I have a 92 XLT with a 2.3 and 5 speed at 127k.

I have trouble getting into first intermittently. It seems to happen most often when the engine and tranny are cold, though it happens while warm as well. It happens equally often when im going into first from a standstill or when I'm downshifting to first as I'm coming to a stop at a light or stop sign. I'll go to put it into first and something is stopping the stick from moving as far as it needs to in order to engage 1st gear. This is with the clutch pushed as far to the floor as I can get it. I'll go to put it in first and, meeting resistance I'll back off the stick and repeatedly push it up towards 1st until something finally gives and lets me engage 1st. When this happens I also notice as I shift from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd some vibration and resistance in the stick (plus nasty sound) as if maybe the clutch isn't "pulling out" far enough and the gears are grinding slightly as it engages.

Any ideas?

 

You shouldn't be shifting into first while moving..

 

this is a debate i have heard many times... i downshift to first on everything i have ever owned with a manual transmission, my bike included... i've never had an issue, but i am in no way a transmission mechanic... i've just never seen and issues... i've also never heard any mechanics tell me that it's bad... only people mentioning it... it IS bad if you force it in, while downshifting, but i see no issues with light pressure and allowing it to slip in gently...

now to the issue you have on your truck... it sounds like a slave cylinder to me (if yours has a hydrolic clutch...) my truck is doing the exact same as yours is, it also makes a squeek noise when i press and release the pedal, especially at higher RPM... i took it to ford (it's under waranty, long story) they told me it's my "clutch gearset" and it's about 1300$ to fix... it goes in, in 6 hours to get the new clutch

if you have a cable clutch, it might be out of adjustment... i don't know what the system is on the rangers, i know the mustangs from that era had an automatic adjustment clutch, it adjusted the top play out when you pushed the pedal in, and to decrease the bottom play, when in neutral, pull the pedal towards you with your toe, you should hear a fairly loud click, you will probably feel it in your toe also... give your clutch a couple full pumps before taking it for a drive... it is possible your clutch got stuck, and the top play was over adjusted or the cable could be stretched, it's hard to say...

 

Even with the clutch pushed all the way in and moving at less than 15mph? I don't let off the clutch until I'm fully stopped and ready to start again....

This is my first manual and no one ever told me that....


I'll try the pulling the clutch pedal out with my toe to set the adjuster thing the other poster mentioned.

 

find out if you have a cable or hydrolic first... it's pretty easy, find where your clutch would be on the fire wall in the engine compartment, i use the brake booster as a reference... if it's cable, it will have what looks similar to a speedo cable coming out of the fire wall and curve back towards the transmission, and there will be nothing connected to this... if it's hydrolic, there will be a master cylinder on the top, and a resivoir to fill it with, the res may look similar to a brake res...

 

His truck has a hydraulic clutch..

 

It looks like its hydraulic. It looks just like this:
http://www.perfectionclutch.com/imag...log/350054.jpg

When i opened the canister it has a little rubber funnel looking thing inside that lifts out easily. I could see some fluid towards the bottom of it after lifting the rubber bit out...

 

the rubber is a vapour barier, it needs to be in there... i'm not sure what the shape is, or how to read yours, off hand, but if that fluid is low, that could cause your problem... you can always try bleeding out the system for a while, the process is similar to bleeding brakes... you may have a small air bubble, or bad fluid, it may have a little water in it... or it could be your transmission... but i would try bleeding first

 

Come to think of it the fluid level looked pretty low in the res and for awhile anytime I got out of the truck I'd notice a plasticy burning smell. Haven't noticed it lately. Perhaps there's a leak and it was dripping on the exhaust?

 

possibly... those systems don't hold a whole lot, so a decent leak would be noticed pretty quick, i would think... some masters level is deceptive, the rubber piece in it is odd shaped, and displaces a lot of fluid... not sure why they do that... just make sure that you read it like you are supposed to... that rubber stopper may have to be in place, with the lid secured to properly read it

i say your best idea right now, is bleed the system to see if it helps any... takes 2 people...

 

Ok, I'll give bleeding it a shot. I found a pdf that describes the procedure (same as brakes basically) but leaves out where to find the bleeder screw. Where exactly is it located?

 

to be completely honest with you, i don't know, and i'm sure that our vehicles are different, but if you follow that hydrolic line down to the transmission, it's probably somewhere right around there...