2002 Ford Ranger 4x4 difficulty selecting gear

[warrima]

Hi All. Looking for some advice. I just bought this Ranger 2nd hand a few weeks ago. I’d been using it a few times without issue though only short runs of 10 mins or so.

Today i got stuck in a pretty bad traffic jam. I was constantly changing between 1st, 2nd and neutral. After about 15 mins of this i noticed it was difficult to get in to 2nd. Next stop i knocked it into neutral and was waiting a few mins for the traffic to move again. Tried to go into 1st and it wouldn’t go. Tried 2nd - same. Tried revving and de-clutching but it wouldn’t budge.

Then i thought to turn the engine off and restart. It wouldn’t start. With horns buzzing i pushed it to the side of the road. After a few mins i tried to start again and up she fired. Slipped into 1st without issue. Of i went but 10mins later this all repeated. Changed down from 2nd and it wouldn’t go to first. Stuck in neutral. Again turned it off and again it wouldnt restart. This time it was maybe 5mins before it would start. But when it did - gears were fine again.

To get it home i pretty much kept it in 2nd and just clutched to stop. I didnt risk changing gear. When home though i was switching through the gears fine again.

My thoughts-

1. I checked the battery (thinking it was the reason i couldnt restart) but its just 6 months old and holding a full charge. Starts easily from cold also - the day after.

2. All the fluids are at max (Clutch fluid included)

3. Heat - Thinking the traffic jam was causing temps to soar - but coolant temp was normal. Anyway when i eventually got home i was able to change gear easily.

4. Electrical - When i was eventually able to start the engine again on the 2 occasions, the gears were free again. Faulty sensor or something?

5. Clutch. Coasting home in 2nd i noticed i had to completely floor the clutch pedal to get it to stop. Also it felt like it was getting worse as the trip went on.

Hope someone can help. I will check the transmission oil but i cant believe its a cause as restarting the vehicle would have made no difference.

 

Failing that does anyone know a good mechanic in lower sukhumvit with Ford Ranger experience. 

[NokNokJoke]

Sounds like time for a clutch

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[wgdanson]

5 hours ago, warrima said:

I just bought this Ranger 2nd hand a few weeks ago

There's your problem....lol

[warrima]

6 hours ago, NokNokJoke said:

Sounds like time for a clutch

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Ye but ive had clutches go in other cars and it just gets gradually worse and worse. Restarting the vehicle and the gears were free again. 

[Farma]

Can't help with a solution but 2 years ago experienced the exact same problem with a 2014 ranger 2wd.

 

It was a leased fleet vehicle. Lease company mechanics repaired it 3 times but each time the problem reappeared within a day. Eventually they replaced it. That vehicle sat in their yard abandoned until the lease ended and they removed all their vehicles.

 

It was obviously not financially viable to repair the vehicle.

[stubuzz]

Where does the clutch bite? At the bottom or near the top?

 

 

[transam]

Though it sounds clutch/heat related I would drain the gear oil and refill with the correct grade Mobil oil...????

[UncleTouchyFingers]

33 minutes ago, warrima said:

Ye but ive had clutches go in other cars and it just gets gradually worse and worse. Restarting the vehicle and the gears were free again. 

 

Definitely sounds like the clutch. Your truck probably has some sort of slave cylinder that takes the slack out of the clutch as everything wears, so you wouldn't really notice it until it actually struggles to disengage. Any mechanic shop would be able to confirm it in about 10 minutes. Just take it in. 

 

11 hours ago, warrima said:

Clutch. Coasting home in 2nd i noticed i had to completely floor the clutch pedal to get it to stop.

 

You should always be completely flooring the clutch anytime you press the pedal. When you dont, the trans & engine dont fully decouple and you create friction which wears the clutch parts faster. 

[stubuzz]

Check for leaks at the bell housing. The Ford concentric slave cylinder is most probably leaking.

[warrima]

25 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Definitely sounds like the clutch. Your truck probably has some sort of slave cylinder that takes the slack out of the clutch as everything wears, so you wouldn't really notice it until it actually struggles to disengage. Any mechanic shop would be able to confirm it in about 10 minutes. Just take it in. 

 

 

You should always be completely flooring the clutch anytime you press the pedal. When you dont, the trans & engine dont fully decouple and you create friction which wears the clutch parts faster. 

Ye honestly i've usually had vehicles in the past with cable clutches.  This is my first experience of a hydraulic clutch. 

 

Yes i would always floor the clutch. But getting it home in 2nd i had to bury it in the carpet at the lights to stop it creeping. 

