Fiesta poor downshift to 1st

Are there any special tools I need to disassemble the mainshaft assembly to get to the 1st gear synchro? I suspect there may be a spring loaded ball bearing that is part of that 1st gear synchro assembly and that is what is causing 1st gear to pop out of gear sometimes. It would pop out with a bang until I developed a sense of when it would happen and just take off in 2nd.

I would not be surprised if the synchro rings did not show much wear. I could shift into 1st at a crawl with no grinding.

I get what you're telling me. That piece in the picture moves smoothly. No slop. All those external linkage parts move nicely.

I took the transmission apart. Very clean. Very little filings on the magnet. Just about no wear on the parts. Bearings feel good. I noticed that when I moved the 1st/2nd synchro assy back and forth that one of those 3 rectangular pieces (dogs?) did not always move along with the other 2.

I took apart the main shaft assy. I then took apart the 1st/2nd synchro assy. See picture. Those 3 pieces reside inside the synchro hub and are held in place by a semicircular spring on either side. I don't know how to assess how good those springs are.

I had a lot of fun getting the 3 circlips off of the main shaft. Is there a source for new ones?

Try this FoMoCo String...
FoMoCo 7s6r-7c115-aa

In your search engine, you'll come up with the 1-2 syncro - but to find a rebuild kit? Not sure...I get some hits but you'll need to take it from here...

So you know, the teeth do show some considerable wear on the face - and the brass of the syncro gearing took most of the beating and since it was soft, shows the blunting of their edges - so the tranny needs some service but not sure what kind of wear abuse this was - if it came straight from the factory this way or did someone get cute with it and used a far thinner fluid like Dextron LV? Light loads it's - not a bad idea but this is a manual and uses the gearset to move oil to press into the surfaces.

Ford claims there is not a rebuild kit. I don't think there is considerable wear. If there was, where's the filings? Just a tiny amount on the magnet. Would be nice to see a picture of new gears for comparison. The fluid was what ever was put in it at the factory when I bought it new. I am considering buying the 1st/2nd synchro unit as I can't figure out why it would intermittently pop out of 1st on take off. If it stayed in 1st I could apply full throttle and it would stay in gear. I suspect it has something to do with those 3 things in the synchro's hub that are held in by those 2 springs. I did notice that one of them would sometimes not move the same as the others. Maybe something to do with that those springs. I would try moving the shifter back and forth several times and then 1st would hold.

Ordered the synchro unit from a Ford dealer. It is an updated one for my car. I am now on the hunt for the 3 circlips ford P/N E860141S (HR2), E860146S (HR3), and E860303S100 (HR4). forget ford terminology for them.

Its not what you look for in filings, it is also in assembly...



The Ring that the syncro uses to mesh with the teeth was lifted, you don't find filings - more like bits of metal by the or in the magnet by the trans-axle side.

The battering is brass so the magnet wont catch it. You even have rust in there.

This can deform the ring so it "torques off" every time you apply power.

Ford and their wonderful network of dealers take in these guys and send back to several different sites or "factories" that do this rebuild in-house.

Lots of times the transmission is simply inspected and little is done except like the battered tooth of a syncro - they get replaced because the heavy iron of the other gears usually does not show enough wear to need replacement - just refitted.

So you know, Delco and GM are also doing this too to their lineups, so the technology that goes into them, stays with them.

This approach is being applied to many of the 3-rd party networks that offer suppliers their parts. They no longer see the finished product, just their part of the work is what is seen at their shops - the rest is "put together" in a fashion that if they are all the same, and it goes together this way, than all the pieces of this puzzle are going together to work as one unit so it's assembled and the others never see the works of all those other suppliers until you see the finished product.

I'm glad you're finding a workaround - for it looks like in some instances you may need to visit a wreck-yard to pull off their transmission to find viable parts inside them to make it work.

It's why I asked about the Limited Slip Differential - that technology is what many desire in an ST unit - so if you're into sporty things...

In another thread we bash about the topic of changing differential gear ratios to make these things work better. Why? For those ratios are what provides longer gearing in automatics. That ratio is what gives the "auto" the long term gas-saving - but when applied to manual the direct connect conversion generates several issues including downshifting 2 gears to accelerate.

A thread can be found here
https://www.fordfiesta.org/threads/tire-size.9166/post-25442
https://www.fordfiesta.org/threads/...-to-euro-spec-zetec-s-st-line.5602/post-13514

• - there are more about it - look for Differential gear in your search box including long term posts from earlier participants which makes a worthwhile read.

I've never found any "Factories" that rebuild manual transmission. Ford dealer could or did not want to source anywhere like that. Said ship them a used transmission and they would install it for $5000. Pretty much they want to sell a new $60,000 truck. That's alright with me, for less than $3000 I will rebuild my transmission, have complete new front suspension and have installed timing belt, water pump and etc. And have flushed all fluids. Oh, new pads and rear brakes.

The SE does not have enough grunt to need LSD. That high final drive gives great mileage, but it is having to shift down 2 gears to pass someone. A last generation Escort SOHC split port can do that with out ever shifting down.
I average 37 to 39 MPG depending on how heavy my right foot is.

How do you get accurate speedo with a lower gear ratio?

Sampled the fluid I drained. Will send to Blackstone for analysis.

Thanks to asking them, what they did not tell you is what they do with those they have to repair or replace.

