M5OD no 5th gear

[mahoney]

I have a M5OD from an exploder in my ranger(correct that, it's out on a bench). It has @ least 250k on it and it never whines. I lost 5th gear a while ago(10k). Within 25 miles after losing 5th, i drained the fluid and nothing out of the ordinary.

The shifter is all loose also, but had ford tell me they can't get the parts to fix these(couple wave washers,new pins and plastic cup). I think there's a rebuild kit for this I've seen on the trans tech page. Should ford still be able to supply these?

Gears and visible parts look fine inside. input shaft is quite loose in the bearing. Shifter was shifting into reverse and 5th, but only reverse worked. when I move the "ear" that shifts to fifth with the top of the trans off, there's noting there?

What should I do?

I've seen people say on the forum just to get a junkyard trans, but I can't find one.

 

[mahoney]

ok I checked the tech page, and see the replacement parts for the shifter.
should I but these and run it w/o 5th?
anybody got any suggestions?

 

[MAKG]

I wouldn't. As you say, the input is loose on its bearing. THAT needs to be fixed as well.

As for why you don't have 5th, it may be a PITA, but you have to look for it. I'd suspect the splines on the gear itself, or the synchronizer slider, or both, have been stripped. If you can go into reverse, it isn't the any part of the shift linkage.

You can (at least in principle) replace 5th and counter-5th, and figure out (and fix) why the input bearing is loose, and continue to use it. Without both of those, I wouldn't use the trans. You've found the answer for the shifter. Note that not all Ford parts guys know what they are doing, particularly for older vehicles. For Ford, old means >10 years, so you qualify.

You may do better at a manual transmission shop, rather than Ford. Particularly for transmission internals.

It's likely to be cost effective (unless you do all your own work) to just get a whole transmission from the junkyard. They aren't THAT hard to find. Don't forget to look in Exploders and Aerostars as well. You MIGHT find one in a Bronco II, though they aren't very common. You know what they look like from the bottom, so go peek.

 

[mahoney]

I do do most of my work, when I need specific tools or help I call my friend who was a ford tech for 10+yrs. or I get on TRS, isn't the internet great! I also am a golf course supt., so I have an awesome shop to mess with stuff.

I have seen a replacement kit on ebay for this trans for like 175, I think I might get this and do it.

I'm going to contact the seller and figure out if it'll accomplish what I need.

 

[MAKG]

"Rebuild kits" almost never contain what you need. THE skill in rebuilding a transmission is inspecting and identifying the bad parts. I really doubt every bearing is worn, and it's unlikely given your description that all the hard parts are good,; it's kinda hard for the input to be "quite loose" without contacting things in ways it shouldn't.

 

[mahoney]

The trans is apart and 5th gear "syncro gear" was the problem. There are two cracks in the inner metal collar of the gear. The gear that the slide and syncro engage(I'm reffering to it as the syncro gear, as the 5th gear is contacting the counter 5th gear) has seperated from the main 5th gear. I don't think this is supposed to spin freely on the gear, so i will replace it. Also, the neddle bearing under the split collar piece of 5th gear had many broken needles, but were still holding together!?!

As far as the front and rear main shaft bearings; yes they were loose, the front more than the back and no, it hadn't caused any damage yet. The counter shaft is tight and everything in the fwd part of the trans looks near perfect for the miles.

 

[MAKG]

Well, that's pretty good news. Yes, this sounds like your 5th gear separated, and if you can't find any pitting or chips on gears, and all the bearings feel nice, you're good to go with a 5th/counter-5th replacement. Though you should make sure the input setup is correct. SOME looseness in the input is to be expected, but you're calling it excessive.

Of course since I haven't seen the parts, you shouldn't take anything I say about it too seriously. Web inspections are notoriously unreliable.

Is the mainshaft underneath that thing in OK shape? That may be a monkey-wrench. I don't recall if there is a sleeve underneath that needle bearing.

 

[mahoney]

the mainshaft is ok, there is a sleeve btw the bearing and the shaft.

I am replacing the front and rear main shaft bearings.

 

[mahoney]

Yes, the 5th gear seperated. The reason for the bearig looseness was the rear retainer(aluminum) had worn.
Couple parts ordered and I should be back in business for another 250K+!