Just bought a 97 5-speed ranger. Few questions

NAR7KX · #1 02-03-2011, 08:34 PM

I'm 21 and have only owned one truck my whole life. A 99 dodge durango. It finally died on me and I bought my first 5-speed. I knew my old truck inside and out because I had it for six years but have to get used to these ford motors and manual transmissions.
It has 160,000 miles to start off with. Completely stock and 2wd. I've been having trouble putting it into first and second. Third gear is tough on occasion but not as much as first and second. I don't know if this is a problem or just because it is older. Remember I don't know manual transmissions.
I do not know how many miles are on the clutch either.
Please help me out...
-Dustin

pooleo · #2 02-03-2011, 08:52 PM

are you talking about sitting, clutch in, shifting into third is hard? or when your driving hitting 3rd is hard. Same for the other gears...sitting, moving?

ben10 · #3 02-03-2011, 08:54 PM

if its hard to get into gear might be the syncros.

terryduanemiller · #4 02-03-2011, 08:54 PM

service the tranny, might help.

NAR7KX · #5 02-03-2011, 09:01 PM

its hard to shift into first and second while moving. Sometimes third. Sometimes hard to get into first while sitting. Just takes a little muscule to get it in.
I've heard from a friend it could be syncronizers but I have no idea.

ben10 · #6 02-03-2011, 09:03 PM

go get a bottle of lucas and dump it in. see if that helps, or yeah change the fluid out, and put good fluid in, dont cheap out!

terryduanemiller · #7 02-03-2011, 09:03 PM

you could also bleed the slave,

pooleo · #8 02-03-2011, 09:05 PM

try to power shift it while you are using the clutch. Just blep the throttle a little while shiting. If it impoves this would mean you slave is bad/going bad or might have air in the line. Also could mean you PP is getting weak and/or you clutch disc is wearing out.

NAR7KX · #9 02-06-2011, 01:48 PM

Could it also be the shift bushings??

tluke081 · #10 02-06-2011, 03:29 PM

I just had something similar with mine. Its also a 97 5 speed. The other day I couldnt get it to go into first or reverse and had to force it into 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. I replaced the clutch along with the slave cylinder. I got it put back together yesterday and it runs great.