1st gen Ford Escort ManTranny, hard to shift hot.

The Lamb-o manual tranny in front has become hard to shift into second gear, and it SEEMS as though this is something that gets harder to do with time, like when it gets hotter. I drove to work with the car cold, and it shifted just fine. But when it misbehaves, it doesn't grind or anything it just becomes physically difficult to shove it into 2nd gear unless the RPM's are matched perfectly. I have ATF in there, which SEEMS awfully thin to me, but that's what I was told it's supposed to take.

Suspect worn synchros? Heavier oil might mask the problem for at least one more race? What do you guys suggest / diagnose?

Heavier fluid will probably fix it for good if the bearings and such arent making noise yet. Try a quart of pennzoil synchromesh and a quart of 10w40 or 20w50 motor oil(assuming 2 qt capacity).

It could be in the linkage somewhere. My ZX-2 shifts fine when below 85 F, like molasses above that, especially at low speeds or with lots of time at idle.

WTF ATF????? an MTX-75 takes 75w90. Start by flushing the ATF and putting the right fluid in there. If you still have problems, then try some weird mix to patch up. The MTX-75 is pretty tough (except the diff), so the syncros shouldn't have problems with a simple Zetec.

But cghstang has a point, check the linkage. Since it seems to get harder when hot, it might not be the problem, but...

I once changed the shift tower on my friend's Focus, because it was stuck in rust.

Completely off subject but your thread title is quite funny, especially when edited:

"[...] Escort Man Tranny, hard to shift hot. "

In reply to RossD:

[Insert generic tranny joke here]

fanfoy wrote: WTF ATF????? an MTX-75 takes 75w90.

It's not an MTX-75 it's the original 4-speed manual. Which according to this: http://www.teamcapri.com/recalls/tsd_psd/01-15-7.pdf takes Mercon ATF.

The linkage was my first suspicion - especially since this same engine and transmission was nearly torn out of the car in an off-roading incident at Road Atlanta, So I tool all that apart, mangled it back into shape, greased it up and replaced it. The fact that it shifts when RPM's are matched and seems to be temperature related led me to think it wasn't a mangled up linkage. Right?

I really don't want to have to swap this transmission because it's special. I have a flange tigged on it to hold a zetec starter. I'd have to do all that over again if I swap it.

What was wrong with leaving the starter in the CVH's position?

RossD wrote: What was wrong with leaving the starter in the CVH's position?

It doesn't have a CVH in it.

I realize that. But what's occupying the CVH's starters position that doesn't allow for the use of it? I believe the CVH flywheel bolts to the Zetec's crank, then you could just use the CVH starter. Then the flange for the Zetec's starter is not an issue.

In reply to RossD: blacktop Zetec oilpan flange doesn't work. Silvertop you can do just that though.

Is the heat shield under the shifter missing ?

If you end up needing a tranny for it, there is a first gen EGT at PullaPart in Louisville with the complete 1.9HO/5-spd combo still in it. I wish I had a nice early EXP/LN7 to swap it into.

In reply to iceracer:

no, it's there, but exhaust is nowhere near there anymore anyway.

Thx Powar, I'll keep that in mind. Pretty sure there's a couple local too.