Reconditioned Ford Gearbox

15 Ford engines, one engine capacity, different gearboxes: the trap you need to know about before you order

In the Ford catalogue, engine capacity alone is not enough to identify the right gearbox. The 1.6 TDCi, for example, covers several distinct engine codes — TZJA, TZJB, T3JA — which are not compatible with the same transmissions. The same applies to the 2.0 TDCi: depending on the generation of the Transit or Focus, the casing, gear ratios and mounting flanges differ.The engine code stamped on the block is the only reliable identifier for cross-referencing the exact part number, whether it begins with H1BR, AG9R or CV1R.

5- or 6-speed manuals: two families that coexist across the same models

The catalogue covers three types of gearbox: the 6-speed manual, the 5-speed manual and the 5-speed manual IB5. The latter is fitted in particular to small-capacity petrol engines — 1.0 EcoBoost, 1.1, 1.2, 1.6 — on the Fiesta, B-Max, Ka and EcoSport. The IB5 is a family in its own right: more compact, it is not interchangeable with the standard 5-speed manual fitted to the Focus or C-Max in diesel form. On the Transit, the 6-speed is standard from the 2.0 TDCi, 2.2 TDCi and 3.2 TDCi engines onwards, though the 2.4 TDCi may still take a 5-speed depending on the year of manufacture, across a production span of 1995 to 2025 for the collection as a whole.

Narrowing your search by model and application

The Transit alone accounts for the largest share of this catalogue, with van and Tourneo variants that sometimes share the same gearbox but not always the same output shaft reference. The Ranger and the Kuga, both available with a 2.0 TDCi or 2.2 TDCi in four-wheel-drive form, require transfer case compatibility to be checked before ordering. On the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy — models sharing common platforms — engine codes SFDB, XWGA or QVFA allow you to distinguish between gearboxes that look similar but have different final drive ratios.Rebuilding the original unit is available as an alternative to the standard exchange for the most specific references or gearboxes that are difficult to source on an exchange basis.