Questions and Answers

Ranger Transmission Grinding Q. Dear Vincent, I'm hoping you can help me out with a pickup I'm trying to sell; a very solid vehicle with only one maddening problem. Here's what we're dealing with: 1994 Ford Ranger XLT 2.3 liter 4-cylinder with 8 plugs 5 speed manual 101,500 miles

And here's the problem: It frequently refuses to go into gear. I wish I could be more specific, but it seems like the same thing never happens twice in a row. Here are some of the variables:

I have owned this pickup for almost two years and the problem started maybe a few months after I purchased it. Since then, it has been occurring sporadically. It has gone for weeks without happening (merely shifting roughly), and it has gone for weeks occurring nearly every chance it gets. It can behave perfectly once, then ten seconds later, it can be difficult again.

Sometimes it will grind slightly, then slip into gear. Sometimes it will grind a lot. Sometimes it won't move out of neutral, period.

It only happens when I am attempting to shift into first gear or reverse, although sometimes after I attempt that, it will not go into any gear, and the shifting into other gears is frequently rough. Once in a great while, it will happen when I am down shifting into 1st, but usually it is only when I either am going from reverse to first or vice versa.

Turning off the engine always fixes it, although sometimes the shifting is still rough then. Sometimes after I wait a few seconds, and it will go into gear (usually with a little protesting).

I have a hunch that being on an incline makes the problem worse, but I haven't proved it.

If I am rolling in neutral, the problem may still occur, but it always seems to find its way into gear eventually, if I can keep rolling long enough. That is another thing I can't prove, though.

And no, it is not running low on any fluids. My hope is that there is an easier and cheaper way to fix this, or at least improve it, than replacing the clutch. Either way, I will be glad to hear a diagnosis.

Thanks,
Michael

A. Since it happens in first and reverse and no other gear, I'd have to say the problem is inside the transmission. You're going to have to take it out and open it up to see what it's going to need to fix it.