[Mark Yacavone]

We never had problems with the 82 Escort 4 speed. We would get them out of the boneyard and just change the oil. I never the insides of one.
The newer 5 speed is supposedly not as strong, but maybe we'll find out some day.
The 5 speeds in the Cimarrons never gave us any trouble either. The shifters needed heavier, braced cables though.
It's hard to hook those cars up hard enough to break them. Of course you can't shift them like they had a Super Shifter or those ratchet things..whatever they're called, hooked to them.
I did see a little black 2.2 Rampage with the case split in half, years ago.