Ford Ranger / B-Series :: 2003 - Hard To Shift After It Warms Up
Mar 24, 2015
I bought a 2003 Ford Ranger, 2.3, 5 speed manual. It is hard to shift after it warms up. I test drove it when it was below freezing, so I didn't notice it at first. The warmer the day and quicker the truck warms up, the worse it is. It goes into gear with no problem when the engine is off or if I'm still moving, but if I'm stopped there are times it is hard to get into gear. This really sounded like a clutch that wasn't fully disengaging to me, so I decided to pull it apart. I didn't check the movement at the slave before I started, but I did find the master was a little wet at the rod in the cab.
So, I did the following:
- New clutch master cylinder (system bled out of truck to eliminate air)
- New slave cylinder and bearing
- New pilot bearing
- Changed transmission fluid - Mercon III ATF
I inspected the clutch/pressure plate and it was in good shape and looked like it might have had 10K - 20K miles on it. The last owner said it was recently replaced and it looked it. So, I put it back in. After I was done, I checked the movement at the slave/pressure plate and it is moving about 3/8" - 1/2" when the pedal is down. I was happy and thought this would solve the problem since the old pilot bearing seemed stiff and I saw the leak on the back of the master cylinder.
I drove it and all felt fine at first, but it was a cool day and I didn't drive it that long. When it was warmer over the next couple of days, it started getting hard to shift again. It's not been quite as bad as before, but still doesn't shift right.
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The truck: 03 Ranger, 2wd, 2.3L, 5spd, 160k mi
I bought the truck two years ago and it's always been difficult to shift (especially into 1st, 2nd, 3rd). I don't drive it often and only put 5k mi on it since I bought it.
The problem: Someone more mechanically inclined than I once told me that the hard shifting is probably due to the clutch not fully releasing due to low hydraulic pressure brought about by a failing slave cylinder.
I just noticed today that there is a high-pitched squeaking coming from somewhere on the truck. At first, I thought it was the rear end, but now, after pulling it into the driveway, I noticed that the squeaking noise vanishes when I push in the clutch pedal and returns after I release the clutch pedal and drive in 1st gear.
The transmission oil level is good, but I've never changed it and I'm not sure if the previous owner ever did either. I'm hoping I haven't damaged the transmission.
After reading a few threads, it seems the problem might be the input shaft bearing. To replace it, I'd need to drop the transmission and borrow a couple of tools I don't have (feeler gauge and bearing puller). If the ISB is the problem, it seems like it would be a good idea to change it now before it seizes and leaves me stranded somewhere.
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2000 ranger 3.0 auto 4wd hard to shift. Are the cables known to stretch?
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It's a 4 cylinder 5 speed, and once or twice a day when the light turns green and I go to put it in low gear, it just doesn't want to go into gear easy. It's like the syncro isn't happy or something. The clutch is depressed all the way and not dragging.
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I have a 2002 ford ranger edge. swb, 3.0L, 5spd. I have been noticing it is getting harder to shift gears, put in 1st at a stop light lately. There is no grinding just seems harder to engage. Checked fluid level and it is clean and full. Recently i have developed a vibration under power. Let off the gas and smooth as can be, apply throttle and starts vibrating. Not sure if flywheel is "hot spotted" or perhaps broke a spring on pressure disk. Just seems odd it's only under throttle. Yes already checked rear end and U-joints.
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1997 Ranger extended cab, 222k mi., 4 cyl, standard transmission. Shifting got worse until it finally died and the mechanic replaced the clutch "kit" and slave cylinder.
It still fights back going into 1st, 2nd, and reverse. But it is intermittent. If I put it in neutral, depress the clutch, and start the vehicle, then, after a few seconds wait, when I try to go into 1st (or reverse), it fights me back, forcing me to pause and apply about twice the pressure I should need to go into gear. When I go forward in 1st, and am ready to shift to 2nd, it fights back so that I have to pause just a bit and apply more pressure than I should for it to go into 2nd gear. 3rd, 4th, and overdrive are FINE. Also, the clutch seems to disengage about halfway down, where I was expecting it to disengage after only 10 -20% depression.
The mechanic doesn't see the problem (or won't admit it). Is there an adjustment to make the clutch disengage with only 10-20% depression instead of the 50%? Is that something I should be worrying about?
Is there some other problem? Like maybe the synchromesh mechanism in the transmission itself not bringing the transmission rotor to engine speed soon enough (wear on the synchromesh)?
When it was new, it went into ALL gears with ease, no fighting back, and it starrted doing this after about 150k miles. Now, at 222k mi., even with a new clutch, plate, throughout bearing, and slave cylinder, it still seems partially stuck going into 1st, 2nd, and reverse.
I just don't want to start replacing things until I can get a correct diagnosis as to what is causing the problem.
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I'm having a little issue with shifting into first. Once in a while it simply will not go in, like you're pushing the shifter against a brick wall. If I turn off the truck and turn it back on, it works absolutely fine. I can shift into 2nd-5th no problem at all times. Is it just the shift linkage, or...? I'm not really sure where to start.
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I have a 1999 ford ranger 4x4 with automatic 5r55e and it had problems shifting smoothly into third gear. I changes the valve body gaskets and the (rooster comb) detent lever. Now it shifts very hard and has on first second and passing gear.
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I have a 99 Ranger, 3.0 xlt 2WD Automatic 5r55e(???) tranny (i know its the 5). I have the o/d off light flashing. It comes on when fluid gets to op temp. When on it shifts hard into 2nd and hard when it downshifts. No slipping. I have had the truck in the tranny shop for 3 weeks, owner said he re built valve body gasket (didnt work) tried 3 diff used tranny's (didn't work) or so he says. He said it needs to be rebuilt.