 

Cheers for the input mate.

[warrima]

37 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

Where does the clutch bite? At the bottom or near the top?

 

 

First experience with a hydraulic clutch. Its what id say is a long clutch. I feel it start to disengage about 2 inches down. Bite point is about an inch up from the deck. But i felt that was getting closer to the deck as i got home in 2nd. 

33 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

Check for leaks at the bell housing. The Ford concentric slave cylinder is most probably leaking.

Haven't took a close inspection yet but there doesn't appear to be any leaks. The clutch fluid is full. Could be leaking internally through the seals i guess. 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

How many kilometers on the clock? 

 

 

 

[warrima]

3 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

How many kilometers on the clock? 

 

 

 

160k. From the service record it has only done about 8k in the last 4 years. Owner moved from Chang Mai to Bangkok and seldom used it here.

[ningnong]

Sounds like a hydraulic problem preventing the clutch disk from completely releasing.

 

When you say the engine wouldn't start did the engine still turnover but not fire?

 

If tension is building in the hydraulics in the direction of the clutch pedal maybe you weren't able to truly depress the clutch pedal all the way to the floor and activate the safety switch that prevents the engine from turning over if the clutch pedal isn't fully depressed. Assuming your truck has that feature.

 

[billd766]

11 hours ago, wgdanson said:

There's your problem....lol

My 2001 Ford Ranger has 382,xxx km on the clock and it still rattles along as it has done for the last 17 years.

 

I have had a few problems not if I had the money to replace it I would buy another one.

[billd766]

3 hours ago, warrima said:

Ye honestly i've usually had vehicles in the past with cable clutches.  This is my first experience of a hydraulic clutch. 

 

Yes i would always floor the clutch. But getting it home in 2nd i had to bury it in the carpet at the lights to stop it creeping. 

 

Cheers for the input mate.

I have had the same problem with my 2001 Ford Ranger 4WD 2.5 Turbo.

 

It was the clutch seals leaking on mine, and my local Somchai fixit did the job in less than a day, top and bottom seals. It may be a good idea to get him to look at the clutch driven plate and get that replaced at the same time with 180,xxx km on the clock, just in case.

[steve73]

Sounds like you bought my old 2002 Ranger 4x4...(joke)

I had this problem twice during my ownership, at around 240k, and again at 260k (ish), not sure thereafter.  First time was in Pattaya where I crawled to my hotel in 1st gear without stopping (red-lights, and all... driving like a Thai, 555).

 

It was a clutch problem both times, although I'm not exactly sure which bits they replaced.. master & slave cylinders for sure, and I think the clutch plates (at least the first time, based on the cost).

[warrima]

6 hours ago, billd766 said:

I have had the same problem with my 2001 Ford Ranger 4WD 2.5 Turbo.

 

It was the clutch seals leaking on mine, and my local Somchai fixit did the job in less than a day, top and bottom seals. It may be a good idea to get him to look at the clutch driven plate and get that replaced at the same time with 180,xxx km on the clock, just in case.

 

5 hours ago, steve73 said:

Sounds like you bought my old 2002 Ranger 4x4...(joke)

I had this problem twice during my ownership, at around 240k, and again at 260k (ish), not sure thereafter.  First time was in Pattaya where I crawled to my hotel in 1st gear without stopping (red-lights, and all... driving like a Thai, 555).

 

It was a clutch problem both times, although I'm not exactly sure which bits they replaced.. master & slave cylinders for sure, and I think the clutch plates (at least the first time, based on the cost).

 

How much did you have to pay guys? Good to have a reference. Cheers

[UncleTouchyFingers]

6 hours ago, steve73 said:

I crawled to my hotel in 1st gear without stopping

You're the second one to say you did this. I think OP did it too. 

 

If you drive a manual transmission vehicle you should should know how to shift gears up & down without pressing the clutch for just this very reason. You just have to rev match. 

 

You can also start the vehicle in gear as long as the clutch pedal Neutral Safety Switch still works, it'll just lurch & jump like a mofo until you get going. Unless you're on a hill or in a cramped parking garage or something.

 

[Lacessit]

Fix Or Repair Daily

[billd766]

55 minutes ago, warrima said:

 

 

How much did you have to pay guys? Good to have a reference. Cheers

In August this year I paid 3,500 baht for

 

replacement brake master cylinder

new clutch seals,

brake fluid

Brake switches

gear oil

labour

 

In February I paid 1,700 baht for 

 

10.000 km service + oil

new air filter + labour

 

 I hope this gives you an idea but I live in rural Khampaeng Phet and I used a local guy who has worked on the truck for years. If you live in a city it may cost more

 

 

[billd766]

34 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Fix Or Repair Daily

Rubbish.

