[1983lux]

Hey, I just bought a 95 f-150 4x4 with a straight 6/5sp.

All the gears worked fine when i drove it home and around town, but now it will not go into first or second gear. It makes a slight noise in these gears like fluid swishing or bearings spinning, but when i let out the clutch nothing happens. It does engage in 3,4,and 5 with no trouble and the clutch works fine on those gears and did work fine until the 1st and 2nd stopped engaging. the shifter still moves into the first and second positions like it is supposed to.

I'm really new to manual transmissions (i don't even know how to check the fluid) so you'll have to put things in simple terms. Have I been taken for a ride?

Thanks for any help.

[mmerlinn]

Something is wrong in the 1st/2nd shift train. If your lever moves into the correct positions, then most likely your fork is worn out or broken.

If your lever will not move to the correct positions, then something is wrong with the detent (lock-out) pieces.

Regardless, diagnosing the problem without disassembling the transmission is like a doctor diagnosing your illness over the phone - pure speculation.

[1983lux]

yeah, it does move into the correct positions perfectly with little resistance.

[gmc1500xxx]

check your pedal kit its probally broked aluminium ****

[1983lux]

I've determined that it is not the clutch, and am now in the process of removing the transmission. Everything is disconnected except for 2 things.

-I'm having trouble removing the clutch line from the slave cylinder

-I need to remove the gearshift assembly so the tranmission will slide back far enough to clear the input shaft. I have removed the 6 bolts holding the shifter assembly on, but i cannot get it to pull free.

Any suggestions?

[dklong]

1983lux shift forks with the m50 trans are a common prob.
you can remove the top cover of the trans , by unhooking your shifter and then removing your floor covering, then there should be a cover on your trans tunnel remove the cover and there should be your trans , I think a 10 mm socket will remove the top off the trans , after removing bolts pull straight up on the top cover,your shift fork rail is attached to the top peice,I think $150-$200 should buy you a new set of shift forks.remember to flush out the trans and install new fluid after replacing the shift forks.

[dklong]

1983lux there is a bolt going through the bottom of the shifter, with a 17mm nut on it remove the nut and install it on the opposite side of the bolt,the bolt is a wedge type bolt .this will remove the bolt wedge.then the shifter justs pulls straight up. the 6, 13mm bolts sounds like the trans too transfercase bolts,theres usually a gasket between the trans and tranfercase, most people use silicone when reinstalling them.
1983lux do you have a digital camera, if you do post some pics for some better understanding of what you are doing and we can be of more help to you and others like you.

[1983lux]

Yeah, I realize its hard to understand what i'm talking about without visuals. I do have a digital camera, when this rain/snow quits, i will get you some pictures.

Aha! I was wondering what that 17mm bolt at the bottom of the shifter was supposed to do. I will try that.

As for the 6 13mm bolts on the shifter assembly, they were actually 12mm, and i am definately not talking about the transfer case.

Check out my absolutely terrible picture i attached to see what i mean. The orange is the clutch line im having trouble getting out. The red is the transfer case (which im not having any problems getting off).

The blue is what i've been calling the 'shifter assembly'. Its NOT the rubber that goes around the gearshift inside the cab, its the big metal part on top of the trans that the gearshift goes into. The green dots on it are the 6 12mm bolts i have removed. I am trying to get this off but am having trouble with it. I guess now that i know how to take off the gearshift alone i may not need to worry about taking off the whole assembly yet.

If this still doesn't make sense, real photos will be up soon. By the way, i REALLY appreciate the all the help i'm getting.