4.0L OHV & SOHC V6 Tech General discussion of 4.0L OHV and SOHC V6 Ford Ranger engines.

Shift without clutch

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Old 02-19-2010
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Shift without clutch

does anybody know the rpms that you have to be at on the 4.0 SOHC to shift it without the clutch?
 
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Old 02-19-2010
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the clutch is there for a reason..........

but, if you rest your hand on the shifter and keep the skinny down you will feel a point where the shifter will want to move on its own into neutral, that the point you shift at.....

but its not that great and you better off to learn to double clutch properly or just shift like a manual was intended....
 
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Old 02-19-2010
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i only use the clutch when i take off or stop and ive had no problems with my transmission or clutch
 
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Old 02-19-2010
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i use my clutch i just would like to learn how to shift without the clutch
 
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Old 02-19-2010
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It takes practice and patience and also wears the hell out of the syncros.

edit to add
There are no set-in-stone rpms. A lot depends on speed , grade , and fluid temperature.
 
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Old 02-19-2010
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Yes, it will take a while to learn, especially in the 4.0 that idles down slower. Basically you ease off the throttle while going into neutral, if going up to 4th from 3rd for example, you'll let the engine come down in rpms to shift. If going to 3rd from 4th you have to increase the rpms to match. When you shift, notice what the rpms drop or raise to. You can't be rough with it, and you have to know what you're doing.
 
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Old 02-20-2010
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lol its not very hard at all you just push it into gear and whenever the engine and trans are turning the same it will just fall into gear, dont force it or anything just ease it and you will have no problems. my suggestion is forget it and just shift it like it was intended, doing it alot will possibly hurt the trans and or synchro's.
 
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Old 02-20-2010
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trying to impress your bf?
 
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Old 02-20-2010
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Dont understand the point of this. There is a perfectly good clutch there for a reason.
 
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Old 02-20-2010
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Originally Posted by ranger
trying to impress your bf?
LOL
 
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Old 02-20-2010
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for changing up- you can pull it out of gear as long as the trans is not loaded..ie foot off the gas.then slightly hold it at the gate of the next gear and keep slight pressure, not a lot tho. as the rpms drop to the matched speed of the trans it will fall right in. dont force it. be gental! but firm.

for down shifting- firstly dont try at higer rpms, and dont try at high speeds. same as up shift pull it out of gear and get it to the sift gate of the gear you wish to go into. then while in nuetral, blip the gas to make the rpms drop. dont pinn it unless your goin down 2 but dont try that for quite a time! as the rpms match it will fall rtight in with the slight pressure you were holding on the gate.
when you first get the down shift you will probly learch because it will catch you off gaurd, even tho you ment to do it.

i recomend changing up first and mastering it, it makes goin down much easier and the down change is were you damnage your trans.

also try this out on a road without traffic, and enjoy. its handy if your slave cylinder goes.
 
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Old 02-26-2010
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I could shift my civic and my buddy's s-10 without the clutch...cant do it in my truck...The trans is already ****ed...Every day is getting closer to summer, closer to a 302 and a freshly rebuilt t5
 
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Old 02-26-2010
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why?
 
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Old 02-26-2010
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9000
 
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Old 02-26-2010
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I asked this question a long time ago and somebody told me they associate shifting without the clutch with knife juggling. Sure you can try it, but why would you want to?
 
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Old 02-26-2010
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Why not, if you do it correctly there isn't much harm. But if you're rough with it, you'll kill it. It's also good to know if your clutch pedal becomes inop and you need to get home. Just like driving a semi without syncros, which most don't.
 
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Old 02-26-2010
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Hey while you're at, why not stop using that stupid usesless starter?....just pop the clutch while rolling downhill from now on.... or better yet, weld a handcrank to turn the engine over!.....
 
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Old 02-28-2010
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Originally Posted by korey89
9000
Hmm on mine it's 9200


Sure this could come in handy someday if your clutch goes and you need to make it somewhere. Honestly though, different from truck to truck and even from shift to shift - no set RPM range at which it will work. I felt a strange need to learn to do the same thing in my youth...mostly because a little blonde in a tank top made fun of me for clutching every shift and said she could shift her car without it, and at that age I was not about to argue with a little blonde in a tank top who had agreed to a ride in my truck. I drove a 1986 F350 mason dump with a 460...I would imagine shifting it without the clutch was about exactly as exciting as it will be to shift your ranger without the clutch.

Just rev it up nice and slow, and put a slight pressure on the shifter until you hit the right rpms and it slips out of gear on its own - then ease off the throttle while putting the same light pressure on the shifter until it drops into the next gear. After you do it once, you will feel satisfaction for about 8 seconds followed immediately by an overwhelming sense that you have been wasting your time. If there isn't a good looking woman involved, I'd use the clutch and just pretend you figured it out.

Just for the reccord, my auto shop class ended up dropping in a new transmission for that little blonde who didn't like to use the clutch...so proceed with caution.
 
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Old 02-28-2010
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Like everyone else has stated: Why? To know how to do it in an emergency or to prove you can tear your syncros apart in record time?

The M5ODs really don't like being shifted without the clutch, I've tried on two of my Rangers that had them and they both hated it (one having 150k and the other 250k miles on the odo). 3rd to 4th is usually easiest, try around 2000 rpm. The problem with synco'ed trannies is that you can't 'tickle' the gears to match them like a non-synchro'ed tranny. You can do it ok with the older gear oil units (Toyota, Ford/Chevy/Dodge 1 ton, Suzuki Samurai, Mazda TK5s, ect), but the newer ATF oil units are substantially tighter and more picky. I've driven rigs for the last 11 years personally so I'm very familiar with non-syncro trannies, but I still can't get those Ranger 5 spd's to shift half decent without a clutch. They clash a ton and fight you every inch of the way.

Don't do it unless you like to work on your truck needlessly. LR
 
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Old 02-28-2010
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I've clutchlessly shifted mine for close to 40,000, I still have the same syncros it came with, I can still shift it fast with the clutch, meaning my syncros are showing no signs of death yet. I don't see what you guys are complaining about.
 
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Old 02-28-2010
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morons
 
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Old 02-28-2010
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Originally Posted by djfllmn
i use my clutch i just would like to learn how to shift without the clutch
your first step would be to go get a transmission with straight cut gets, (as opposed to the helux cut gears in ours) and not have syncros, which are made out of brass, and are VERY soft, when you go into gear, the syncros get engaged first, and try to speed up the other gear (or slow it down) to match the other gear, when you are using your clutch, there is a free wheeling part between the syncro and the motor, which spins to the right speed, when the clutch is NOT used, this syncro crunches and grinds...

i've wrecked the transmission in my mustang, by shifting with no clutch, thought it was awesome, did it for about a year... it doesn't like to go into first or second now...

but as for actual RPM, there is no rpm, you can do it at ANY rpm... what you do, is called rev matching, you speed the motor and car up to a speed, then take some of the throttle off, you should have a load on the motor that will allow you to push the clutch in, and have your rpm not change at all, this will allow you to pull the shifter out of gear smoothly, disengaging it from gear, will not hurt your transmission, if it's done smoothly... then you do the opposite for the next gear, match where your rpm will be after you shift it, and the gear will slide in smoothly... keeping in mind that as smooth as you think it is, that brass syncro is still grinding and being worn severly... you don't realize how small and delicate those gear are unless you have gutted a manual transmission before...
 
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Old 02-28-2010
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Originally Posted by 99offroadrngr
morons
Sweet, resort to name calling because someone has a different opinion then you
 
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