 2001-2011(matching engine) M5R1s since they get speed signal from rear axle ABS sensor
1990-1997 Ranger 4x4 can use any year 4wd transmission, matching engine, if they keep original transfer case, since it has the needed speed signal setup

All the above applies to Mazda B-series 1994 and up

 

[gaz]

Shran + RonD

Cool, sounds like my 94 (4.0) M5OD may get to push the Ranger's 2.9L ..)

 

[Brain75]

Sorry to Necro a fairly old thread, and if you did post the tech I missed it even after searching a bunch....
I got to fantasy day dreaming about something (trans and rear axle swap) and so decided I wanted to know more about what I have and how hard it would be to get to where I was fantasizing...
Well Wiki has a page on the M50D

Mazda M5OD transmission - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

the most basic detail - HOW MANY SPLINES input and output, nowhere to be found....
TRS has a page on all the trans, with some details

Ford Ranger Manual Transmissions - The Ranger Station

Guide to 1983-2011 Ford Ranger manual transmissions. Identify, maintain, and troubleshoot Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Toyo Koygo 4- & 5-speeds

www.therangerstation.com

again no spline info
how bout the shop manual, well

https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/pdf_documents/ford_m5od_manual_transmission_shop_manual.pdf

108 pages, 15 hits for the word "spline" still nothing...

It might be common knowledge, but given the bewildering number of variations Ford/Tremec/Mazda has done elsewhere I kinda want to know before I day dream too far.
So one of the very basic items would be spline count (and I know that probably ends up a cross reference chart from hell not just a simple sentence if you go outside Ranger/Explorer)
FWIW, the T-56 has spline counts in wiki (far right column and varies all over the place with application) and the TR6060 doesn't list spline count in wiki either...

Borg-Warner T-56 transmission - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tremec TR-6060 transmission - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Shran]

I believe all of the RBV manual transmissions had a 23 spline input shaft.

 

[Brain75]

pretty likely 31 spline output?

 

[Shran]

pretty likely 31 spline output?

I found a picture of an A4LD (2wd) output slip yoke and it was 24 spline and keyed. I don't remember if the manual trans 2wd were keyed or not but supposedly they have a different slip yoke so the spline count might be different. I seem to remember that the 2wd and 4x4 manual transmissions had the same spline count though. If I can remember to go look and count, I will get back to you on this as I have both of those on hand.

 

[Brain75]

No rush, it is a day dream project right now And if you can't well next time I go to the 'yard I'll see if any are already pulled apart and look em over now that I have a dream.

 

[Brain75]

I found a thread here that showed 2 shafts (from M5OD-R1) side by side, the 4x4 is 2" longer than the 2wd, and otherwise identical, the thread didn't say what the spline count was and I didn't try counting from one side of a picture.

 

[901wd#2]

Sorry to Necro a fairly old thread, and if you did post the tech I missed it even after searching a bunch....
I got to fantasy day dreaming about something (trans and rear axle swap) and so decided I wanted to know more about what I have and how hard it would be to get to where I was fantasizing...
Well Wiki has a page on the M50D

Mazda M5OD transmission - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

the most basic detail - HOW MANY SPLINES input and output, nowhere to be found....
TRS has a page on all the trans, with some details

Ford Ranger Manual Transmissions - The Ranger Station

Guide to 1983-2011 Ford Ranger manual transmissions. Identify, maintain, and troubleshoot Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Toyo Koygo 4- & 5-speeds

www.therangerstation.com

again no spline info
how bout the shop manual, well

https://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/pdf_documents/ford_m5od_manual_transmission_shop_manual.pdf

108 pages, 15 hits for the word "spline" still nothing...

It might be common knowledge, but given the bewildering number of variations Ford/Tremec/Mazda has done elsewhere I kinda want to know before I day dream too far.
So one of the very basic items would be spline count (and I know that probably ends up a cross reference chart from hell not just a simple sentence if you go outside Ranger/Explorer)
FWIW, the T-56 has spline counts in wiki (far right column and varies all over the place with application) and the TR6060 doesn't list spline count in wiki either...

Borg-Warner T-56 transmission - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Tremec TR-6060 transmission - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

output shaft spline

does anyone kno what years have the same spline output shaft. doesnt matter 2wd of 4x4 just need a spline count Thanks

www.therangerstation.com