Hey folks!

I’m having a repeatable shifting issue with my 2005 4.0L 4x4 ranger manual transmission.

The problem is as such, when I first start my truck for the day my shifting is perfectly fine (push down clutch, put into 1st with ease, life is good).

Once the truck has gone about 25-30km changing gears becomes difficult (only putting it into gear not taking out of gear) and when stopped it gets to a damn near impossible to put it into first.

If I leave it over night or a few hours I can start it up and it’s all good to go again to repeat the cycle.

Things I’ve checked:
Clutch fluid level (constant and full)
Tried to pull air bubbles up with a syringe (which I believe I did pull some out)

The guy I bought it from said he had done a slave cylinder replacement a year previous so possibly didn’t bleed the system properly?

Just looking for input on other problems I should be looking for besides a bleeding and air bubble problem. (Only thinking that air would expand as the system got warmer and that’s why it’s not a problem at startup and initial shifting)

Thoughts? Thanks for any insight on the issue.

 

Open bleeder on slave and let it gravity bleed for a minute or two

Check transmission fluid level, its an M5R1 trans so used ATF, not gear oil, some people have put gear oil in and makes for hard shifting for sure

Some one may have used a "racing clutch", which sounds good but is NOT GOOD
Racing clutches use a softer material which gets "sticky" once its warmed up, makes for a better grip for sure, but causes very hard shifting once its warmed up

Transmission can't be disconnected from rear wheels
So when stopped transmission gears are at 0 RPMs
At idle engine RPMs are at say 750rpms

When you press the clutch pedal down the clutch disc should be release completely from the flywheel and pressure plate Clamping, both of which are spinning at 750rpm
To put trans into gear the clutch disc/input shaft must slow down to 0 RPMs, to match the gear RPMs when stopped
If there is ANY RUBBING at the clutch disc then it CAN NOT slow down to 0 RPMs
The 10" clutch disc can have too much inertia for the 4" synchro-mesh gear to slow it down, IF its RUBBING at all

Once rear wheels are moving "matching RPMs, is easier, but still can be harder shifts, if clutch disc is RUBBING

 

Thanks for the info, I guess the best way to describe the “hard to put into gear” is there is almost a feeling of a physical block when trying to force it into gear. Again only happens when it’s warm.

I’ll be checking the fluid levels in the trans, honestly probably do a fluid change in it. I did the diffs, and transfer case when I bought it but didn’t do the transmission. Along with a bleed and I’ll update when that’s done.

 

Also try shifting into 4th gear when stopped, then to 1st gear
4th gear is not really "a gear" its 1:1 ratio so just connects input shaft to output shaft, no gears involved
Or try 3rd or 5th
Once you are in 3rd, 4th, or 5th, the clutch disc/input shaft is now at 0 RPMs, so you can shift in to 1st with no issue...................IF it was a rubbing clutch issue, if its a transmission issue then it could still be hard to shift into 1st

 

Replaced the clutch master cylinder and bled the slave. Shifting perfectly fine now.

Still wanting to change the Transmission fluid (since the shops here won’t do a fluid change on a vehicle without a dip stick (why that’s a thing I don’t know) is there a specific type ATF I should be using? ie. Dexron 3/Mercon or Mercon V?

 

Mercon V or equivalent is spec, synthetic is fine, and they can be mixed

Uses 2.8 quarts Bone Dry
draining usually only gets about 2 quarts out, so refill only takes about 2 quarts, this is where the "mixing" part comes in, doesn't matter, i.e. if it had regular Mercon V you can refill with synthetic Mercon V, won't hurt anything, or visa versa

 

I personally used Synchromesh in mine when I rebuilt it. But ATF will be fine if that's what you'd prefer to use