Difficulty shifting gears in my 99 Ford Ranger. No grinding, but I have to use all my strength just to shift.

Question

I've got a 99 Ford Ranger 2.5L 4 Cyl. with a manual tranny. When I go to shift gears it is really difficult, sometimes requiring all my strength to force it into 1st gear. It doesn't grind at all, it just really doesn't want to go from neutral to 1st. What's wrong? Is it the clutch, a bad transmission? The synchros? Help me out here cause I'm a poor college student and have to use my money wisely.

Answer 1

First check the oil level in the gear box then check that the clearance for the clutch is correct.~~

Answer 2

I think that Master Tech has it right.
But one thing to check:
Have you had the little trucklett serviced lately? If so, did they top off the transmission gear oil?
If they used the wrong oil, it will inhibit the syncro drums and cause great difficulty shifting.
It is usually more noticeable when it is cold (in the morning), and gets better the more you drive it.
Just something to check

Answer 3

till it has an old C4/C6 (it would not) there are not any vacuum lines on the transmission. It additionally has an digital controlled transmission, so there is extremely no actual "adjustment" which would be made (with no TCM or PCM re-application), because of the fact each and every thing is digital. I do think of you're able to "alter" the frequency of your transmission fluid adjustments however. 40,000 miles is a splash too lots for Mercon-III fluid, you're able to be changing the trans fluid and filter out each and every 30k miles, till you're utilising the hot type Mercon-V fluid (that's approximately 4-6$ a quart) which you nonetheless could replace each and every 60k. It sounds to me such as you have a caught valve or piston in the valve-physique, that's often brought about via the fluid overheating and commencing as much as sludge/varnish, using loss of upkeep and fluid adjustments. purchase a pint of Sea Foam Trans track and sell off it in the transmission, power it for a week or 2 and then have the fluid and filter out replaced.

Answer 4

it may be the synchros