I have searched up and down for what it could be, there is so much out there, it only confused me more. If i have to rebuild i will, i think the tranny shop was pulling my leg (for more reasons than mentioned). I have a check engine light on nothing to do with tranny...there is a tranny code, he would not tell me but i will have it checked. Been told could be throttle position sensorl, speed sensor cracked case and a million other things. I have some mechanical abilities, (not too much w/ tranny's) but i can change a few simple sensors.
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I've been having problems with my column shifter ever since I installed a Pioneer shift cable probably about 3 years now. I was told and also thought that the cable would loosen up after awhile but it never has. I had some put it on and I watched him do it. He seemed to have some trouble because it took him a long time under the dash. It shifts so stiff that over a period of about 2 years it finally broke the end of the shift tube one night. Luckily I was able to fix it the next day by getting a spare without missing any down time. It was still just as stiff with the other shift tube. It finally broke the plastic on my shifter tonight, not necessarily whatever is causing it but because it takes so much effort to shift into Park, Reverse or Drive.
I think the plastic may have cracked over time. Luckily I had another one at home along with another shift tube. I didn't replace the shift tube this time but I did remove the caps and smear some grease on the bushings to see if it would make it turn. I looked further down at the end cap that broke last time and sure enough one of the bolts was backed almost all the way out. I retightened it tonight too. That's what happened when the bottom broke last time. One of those bolts backed out and it cracked the housing. It works now but if you go all the way to 1st to get back to anywhere it really takes a tremendous amount of effort to get it to shift. Something is not right and I cannot pinpoint it. I know they offer brand new shift tubes but I'm not sure if that's the problem.
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2000 Ranger 4R44e transmission.Hard shift from 2-3 gear and when i run about 35-40 mph and brake then acelerate it downshifts hard . Whats wrong with it?
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I just bought a 99 Ranger 3.0 L. Truck runs great while cold. After it warms up however it has a misfire. I knew that when I bought it, and bought it cheap enough that I figured even if its down on compression or something serious, I could afford to throw a long block in it. It also is throwing a check engine light. I have not read the codes yet, waiting on a scanner I purchased. Ive got new plugs and wires for it, not yet installed. Also, have not checked compression yet. Been too busy to work on it much so far. Just curious if there is anything I can look at before the new scanner arrives.
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2003 3.0 FFV 5 speed automatic...... Just noticed recently that it seems slow to go into 2nd gear.....the rest of the shifts seem fine, firm and unchanged.....
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I have a 94 Ranger 4x4 with a 4.0 liter engine. The check engine light is on when cold and then after warms up, has trouble starting, seems to flood. When it does crank, rpms go wildly high to over 2,000. I feel it is the Mass Air Sensor but not sure as my mechanic does not have the equipment to read the codes.
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I own a 2003 3.o v-6 ranger, after a short or long drive, my truck has a hard time starting.. Starts fine before any driving..
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When it gets hot outside and the car warms up (15 mins or so of highway driving), the stick gets extremely hard to move and it doesn't go back to center when it's out of gear. So I could push it all the way left or right without putting it in a gear, and it would stay there, it wouldn't pop back to the center like it should. It becomes really annoying and difficult to drive because it gets so stiff and hard to move, what could be causing the problem? I've already adjusted the shift linkage and that didn't work.
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1993 ranger, 3.0 V6 203,000 miles. As engine warms up coolant in blown into over flow and spills out. At that point system is low and truck runs hotter than norman, 3/4 way across gage. What would be causing overflow to overfill from engine. Could it be a bad rad. cap? Just replaced head gaskets at 200,000 miles. Truck runs good. No oil in water, no sign of visible leakes other than overflow tank overfilling and loosing coolant.
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I bought this from my brother in better than mint condition. Always maintained. Its generating a cyl #2 misfire code.
It starts and runs like new when cold, but when it warms up, it idles rough, and generates the code. after 1500 rpm it smooths right out and runs fine.
He had it to the dealer just before I bought it and they told him needed a new engine.
I am thinking bad injector, since what seems to be happening is, when cold it gets more fuel, or when u rev it gets more fuel, but at an idle and warm, it doesn't seem to be getting enough maybe. And I see from the maintenance records, a couple of other injectors have been replaced as well.
I think the dealer got tired of replacing injectors under warranty and tried to milk him for a new engine.
2002 ranger extended cab 2wd, 3 door, 232,000 kms 5 speed 3 liter V6, new glass and clutch..
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Quick back story I bought a 1999 Ford Ranger It is a 4 cyl with an auto trans the guy said it had some trouble with the tranny (major understatement) he also forgot to mention he cut out the CAT. so running a 4 banger off the header.
When you start the truck it rough idles but you have to hold the gas down til it warms up. You can shift into reverse but it labors the motor and the motor will not up the rpms kinda stays at idle and wants to die no matter how hard you accelerate and you can't move up a slight incline.
When you shift into drive you have to rev the motor to 3 grand an it will catch then move slowly forward. no matter how high the revs go. The fluid levels are a tad above the full level and a bit dark for my liking.
Ok, I used an OBDII scan tool from the parts store and it came up with 3 codes P0351, P0352, P0500. From my internet search the first two seem to be coil related which explains why the motor is running like garbage. The last may or may not have to do with what the tranny is doing.
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ive been experiancing an issue with my trucks shifting. it shifts smoothly but doesnt like shift into 5th, as im driving it stays in 4th longer than necessary. my thought was that it was tied to a shift sensor, what do you think?
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I have a '97 Ford Ranger with an automatic transmission that wouldn't shift out of park last night. A friend opened the hood and jiggled the steering column some, and finally it shifted. We checked the transmission fluid and it is full, a dark brown color. What the problem might be?
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