[Lacessit]

Just now, billd766 said:

Rubbish.

Your opinion. I'd sooner chew razor blades than own a Ford again.

[billd766]

2 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Your opinion. I'd sooner chew razor blades than own a Ford again.

Your opinion.

 

Horses for courses.

 

Back in January this year from the Nation.

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30336932

 

The Ford Ranger pick-up truck achieved all-time record sales across the Asia-Pacific region in 2017, up 22 per cent from the previous year to 134,100 vehicles.

 

“The Ranger’s toughness, capability, smart technologies, design, fuel-efficiency and comfort allow it to continue setting the industry benchmark in the region and globally for mid-size pickup trucks,” said Ford Asia Pacific vice president Mark Ovenden.

Sales in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam represented full-year records.

Thailand was Ford’s best-selling Ranger market globally.

 

I have had my Ford Ranger for 17 years.

 

If I had the money going spare I would buy another this week.

Edited December 9, 2018 by billd766
added extra text

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, billd766 said:

Horses for courses.

 

I have had my Ford Ranger for 17 years.

 

If I had the money going spare I would buy another this week.

There was a person on eBay in Australia who advertised his Ford Ranger with the headline "Craptacular". Claimed to be on first name terms with his Ford service manager. Proceeded to list all the defects. Offered a free case of champagne to whoever took it off his hands.

There was a famous occasion during the Australian Grand Prix years ago when two Fords did the warmup lap, and promptly burst into flames on the starting grid.

Having owned three Fords in previous years, all I can say is I'm a slow learner.

[billd766]

3 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

There was a person on eBay in Australia who advertised his Ford Ranger with the headline "Craptacular". Claimed to be on first name terms with his Ford service manager. Proceeded to list all the defects. Offered a free case of champagne to whoever took it off his hands.

There was a famous occasion during the Australian Grand Prix years ago when two Fords did the warmup lap, and promptly burst into flames on the starting grid.

Having owned three Fords in previous years, all I can say is I'm a slow learner.

 

So one person in Australia had a problem some time ago and that is a good reason. How about the many thousands of others who DIDN'T have a problem?

 

In the Australian Grand Prix years ago when two Fords did the warmup lap, and promptly burst into flames on the starting grid.

 

Could you go into any Ford dealers in Australia and buy one of them from the showroom?

 

GP cars are a totally different vehicle than a street vehicle. Having had 3 Fords even you should know that, unless of course you are a slow learner.

 

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, billd766 said:

 

So one person in Australia had a problem some time ago and that is a good reason. How about the many thousands of others who DIDN'T have a problem?

 

In the Australian Grand Prix years ago when two Fords did the warmup lap, and promptly burst into flames on the starting grid.

 

Could you go into any Ford dealers in Australia and buy one of them from the showroom?

 

GP cars are a totally different vehicle than a street vehicle. Having had 3 Fords even you should know that, unless of course you are a slow learner.

 

GP cars are what sells the mundane cars. Even you should know that.

Let's see. Ford Fairmont with undersized radiator, constantly overheating and pinging.

Ford Laser, first edition. Gutless. Would not pull the skin off a rice pudding.

Ford Laser, second edition. Ex-wife wanted it. Two cracked windscreens ( under warranty ) due to a high weld point on the frame.

I've owned 6 Mitsubishi's ( Magnas and Tritons ) that never missed a beat.

You like Fords. Good for you. I think they are crap.

 

[steve73]

1 hour ago, warrima said:

 

 

How much did you have to pay guys? Good to have a reference. Cheers

Really can't remember sorry.. But I think around 15-20k in Pats the first time (maybe 6-7 years ago), incl. a tow truck from the hotel, and around 8-10k in my local garage in Rayong a couple of years later...

 

And to answer another poster... trying to change gear a low speeds without a clutch is impossible - too much torque (unless you want to trash the gearbox).. but I'll agree it is possible at faster/cruising speeds.

[UncleTouchyFingers]

4 minutes ago, steve73 said:

trying to change gear a low speeds without a clutch is impossible

 

Definitely not impossible. I could drive my old Vigo all day long no clutch, shifting up and down. It's for emergencies so you don't get stranded, not to drive all over Thailand. 

[warrima]

Cheers Steve and Bill. Good to have the info.