They Replace - the unit is sent in for service and the logistics aren't told to the rest of us - so the word "Factory" is what it is - I was never told whom sourced the transmission or even what they did with the old one except for possibly warranty work due to the fact it was less that 3 years old with less than 36,000 miles - but a broken plastic clip did the damage.

You don't - not with what is stored in the PCM as to what to work with in engine RPM and gear speeds - only inputs are from the speed sensors.

The differential gear in one of the threads discussed, is similar to those used in older Fiesta and even Escorts - and are combined with a different level of transmission; MTX-series - one even used in (my Wife's) Mom's Ford Contour. If it was not seeing her - in her 70's using the clutch like she did, I would not have married her daughter.

I don't know much about transmission ,but you could try these
https://www.demon-tweeks.com/us/quaife-ford-ib5-5-speed-synchro-close-ratio-gear-kit-604699/ or maybe https://transmission-rebuild-kits.c...uspumaka/ford-fiesta-ib5-bearing-rebuild-kit/

UK has so much to offer for these cars..

New assy is on the left, GETRAG. Old one on right is FoMoCo.
1st gear outer synchro ring that you noticed wear replacement has been delivered. Was waiting for one more delivery of the smallest retainer ring, snap ring or what ever it is called. Decided at the last moment to also order the "Ring" and "Inner synchronizer Ring" just to be safe. Also the rear cover gasket. See https://www.fordpartsgiant.com/page...ronizer Ring&pdUrl=synchronizer_ringWondering what sealant to use when I join the 2 transmission case halves together. I know have seen a Ford sealant for that but no can find.

Finished rebuilding the transmission. Installed today. Now Input shaft bearing making noise. Makes noise in neutral with foot off the clutch. No noise when I put foot on clutch. I put in 2.3 quarts of the Motorcraft fluid. I drove up and down our very long driveway. No problem shifting into 1st. Will now add more fluid until just below the filler hole to see if that makes a difference.

I think I damaged the bearing or bearings installing the 5th gear. I did heat the gear up to 300F but still had to hammer it on. Used 16 oz framing hammer to get it started. Then used 2lb Bronze hammer and then used a 10lb sledge hammer head to get it on all the way. Was thinking that can't be good for the bearings.

How hot should I heat the 5th gear. Next time I will use Molybdenum disulfide paste. What tool to use to remove the outer bearing race from the bell housing?

For what it's worth am thinking it would be easier to use engine hoist to install the transmission as it is very difficult to maintain position using floor jack.

Removed transmission and disassembled it today. Bearings seem fine. Anything that rotates on a shaft does so smoothly.

Bearing like noise occurs in neutral with foot off the clutch pedal. No noise if I press in on the clutch.

Have the same results here, when I talk to the locals at a Ford dealership - they often refer to it as a roller bearing noise on top of the main cylinder that moves the fingers of the clutch plate - that noise is prominent when they are relaxed - it when they get pressure to release that plate does the finger rattle cease.

You mean the throwout bearing? I wondered about that. The original one made no noise.

I was originally only going to replace the clutch disk and I ordered a Sachs brand slave cylinder w/throwout bearing. Found I could get a clutch kit at a reasonable price. Came with slave cyl/bearing assy. Well I switched out the Sachs unit for the one that came in the kit. This was when I was installing a used transmission earlier this summer. LOL thought the used one was bad so decided to rebuild my original transmission. I am getting to be expert R&R ing that transmission.

I now have to decide whether to install the original cylinder w/bearing or the one that came in the clutch kit. Maybe just get a Motorcraft one.

Glad I got that new clutch. Must be stiffer than the one from the factory. It did not have much feel to it. Now I can feel when the clutch is beginning to disengage. Wondering if it might be a little more proud of the engine just enough to make the bearing spin by air currents.

I replaced the 1st/2nd Motorcraft synchro unit with a Getrag brand one. No problem downshifting into 1st now.

Since the transmission is apart, I am going to install the slave assy into the bell housing and bolt the bell housing to the motor so I can operate the clutch. If I get a rattle with foot off the clutch pedal and there being no input shaft involved then it is the throw out bearing rattling.

Keyword from the Dealer was "roller" so I'm in a similar situation with noise I've had to accept ever since the transmission was replaced - just lucky it still turns over. It also shows some ignorance on behalf of the dealer in knowing their product. (Caveat Emptor!)

I am relieved to know the new gear set worked out - seems that Ford even in earlier models (transmission problems seem to follow me) an Aspire needed help with the shifter fork assembly way back in 1994 - after only about 15,000 miles - it wouldn't shift into 1st or 3rd - and began a similar downward spiral as I limped it to the Dealer I bought it from. Fortunately - under warranty then and once fixed worked for nearly 100,000 miles. So it does seem to me that your issues upon purchase are similar - and (unfortunately it seems) Ford's own assembly plants don't always take the time to inspect or even test their work when the parts and or vehicle are assembled somewhere else and shipped here.

Works great - until it breaks; and then fingers come out and start pointing.

I read other comments about that rattling noise being the throwout bearing. I am going to use the original slave/bearing unit that came with the car. It never made any noise. That will tell me if it's the transmission or not. I hate the idea of not getting rid of the noise because it could mask a developing problem elsewhere.

All the internal bearings feel good w/no slack when I rotate them.

When I put on the 5th gear I will use Molybdenum disulfide paste on the splines and I will backup the input shaft when I start hammering the gear on. Should have thought of that the first time. Was told that a "shop press" is used to install that gear. Don't have. I do have some 10 ton hydraulic jacks. Maybe I can rig some kind of press.