Need advice for swapping ranger trans with mustang

[bsc02d]

Hi folks,

I have a 1995 Ranger XLT (2.3 L) with its 3rd R1 transmission that is about to go (input shaft -- same as the last two). I have been told that should swap it with a Mustang transmission and that I wouldn't have to worry about transmission trouble after that. My apologies if this is a redundant posting, I am just tired of having transmission problems every 3-4 years. I would like to know if a swap can be made without extra trouble and if so, which would be the best transmission to get. I was told that a T-5 should work well and that they were common and fairly cheap. Thanks!

 

[chrwilkins30]

are all these transmission that keep going rebuilt ones or JY units?

 

[bsc02d]

The stock trans died at 120k. The 2nd died 97 days after installation (90-day warranty, junkyard). The 3rd one died 6 months after installation (rebuilt). So it is now on its 4th (not 3rd) trans. For each one, the problem was the input shaft & throwout bearing. Before it goes, I start hearing the gears turning, even when the clutch is out but not in gear. Over time, it gets louder and harder to get into gear. It almost feels like the clutch is going, but its a brand new Luks clutch and flywheel.

 

[RangerSVT]

What are you using for trans fluid?? Sounds like you are having something else cause the trans problems, especially if you are having the same failure...To answer your question, you will need to change the clutch plate(the ranger uses a fine spline clutch/input shaft, the mustang T5 uses a course spline clutch/input shaft). You will also need to fab a mount for the clutch slave cylinder, and get an external slave cylinder. The T5 uses a cable operated clutch, the ranger uses hydraulic...

SVT

 

[pcollins]

Hate to say it but I'm pretty sure its not the transmissions fault.

 

[gribly]

I'm going to agree with pcollins and RangerSVT, you're doing something wrong. If the clutch is disengaged and the shaft still turns, it's the throwout bearing - which is NOT part of the transmission. If you're replacing the tranny when it's just the TO, you need a new mechanic. The T-5 is rated for less torque than an M5OD, so you're not gaining any strength, either.

 

[bsc02d]

The fluid is fine. The shop checked the fluid and levels when I told them about the noisy gears. They suspected the input shaft or TO bearing, but said I had a while before it goes kaput. That was almost a year ago. Now that final exams are over, I have been looking at getting it fixed. I suppose reduced engine performance, which occasionally forced me to downshift to maintain interstate hwy speeds took a toll on it. Driving from Tallahassee to Panama City, I had to shift 5 to 4 to get up some hills. Thats when #3 went, shearing teeth off the gear. In did lots of engine work last summer and it runs great, but trans trouble came soon after.

Here are the symptoms. If you think a trans replacement is unnecessary, let me know:
* sometimes difficult to get into gear (clutch in, not moving)
* can hear gears turning (clutch out, moving or not)
* clutch feels soft sometimes (like when pressure plate is almost gone -- clutch is new)
* sometimes hard to get out of gear ("pops" out instead of smoothly)
* lurches (like a rocking or bouncing forward) at low speed
* occasionally maintains an elevated idle after clutch is in, until in neutral
- doubtful that this is engine related because of work done last summer

Thats all I can think of for now. Hopefully, I can fix this w/o a new trans. If I had known all of the stuff that has went within the last year, I would have gotten a new truck. This one has 300k so it has served me well for a while. Thanks for the advice!
*

 

[rboyer]

Here are the symptoms. If you think a trans replacement is unnecessary, let me know:
* sometimes difficult to get into gear (clutch in, not moving)
* can hear gears turning (clutch out, moving or not)
* clutch feels soft sometimes (like when pressure plate is almost gone -- clutch is new)
* sometimes hard to get out of gear ("pops" out instead of smoothly)
* lurches (like a rocking or bouncing forward) at low speed
* occasionally maintains an elevated idle after clutch is in, until in neutral
- doubtful that this is engine related because of work done last summer

*

The symptoms I marked in red are normally seen with a failing or improperly bled clutch hydraulic system. Hearing "gears turning" may possibly be due to a lack of a vibration damper underneath your shifter boot? When running the Mazda trans gives off a certain amount of noise. If your vibration damper is missing it could cause that noise to travel into the passenger compartment making you think that you have a problem. Your last two problems actually do sound engine related.

