ExploreNW
Active Member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2019
- Messages
- 217
- Reaction score
- 131
- Points
- 43
- Location
- Mead, WA
- Vehicle Year
- 1994
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger
- Engine Type
- 2.3 (4 Cylinder)
- Transmission
- Manual
- Tire Size
- 235/75/15
Well, it finally happened, the shade tree mechanic in me did something improperly better than the engineers again
This time it's transmission related. Last Spring when I got the truck I found a lift & sent 'er up for a peek at what's underneath. Looking into the rubber access grommits revealed I had purchased a truck with a brand new clutch. Pulling the oil fill bolt revealed I bought a truck with no oil in the magic box either so I reached for some trusty ol' 80w90 that I put in every gear box I've ever owned.
Fast-forward to yesterday night. It has always ground when shifting into reverse, at least for the ~20k miles I've owned it. Starting around Tues this week however it was getting tough to put it into 1st & 2nd only when the truck is HOT. Now last night I felt like I was pushing into a wall to get the thing in gear, though it never has and still never grinds the forward gears. It won't creep in neutral or in gear with the clutch depressed which would indicate clutch issues. I came home & read for the first time that this thing is supposed to have regular Dex/Merc ATF in it rather than the 80w90 I pumped in.
Before I drag or try to limp this thing all the way to my buddy's shop in Portland to pull the tranny, do you guys think I cooked it & need a buildable core before I pull this one or are there other diagnostic steps I can use to find a solution that doesn't involve pulling trannies in Portland?
Unrelated - recently carb'd my truck in another thread, head swap & all, 1800ish miles ago. It has 201,800ish on the clock.
This time it's transmission related. Last Spring when I got the truck I found a lift & sent 'er up for a peek at what's underneath. Looking into the rubber access grommits revealed I had purchased a truck with a brand new clutch. Pulling the oil fill bolt revealed I bought a truck with no oil in the magic box either so I reached for some trusty ol' 80w90 that I put in every gear box I've ever owned.
Fast-forward to yesterday night. It has always ground when shifting into reverse, at least for the ~20k miles I've owned it. Starting around Tues this week however it was getting tough to put it into 1st & 2nd only when the truck is HOT. Now last night I felt like I was pushing into a wall to get the thing in gear, though it never has and still never grinds the forward gears. It won't creep in neutral or in gear with the clutch depressed which would indicate clutch issues. I came home & read for the first time that this thing is supposed to have regular Dex/Merc ATF in it rather than the 80w90 I pumped in.
Before I drag or try to limp this thing all the way to my buddy's shop in Portland to pull the tranny, do you guys think I cooked it & need a buildable core before I pull this one or are there other diagnostic steps I can use to find a solution that doesn't involve pulling trannies in Portland?
Unrelated - recently carb'd my truck in another thread, head swap & all, 1800ish miles ago. It has 201,800ish on the clock.