I have a 1983 Ford Ranger with a 2.2 Perkins Diesel, 4-speed manual, 2-wheel drive.
I have heard there is a Mazda 5-speed that will fit.
Some have said the early RX-7 5-speed will work.
A few have said the B2200 diesel 5-speed is the only possibility
I am getting conflicting information and wonder if someone in this forum can shed any light on the matter?

 

Hi and welcome to our (now your) forum G115!!

WOW!! It seems that you are really into it and I hope you don't give up the fight. I myself have no clue how to answer your question. I hope one of our truck guys can. I am not familiar w/the Perkins 2.2, or your particular vehicle except that my son-in-law once owned a 4WD petrol version of it.

Based on your first post here, I sincerely hope this is not the last time we hear from you. I can tell from it that you are really, really into making changes for the better to your vehicle. I believe you can add to our knowledge base and hope you will hang around... no matter what the outcome of this thread is.

I will say that I would be concerned that the RX7 trans could handle the torque producedby a diesel. The rotary engine is pretty torque-less on the low-end of the power band.

May I ask you, what are your plans for this truck?? Dedicated off-road?Daily driver? Rock crawler?

 

I would like to use it as a daily driver.
I already have a VW rabbit diesel that I am very happy with but its hard to do any light hauling with it.
I came across the ranger with a diesel and snapped it up.
I got it real cheap because the 4 -speed tranny had 2nd and3rd out of it.
People have been telling me there is a Mazda 5-speed that fits the Perkins and it works much better than the old 4-speed.
Can't find anyone with any details.
Down the road I hope to try out the Bio-diesel experiance.
One adventure at a time!
Thanks for your reply! G1115

 

Well you're in luck because my dad ownes one of the mazda diesels in question and I've swapped several mazda transmissions into the 2nd gen pickup trucks. I am running a jap import Miata tranny in my 87 B2200 right now.... for some reason it won't let me post the rest of what I had to say....???

 

Here, read these and get back with me on any questions you have:

http://www.mazdatruckin.com/B2200/TrannySwaps.html
http://www.mazdatruckin.com/B2200/Transmission.html
http://www.mazdatruckin.com/B2200/TrannyInfo.html

 

Almost all the Mazda 5 speeds are built the same, if you can swap the Mazda Diesel tranny into it then it is possable to swap the other ones in with the right parts. The transmission in the Diesel has some design flaws in it though which actually makes it one of the weaker ones but this can be fixed. I would probably go with a tranny from an 86-93 B2200 / B2000 or maybe a B2600

 

What a great source of information!
I can now move forward on this project.
This forum has been a great experience.
Thanks to Kyrasis6 for your excellent contribution!

 

Any new idea's on this topic, does a 1988 mazda 5 speed 4wd bolt up to a perkins 2.2

 

Hi, I just joined this forum particularly for this thread. I cannot get the above links to work. Since this post is dated 2008, I'm guessing the links are broken(possibly gone). Would like to view the links if anyone has an updated link? maybe?

 

I blew reverse out of my '83 Ranger Diesel four speed. I've heard all kinds of rumors that it also had a 5 speed. Also have a B2200 with the Perkins. It's a five speed but have not verified that it would fit the Ranger. Those trannies can lose oil with the rubber caps I've heard. There just seems to be NO information on the PLANET about these transmissions. I cannot believe that the transmission is a unique one used only for two years in Diesel Rangers. Surely some other vehicles near those years used them too, probably for many years. Now I'm seriously considering making an adapter to use some other transmission. The shop I took the trans to said they have to have a machine shop make a custom bearing to fix it.