Need 2.3 5speed M5OD to T-5 trans swap INFO!

[89 RaNgEr]

Okay guys i have a 1989 2.3 5speed with the M5R1 or M5OD trans? Its the Mazda trans I know that i think its the M5OD. Anyways I took the trans out of my 94 and put it in my 89 when i wrecked my 94. I drove the truck till the trans took a **** on me going down the interstate. The bearings locked up in it, Yes it had fluid. The trans had over 230,xxx on it and was beat to ****.

So i bought another trans to go in it. I paid $250 for the trans and it was in REALLY good shape had like 70,xxx on it. I took my E-brake cable off cause of bagging my truck. I had to park with the truck in Reverse a few times also. I know thats not good on the trans but had no choice. I had to push jump it the other night due to a dead battery.

Now my trans is making this Noise like the Bearing are going BAD. Its Whinning also. I think its low on fluid so i put some lucas in it tonight cause it had a slight leak thu the shifter witch is a Hurst shifter. I read that some guys was having a problem with theres leaking after installing the shifter also. I hope its making this noise due to low fluids but im scared its not.

Now on to what i want to know. I know to do a T-5 swap i have to get the bell housing and the 2.3 T-5 trans.

The info i need to know is this:

Whats the best T-5 to get a one out of turbo or non turbo car or they both the same?

Will my STOCK drive shaft work with the T-5?

Do i have to do any cusomizing other than cutting my floor out for the shifter?

Will my stock hydrolic clutch line work?

Will my STOCK starter work?

Will my STOCK clutch work?

Do i have to get a different slave cylinder?

Will my stock Fly wheel work?

ANY OTHER INFO PLEASE TELL ME!!!

Thanks.

 

[AllanD]

parking a manual trans truck in gear instead of using the parking brake is a non-issue.
and you should slap the shit out of whoever gave you that silly notion.

now, why exactly do you think that a T5 would be an improvement?

your previous mazda failures were both a combination of old age and neglect
(lack of maintainance).

a t5 will suffer the same sort of failures.

to out a T-5 in a Ranger essentially requires EITHER converting to a cable clutch ala Mustang) (cable clutches SUCK!)
OR tracking down a bellhousing from a 1988-89 Thunderbird Turbocoupe and fabricating a clutch line. (These used an EXTERNAL slave cylinder and a fork, FORK operated clutches SUCK)

if you want shift quality get another mazda trans and put a hurst shifter for it.

That'll save you all the custom work neeed to make a T5 fit a ranger, floor pan, driveshaft, clutch actuation, custom crossmember...

it's uglier than you realize....

AD

 

[pcollins]

just gonna go off topic real quick...but i'd rather have a fork operated clutch w/ and external slave than Fords dumb idea of an internal slave...not one of their brightest ideas.

To the OP. i'm not saying swapping trannies is a good idea. its actually a lot of work. your best bet would be to either get the one you have rebuilt, or find another one in good shape and keep it maintained.

 

[AllanD]

internal slaves are the grewatest innovation in clutch activation since Saab (yes really!) invented them in the mid 1970's.

forks by definition introduce lost motion at three different wear points
(at each end and the pivot) even before those points can wear...

You can only make stamped sheet metal parts to a gross approximation
of "precision"

the third design Ford slave cylinder is about as reliable as any hydraulic part gets
infact I've never actually had one fail...

Glass reinforced nylon (aka "delrin") is pretty tough stuff
tougher than most metals infact...

The issue with them (like most parts) is incompetent installation in the field.

I just wish I had $50 for every idiot that's screwed up a WORKING clutch hydraulic
system after some other work, and making an unnecissary attempt to "bleed"
a system... and actually UNbleeding it... then blamming the system for their failure
(for failing to follow the old dictum "if it ain't broke, don't fix it")

it's like the myth that carbs are more reliable than EFI...

AD

 

[89 RaNgEr]

Well i KEEP my trans maintained! I changed the fluids like between every 3k-5k. Also the trans had like 65k on it when i installed it and the guy i got it from is a really good buddy of mine and it came out of his truck! The trans worked PERFECT TILL i started putting it in reverse after i removed the e-brake cable! so you tell me how that works....

 

[auto02]

any info on fabbing up a line to go from the ranger master cylinder to the t-bird slave cylinder?can the whole unit be replaced with the setup from a 83-85 ranger?