In cold below 30 degrees weather our Ranger '96, 4 cyl 5 speed will not engage gear from start up after sitting. After clutch releases and in about 15 seconds the truck stalls. In warmer weather acts normal. Tranny shop says could be anything ie. clutch, syncros, bearings tranny itself etc. Any experiences with this condition Truck has about 150K
It’s difficult to follow the sequence here. First; the engine cold and just started, the cllutch pedal is depressed and the shift lever is moved toward 1st gear but (?) will not move, (?) moves but the engine stalls in 15 seconds without the truck moving
Problems regarding difficulty shifting Rangers such as yours is often caused by the incorrect addition of heavy hypoid GL-4 or 5 oil to transmissions requiring automatic transmission fluid or “syncromesh” oil. And if the problem seems to disappear after a few miles of driving that is a likely cause.
Thank you. Yes, cold started first thing in the morning. will not move after the shift lever is placed in reverse or first. Runs for about 10 to 15 seconds with the clutch out. The truck is at 5400 feet elevation in Prescott AZ and cold temperatures for long period of time. The truck comes from Houston, obviously not as cold. As the temperature warms later in the same day it acted up it runs and shifts fine according to my son. I’m interpreting from my 20 year old son so I don’t have first hand experience. He does say he believes he “feels” something moving like a plate moving into place but not quite engaging anything. That is the best I can get out of his description.
Have your son remove the fill/check plug on the passenger side of the transmission. It is below the mid-level of the transmission and a heavy channel lock type plier will get it loose. It is square. Once removed he can put his finger in the hole and should feel the oil. The oil should be as thin as motor oil, not heavy like honey. If he isn’t familiar with oil grades he should get a bottle of transmission fluid and GL-4 and see what the difference is. The odor of GL- oils is unmistakeable to many of us and if a significant amount of the heavy oil has been mistakenly added it can be identified by the smell as well as the thickening of the oil. I would suggest you have him start there.
Thanks again. I will follow your instructions. It is at least interesting that on a recent service a mechanic here in Houston as a matter of lube level checks found that the lubricant in the differential was incorrect, being too heavy and addressed that, I now wish I’d asked him to check the transmission as well. Thank you so much. I posted the same question on the Ford Ranger Forum and although had 13 views, no responses. I can not thank you enough as we have now decided it’s O.K. for my son to make the drive from Prescott AZ to Houston with this knowledge and confirmation from a retired mechanic friend here in Houston. A transmission shop in Prescott wanted over $1500 to rebuild the tranny and maybe replace the clutch. This means we get to see our son for spring break. Otherwise it would not have been until summer break. Thanks for making a difference. Keep up the good work.
Sounds like the clutch hydraulic system is full of ninety weight…When he releases the clutch, it takes 15 seconds for the throw-out bearing to move back and let the clutch engage…
Before you go off half-cocked, that Mitsubishi 5-speed may REQUIRE GL-5 gear oil, not ATF…The CORRECT fluid will be listed in the owners manual and is not necessarily what is posted on this board…
Thank you, we will do it "by the book:. What do you think about synthetics?