5 speeds, gurus HELP!

[tweakedlogic]

Today I started out for a trip to nashville. When I started the truck, I heardx a whine form the transmission. I thought it might be the throwout bearing because it was cold. so i continued. I got on the interstate ( about 1 mile from the house) the motor and tranny had not had time to warm up completly. I got stuck in some traffic, and decided to pull over because i became very hard to put into gear and the whining was very noticeable. I crawled under the truck to see that about half of the tranny is covered in tranny fluid and it was too hot to touch. I don't know where or how long it has been leaking. I don't even know if that is the problem. I have never noticed a puddle under the truck.

My question is... is it worthh it to drain what fluid is left, then refill, and try to drive it the 30 miles back to the house? Or, should I just tow it back and start pulling the tranny?

Oh yeah, this is a 91 4x4 w/ 4 liter 5 speed.

 

[Spdrcer34]

I have rebuilt the M5OD-R1 a couple of time, and I did an entire write-up on the process....I think that classifies me as a 'guru'....

Yes. Drain it and refill it to get it home. It take Mercon Fluid. Just like an automatic transmission. NOT GEAR OIL.

It is probably the 3 rubber plugs in the rear of the shift rail. They should be replaced with Steel Plugs. There are a few threads on their replacement.

Ryan

 

[tweakedlogic]

Okay, cool. but do you think I ruined the tranny?

I have a case of type F fluid. I don't think it will hurt, do you? I can always change it again later. I already had this stuff sitting around.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

I Googled Type F fluid and came up with that Type F fluid was made for Pre-1977 and some 77-80 Ford Automatic Transmissions.

I would play it safe and use the transmission fluid that is called for. Transmission is a big piece of your vehicle, take care of it and it'll take care of you. Mess with it and it'll mess with you.

 

[Spdrcer34]

There are no friction clutches in your transmission. So that won't be an issue.

But Type F, and Mercon don't mix well.

If you use Type F it COULD cause issues with lubrication, and fluid break-down. I'm not saying that it WILL. But in my own personal vehicle, I wouldn't do it.

Ryan

 

[tweakedlogic]

Well I used it to get it home. Remember it was stranded on the interstate outside of town.
So I got it home. the transmission is louder. it sounds like I'm driving a dog box tranny. I don't know if I trust it on the highway anymore, or hauling. So i need so start looking for a transmission.
I'm not looking forward to the swap, in the cold. i'm really not looking forward to spending the money either.

has anybody ever used Gold Force clutch? I've been looking into it, but it's twice the expense of centerforce.

 

[dartleader]

Mine took about 45 miles to melt, the fluid comes out a lot faster when you are on the freeway. Fifth gear and the input shaft melt first as they get less fluid when the trany gets low, thats why most melt downs happen at freeway speeds.

Yep the rubber plugs dry out or fall out. I think you have to pull the tyranny to replace the plugs. They are near the top of the case in the back.

 

[Spdrcer34]

I wouldn't waste the money on centerforce. MUCH less anything more expensive.

I was very capable of breaking 3 of these transmissions with an OEM replacement clutch...Anything more is a waste.

RYan

 

[nitro71]

I'd pull the transmission and see if you can fix it. Did you find metal when you drained the transmission? Might be more inexpensive to repair yourself if it's not a lot of failed components. Is there a pull n save type junk yard near you? Could go and pull a manual tranny from there and put it in.

The symptoms you described aren't necesarily a trashed transmission:

"Whining" You name it, this is the symptom. Low fluid could do this.

"Hard to put in gear" Slave shot, pilot bearing shot, synchros shot or ?

Impossible to tell what is wrong without pulling the transmission and inspecting it. If you didn't find chunks of metal when you drained it my bet is that the tranny isn't shot or just needs synchros. But can't tell without looking.

 

[tweakedlogic]

I went around today and priced the trannys. About $350 -$700. The $700 comes with a small guarantee.

When I drained it on the side of the road, the fluid was the black/red color of burned ATF. The magnetic thing on the drain plug was covered in metal shavings. The truck drives, but you know that sound when you drive in reverse kinda fast... All gears make that noise. How long to you guys give it before it craps?
I haven't changed the fluid yet from the F. but I haven't been driving it either.

I have never rebuilt a manual before. (3 hows) How hard is it? How hard are the parts to find? How much will it cost? I have rebuilt motors and other difficult things. i'm pretty mechanically inclined and have an above average collection of tools.

 

[dartleader]

Mine took about 45 freeway miles to melt the teeth of the input shaft and 5th gear I was doing 75mph passing a semi and then nothing. The Ford Dealer had said the top of trans was leaking about 5 months earlier and I looked at it and thought how much can leak out of the top of the case? I did not realize or hear the stories about the three rubber plugs design defect until after it was toast. I have put 150,000 on the rebuilt trans and it still works. It sounds like you melted some of the bearings put fresh fluid in it and drive it around. I would not take it on any long trips before you fix it and if you do you might want to get triple A to help with the towing.

 

[dartleader]

Although I was just thinking if your going to have it rebuilt it might be cheaper to fix it now before you damage any of the gear shafts as they will ad to the cost of the rebuild. My advice would be to look for a low mile manual at a junk yard that has not been extremely heated like yours. Make sure you replace the clutch cylinder while you have the trans out as they are always going bad to, you might want to buy that part from ford as I think I have replaced three of those. One from Autozone only lasted a year.

 

[73Elsinore]

I have rebuilt the M5OD-R1 a couple of time, and I did an entire write-up on the process....I think that classifies me as a 'guru'....

Can you please point me to the write-up you did? Thanks!!!!

 

[tweakedlogic]

Thanks guys. I ahve pretty much decided that I am going to replace it with a used one. It will have to wait until I finish the RX7 project I have started. But yeah, I have been wanting to replace the slave cylinder for about a year, but didn't want to pull the tranny and go though all that mess. I guess I have to now.

 

[nitro71]

Metal shavings are normal on a higher mileage M5R1. Metal chunks are bad. Shavings are normal on the 2-3 I've seen drained so far. Buying replacement parts without trouble shooting is just going to cost you $$ that you don't need to spend.