Shifter won't change gears

[hoppy]

This is on a 1997 Ranger xlt, 2wd, 2.3 4 cyl, 5spd manual trans M5OD-R1.

We dropped the trans to replace the clutch, and before dropping the trans we took the shifter out. The entire shifter came out, including the spud that goes into the top end of the trans. With the trans back in and hooked up nice and clean to the back end of the motor, we can get the shifter back into the top of the trans. BUT it doesn't change gears when it is in there. It is in gear, and we aren't sure which gear it's in. We haven't bolted the 3 bolts to the trans because we didn't think it was necessary yet and since we thought it was all the way in, it should be able to change gears.

Do we just need to bolt that thing down for it change gears? We have turned the crankshaft and tried to get it to change, but we're stumped and nothing we have tried so far has gotten us anywhere.

ALSO, with the tranny out, and if we tipped it sideways, could something have fallen out that would make a difference?..we tipped it sideways to drain the tranny fluid.

Thanks in advance for advice!
Aaron Hopson

 

[tx3nc]

No. The trans should shift easily without being fully bolted in. If the trans is in gear, then the shifter needs to be in that location when you install it. I would almost recommend removing the trans and pulling the top cover to be sure the trans is in neutral, then put the 'spud' back in and bolt it down. Do you know how to remove the shift lever from the spud?

The only thing I can think of that might have fallen out is the shifter bushing, if it still exists. They decay into nothing with extended use. But its absence won't keep you from shifting. You will just have a sloppy loose shifter.

 

[rboyer]

Most likely you removed the shifter and shifter stub while the transmission was in gear. The proper way to remove the shifter is to just pull the pinch bolt holding the shifter to the stub. If you did remove it in gear then one of your shift rails isn't in it's proper position. Removal of the transmission is not required to fix this problem. Just pull your shifter stub and look down into the hole for three rails with "notches" in them. The notches should all line up to the center. If one of them is shifted forward or backward then just take a screwdriver and slide it to center with the rest of them. I'm not saying that this is definitely your problem but it's the easiest thing to start with.

 

[hoppy]

ok, we are getting somewhere. I am sure the trans is in gear. when i turn the crankshaft pulley the drive shaft is turning too. it may be a scince project to get everything lined up through the shift stub hole. the reason we took the whole thing out is because a prior service basically pounded a bolt into the shifter hole and we could not use that much force on it with it in the truck so we had to yank the whole thing.
Next time it stays in nuetral!!

also, to Rboyer, you are the second person to mention the "needs to be in neutral" thing, but your the first to mention how we might get it done with a screwdriver.

 

[pcollins]

You'll get it done with a screwdriver for sure. Just gotta pick around in there for a bit.

 

[hoppy]

thx, any more advice is welcome as I may not know what im looking at

 

[hoppy]

thanks for the tips. (1) got the shifter off of the spud (2) was able to get the shift rails lined up in ten minutes or less with a flashlight and screwdriver and it goes into all 7 positions now (5 speeds, rev, neutral), not sure if it works yet since it is still being assembled, but by saturday we will know.