Transmission identification help

[armyhooker]

I have a 1997 ford ranger with a 4.0 I want to rebuild the tranny. the issue is that I bought a junkyard tranny a couple years ago and swapped it in. I don't know whether its a M5OD-R1 or a M5OD-R1HD. I think it came out of an exploder but I'm unsure and if it did I don't know what year. Any ideas on how I can identify which of the two I have.

I live in Germany, so ordering parts is a PITA so I need to make 100 percent sure I get the right rebuild kit first try.

 

[4x4junkie]

Did all 6 of it's bellhousing bolts line up on your '97's 4.0L? Or was one bolt hole offset slightly?
If all 6 bolts are in, then that will rule out the R1HD model, which only came behind the 4.0L SOHC engines.

I recall there was also a difference fairly early on with the R1 models that had something to do with the number of teeth on the 5th/Rev synchronizers, though I don't remember the specifics (probably pre-'93 models I'm thinking). Maybe someone else can chime in on this (IIRC the rebuild kits are actually sold based on this, so you probably could just count the teeth on yours).

Anyway, hope that helps.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yep, that's the breakdown, the 5/R slider teeth break is in mid '92, the only way to be sure you get the right one there is to take the extension housing off and count the teeth on the back synchro as some of the earlier ones were updated with the newer parts apparently. I didn't run into that with mine when I rebuilt it as it was still the older style.