 

[RangerSVT]

I agree with rboyer (thought I already responded to your post, sorry )

SVT

 

[bsc02d]

The symptoms I marked in red are normally seen with a failing or improperly bled clutch hydraulic system. Hearing "gears turning" may possibly be due to a lack of a vibration damper underneath your shifter boot? When running the Mazda trans gives off a certain amount of noise. If your vibration damper is missing it could cause that noise to travel into the passenger compartment making you think that you have a problem. Your last two problems actually do sound engine related.

That sounds plausible and I will ask my mechanic to check it out. I'm pretty sure the lurching and idling are not engine specific problems. They only occur with the drivetrain issues, never on their own. The lurching isn't a result of unsteady rpms but feels more like the drivetrain is "bouncing" off the engine. (Hard to describe). It settles down as acceleration decreases to a constant speed. I get the jerkiness when I take off from a stop sign in a parking lot or pull around to pay for fast food. All of the symptoms have worsened noticeably with every trip to school (92 miles, mostly interstate). Thanks!

 

[rboyer]

That does sound drivetrain related. The first thing i'd do is check the obvious. Crawl under your truck and check out the driveshaft for any play. A bad universal joint could cause it to jerk or thump around like that. Also if your truck happens to have a two piece rear driveshaft then the carrier bearing on the driveshaft going bad could cause problems like that. Definitely check the rest of the drivetrain over before blaming the transmission. Also I recommend trying to bleed your clutch slave cylinder to see if your other problems go away. A little air in the lines may not seem bad if it's only causing hard shifting but it definitely puts stress on the transmission when you try to drive it like that.

 

[bsc02d]

That does sound drivetrain related. The first thing i'd do is check the obvious. Crawl under your truck and check out the driveshaft for any play. A bad universal joint could cause it to jerk or thump around like that. Also if your truck happens to have a two piece rear driveshaft then the carrier bearing on the driveshaft going bad could cause problems like that. Definitely check the rest of the drivetrain over before blaming the transmission. Also I recommend trying to bleed your clutch slave cylinder to see if your other problems go away. A little air in the lines may not seem bad if it's only causing hard shifting but it definitely puts stress on the transmission when you try to drive it like that.

Actually, I had been wondering about the driveshaft also, because I get a thumping/vibration feeling under my feet at interstate speeds sometimes too. It is most noticeable when I let my foot off the accelerator at ~50 mph or higher. I thought that it could be a camber issue, but I checked the forums and found that it could be an unbalanced driveshaft or something like that. Honestly, with 300k miles, there's alot of "symptoms" and how they are un/related to the big problems is another mystery. I will have him check the driveshaft as well. Though I can probably try to bleed the clutch line myself. Thanks!

 

[bsc02d]

Just in case this thread pops up for someone searching for solutions to a similar problem. The transmission issue was resolved. The throwout bearing was worn out (a common issue with M5) and the transmission fluid was completely gray from tiny metal pieces. I had the transmission replaced with a rebuilt transmission (that has a 2-year warranty).

The rumbling is likely an alignment/camber issue that I haven't yet been able to completely fix. I got a complete report from a tire shop who did the best they could checking and aligning each wheel, but said they needed some other piece of equipment to completely adjust everything. The u-joints were balanced and in good condition. It is a lot better after the alignment. It also could be that one of the tires is starting to get a bubble, though I haven't noticed one yet (nor did the tire shop).

The rpms are still a little unsteady, but could be a number of things since the truck has over 300k. My guess is that the computer is starting to go. It's not a bad enough problem for me to worry about just yet. I may invest in an OBD-II monitor down the road, like ScanGauge II or SCT Tuner, but I haven't done enough research to find exactly what I want yet.

One last thing, I made a wanted post for a rim if anyone knows where I can find one.
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1258781#post1258781

Thanks for your inputs!

 

[Tominator]

I may invest in an OBD-II monitor down the road, like ScanGauge II or SCT Tuner, but I haven't done enough research to find exactly what I want yet.

Get one of those cheapo Bluetooth scan tools off Ebay or Amazon and an app called Torque. For about $22 you can read and data-log codes on any OBD II vehicle.