99 Ranger synchronizer assembly locked up

Several days ago daughter was driving her 99 Ranger -- 3.0L V6, 5- speed, 4WD, 92K miles, serviced regulalry, driven carefully -- when oil pressure went to zero and check engine light came on. She shut it down immediately and had it towed to dealer.

They reported no oil pressure (we knew that) and suggested a new engine ($800). I told them to pull the pan and look at the oil and oil pump and to pull a couple of main bearings look at the mains and the crank. They pissed and moaned but did it.

Found:

-- three teeth broken off synchronizer shaft (this would have caused the oil pump to stop pumping)

-- minor scoring on mains

-- a few metal filings and three broken teeth in the crankcase.

I told them to replace the synchronizer, check the oil pump, install a magnetic drain plug, and see what happens. They did, we picked up the truck Monday and my son drove it all week -- no noise, oil pressure good, full power, nothing apparently wrong with it. Changed the oil today, no sign of metal shavings in the oil.

The dealer gave me the old synchronizer assembly. The synch shaft runs through a housing and it looks to me as though the shaft should turn inside the house -- it doesn't -- shaft is completely frozen in the housing -- appears that that's why the teeth broke off -- synch shaft froze, whatever drives the synch shaft kept turning and broke off the teeth.

Any ideas as to why this thing would sieze up?

Thanks.

Reply to
Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names
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Good for you! You must be proud.

$800 for a new engine, and at the dealer? Holy crap. I should just stop taking care of the engine in my 98, if they're that inexpensive to have replaced. I paid well over that for the engine, and over that again for the install, recently, on a 2002 Grand Am.

How'd all that labor compare to the $800 initial quote?

None, but I'd be curious if you figure it out.

Reply to
DanKMTB

Hmmm. Well, no, not exactly $800 for a new engine -- more like $4,800.00 -- $4,780.00 to be exact. Sorry for the typo.

I still haven't figured out what caused it to seize up but my daughter has been driving it for two weeks now without a problem. Keeping our fingers crossed.

Reply to
Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names

"Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

Dang, that's my exact truck... scary stuff, although I now have an OBD- II scanner... any idea what code it spit out?

Have you had any problems with the 5-speed tranny? Mine has a dicey synchro on 3rd gear, and I once saw a TSB on that issue... need to follow-up on that.

...snip...

D'OH!!... gave several older truck owners a woodie... LOL. ;')

Reply to
fixizin

snipped-for-privacy@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

They didn't check.

Never had a problem with the transmission on the Ranger.

However -- I have a '97 Mazda B4000 -- 4.0L V-6, 5-speed, 4WD. I bought it used with 89,000 miles on it after my Nissan truck was lost in Hurricane Katrina. Had to rebuild the transmission in the Mazda because it got to the point where it almost would not go into 2d gear.

Reply to
Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names

snipped-for-privacy@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

I've got the 98, which is also the same truck. I had a sketchy synchro for a while, any time I went into 5th it wouldn't come back out, actually required 2 hands and enough haulin on it that I was worried about breaking the shift lever, nevermind the synchros. For the most part I just drove it as a 4 speed for a couple weeks. Oddly enough, a good session of wheeling, much of which was at odd camber, fixed it right up. *goes to knock on wood*

Reply to
DanKMTB

No worries, 4800 sounds a lot better. I was scratchin my head for a minute. $800 for a junkyard engine maybe, but you're going to spend at least that again to have it installed. $4800 is more than my truck is worth, which is what I would expect a dealer to charge to replace the engine.

Good luck!

Reply to
DanKMTB

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