# Melted Plastic in the Transmission?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** transmissions, manual-transmissions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668 "2015-07-21T21:43:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fillyblynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fillyblynn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fillyblynn)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/1 "2015-07-21T21:43:46Z")
I posted earlier this month about my 1996 Ford F150 4x4 manual tranny truck. It had gotten stuck in fourth gear, and I, along with others, assumed it was the shift forks. I cracked open the top of the transmission yesterday, and what do I see? Melted plastic staring back at me. What’s going on here? There was melted plastic jammed between fourth gear and the inner wall. Is this a case of the surgeon leaving his instruments inside the patient? Could a mechanic have dropped his tuna sandwich wrapper in the transmission at some time? ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/2 "2015-07-21T22:09:42Z")
Look closely at the shift lever housing. I believe that the shift lever operates in a spring loaded plastic sphere shaped busing which often breaks and causes all your problems. ---
**Author:** ![fillyblynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fillyblynn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fillyblynn)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/3 "2015-07-21T22:15:36Z")
One of the parts from this? [allstategear.com/M50D%20Shifter%20Repair%20Kit.htm](http://www.allstategear.com/M50D%20Shifter%20Repair%20Kit.htm) ---
**Author:** ![fillyblynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fillyblynn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fillyblynn)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/4 "2015-07-21T22:25:14Z")
It’s an M5R2 transmission. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/5 "2015-07-21T22:57:24Z")
The shift forks each have nylon ‘‘shoes’’ on their tips and there’s a plastic oil trough on one side too…any of those m.i.a. ? ---
**Author:** ![fillyblynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fillyblynn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fillyblynn)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/6 "2015-07-22T00:05:19Z")
Ken, that trough looks really suspect. The glob of melted plastic had a longer bit sticking out of it. So it very well could be that. Where does the trough go? ---
**Author:** ![fillyblynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fillyblynn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fillyblynn)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/7 "2015-07-22T00:34:19Z")
I think I know where it is. On the left side, near the bottom, connected by a bolt from the outside? ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 1:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/8 "2015-07-22T01:26:32Z")
Yeppers…but…Ford does not sell that part number anymore. A few dealers still have NOS ( new old stock ) E8TZ-7A174-D ---
**Author:** ![fillyblynn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fillyblynn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/fillyblynn)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/melted-plastic-in-the-transmission/90668/9 "2015-07-22T01:31:13Z")
Ok, ordered the part. Only $17.