Hello!

This is my first post here. I did try the search feature with no luck. I found some info, but confused me more than helped me.

So please, go easy on me

I have a '94 f-150 4x4 pickup, just about 85k miles. 302 w/ 5-speed. Bone stock. Even down to the brake rotors.

For the past year or so, the shifting has gotten progressively worse. I asume that it is a clutch issue. But shift linkage alignment also seems possible.

At first it was just first gear. From a stop, the shifter just wouldnt go into 1st very easily. It was very "notchy". Double clutching helped, but not always. In the past month or so, every gear has become a chore to shift into from time to time. It seems random. Sometimes it shifts fine, and other times I just want to quite wrestling with it and pull over to walk the rest of the way

This is the first vehicle Ive owned that utilizes a hydrolic clutch.
I have checked the fluid in the master cylinder. A bit low, so I topped it off.
I pulled the inspection plug from the bell housing near the clutch, and it seems that the hydrolic line going into the clutch is leaking a bit. Inside the bellhousing. Not a whole lot, weaping mostly.
The slave cylinder seems fine. And the firewall does not flex a bit when depressing the clutch.

So what do you think?
I know well enough to do my homewrk before just replacing things. But Im new to this hydrolic clutch setup, so any helo would be great!

 

The hydraulic clutch in these trucks acts a lot like your brakes do when the fluid is low, or air gets into the lines. Your pedal feels very weak, like it needed a return spring or something, and you have to get it closer and closer to the floor before it does anything. When it gets really bad, the pedal will usually stay on the floor. What happens when it's tough to get into gear? Does it grind, like the clutch wasn't being used, or does it just offer up a lot of resistance?

If it doesn't grind, and just has a lot of resistance to going into gear, it's probably an internal problem with the shifter, but it is possible that the pilot bearing is excessivly worn, too. I'd have a look at the shifter, and see if anything is bent.

 

Thanks so much for the reponse.

No, it doesnt grind. And the clutch acts normally as far as engagement and disengagement points are concerned.
It simply does not fall into gear easily.
Throw out bearing is fine, and the clutch does disengage properly. At least when Ive looked at it, and watched the action from below thru the inspection hole in the bellhousing.

It is my wife's daily driver. So I havnt been able to keep real good track of it. When I drive it, it almost always seems to act normally.
But I do agree with her, for the most part it is VERY "notchy" and somtimes first gear is damn near impossible to slip into without wiggling the shifter left and right a bit as you push up into first.

Where should I start to trouble shoot linkage? Is there a common point of failure or trouble?

Ive already swapped fluid with no success. I went with the recommended Dextron Mercon ATF wth a shot of Ford Friction modifier. Is there any fluid you would suggest?

I really dont want to drop the trans, but is it comes to it, so be it.

Thanks again.

 

I'm really not that familiar with the internals of the Mazda 5 speed, but it really sounds like you have a bent shift fork, or something similar. Short of taking it apart, the only method I know for verifying it is having it checked out by a tranny shop, which will likey be expensive. If I were you, I'd just deal with it until it becomes too much work to drive, at which time I'd either replace the tranny, or have it looked at. The Mazda 5 speed is well known for being the weakest link in the Ford truck drivetrain.

 

If double clutching seems to help it shift easier it may be that the synchros are worn out.

-Jon

 

That's what I was thinking at first, too, but he said it doesn't grind, and when I've driven a vehicle with worn synchros, it always grinds. Maybe that's just me.

 

Yeah, ZERO grinding.

it is just VERY notchy.

My daily driver is an '89 SHO taurus. It aso has a Mazdo built 5-speed trans. And it is also a crappy Trans. But it is VERY picky about what fluid to use. And it seems that a type of syncromesh ATF works best. Right now I have a Penzoil syncromesh with a shot of ford friction modifier, and the trans (in the SHO) shifts like butter.

The truck has just standard ATF.

Thanks for the reponses. Im going to try a different fluid before I drop the tranny. I do not want to just drive it till its not driveable, that will only increase the possibility of detroying other internals.