Why I only paid $400 for a low-miles Tacoma, and do I still have a problem?

Last year, a friend called me up and said the 5-speed tranny in his '96 Tacoma wouldn't go into first or third gear. He'd been to some shop for an estimate and they put a $2400 scare into him. So he told me he wanted $400 for the truck. It only had 71K on the clock. I told him I was sure he could go online, sell it for more. But he didn't care. He wanted it gone. All the other gears worked fine for the truck to move under it's own power, and there were no scary transmission noises. So I bought it. I checked the gearbox oil and it was OK.
Online, I found some claimed replacing the plastic shifter saddle-kit fixed the problem. Then some other posts saying the fix didn't work.
Meanwhile, I discovered that if I shoved the shifter really hard, I could force it into first and third. I got the truck tagged and started driving it that way. After a week it was much easier. After about a month, the shifting was mostly back to normal. Today, I've put about 4000 miles on the truck, including some 400-mile trips, and the shifting is now perfect. I did buy a shifter saddle kit from Toyota, and it's in the glovebox if I need it.
I also tried a search here and couldn't find anything about this issue. Worst case, I found a site selling rebuilt Tacoma manual trannys for about $1200, and I think this truck would be worth it.
So has anyone here had a problem like this on a 5-speed Tacoma?
Thanks.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

Sounds like the clutch cylinder needs to be looked at.. maybe replace the fluid or the check the cylinders themselves. Usually when a vehicle won't go into a gear, it's related to the hydraulic system

 

Sounds exactly like the problem I had - no first, third and fifth. It was the shifter saddle - the rubber deteriorated and pieces were blocking the lever movement. I made my own "plastic kit" and that fixed the problem. First I was looking into trany rebuild cost, then after 30 minutes of shaping a piece of derlin on my mini lathe I fix it "for nothing". That was about 10 years and over 100k miles ago. The problem never came back.

I guess you got yourself fantastic deal. I wouldn't even consider selling my 95 4x4 with 316k miles for ten times more. Does your friend have more "broken cars" for sale? Maybe 4Runner with broken headlight?

 

Clutch operation and fluid level was fine.
Only first and third gear were affected. Once I forced the shifter to work in those gears, and continued driving, the problem gradually went away.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

That was my theory. I got a new shifter saddle kit for about $32 from Toyota. I'm saving it in the glovebox just in case.
Funny you should mention the headlight. Both were bad on this Tacoma. The guy claimed he never drove at night. Sadly, he was a heavy smoker and passed away from lung cancer this summer, without leaving any more bargain vehicles. The Tacoma interior's 'ashtray-odor' is gradually fading. But not nearly as quickly as the tranny problem went away.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

I would go ahead a do the shifter saddle/bushing since it only takes about an hour to do and will probably help.

 

Yeah. I've seen pictures. It looks easy EXCEPT getting the cover-plate and everything else out and back in again without slicing/ripping through the undersized hole in the carpet.
Meanwhile, as usual, I'm always dealing with other stuff that's kept me from finishing even more urgent personal projects. This time it's recovery from foot surgery and severe water damage at a Virginia Beach rental property.
Good thing I have other vehicles to drive if the Tacoma shifter goes out again.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

Yes, probably by pushing hard the first time you dislocated the broken off pieces that were blocking the movement. These pieces may be floating around the saddle and some day they might starting interfere again. Or more pieces would brake and you will have a sticky goo instead of saddle

 

Do you have a part number for the kit?

 

Fortunately, they're plastic.
I figured they probably got stuck in the oil or chewed up harmlessly by the machinery. Planning to take it on another 400-mile trip to Virginia Beach next week. Wish me luck.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

Mark, I'm not sure what you mean because there is more than enough room. The transmission/tcase tunnel coverplate doesn't even cover the carpet so you don't have to worry about that at all

 

You can also buy the kit from marlin crawler

https://www.marlincrawler.com/transmission/shifter-parts/heavy-duty-seats

 

According to what I can see in my truck, and pictures in my Haynes manual, on a 2WD stickshift Tacoma, it looks like to access the shifter socket, the coverplate on the tunnel and the bolts that secure it are UNDER the carpet. So I would have to remove the seat, console and carpet completely, or try to unbolt and extract the cover and shifter through the undersize hole in the carpet, or cut a slit in the carpet.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

Mark, I'm not much help on your tranny/shifter issue, but gotta say congrats on a heck of a deal on your Tacoma. But more importantly best of luck with your foot recovery, and prayers to you and all East Coast folks affected by the hurricane.

 

I had the same problem with mine about a year ago. I bought the shifter saddle from Marlin Crawler first. Once that went in, it was still hard to shift. Drained the gear oil, and put in some Redline MT-90. Shifts great now.

 

You've made me feel better about my diagnosis. It definitely was a mechanical problem, as it only affected first and third gear. After I was able to force it into those two gears, I was able to keep driving that way, and the problem worked itself out. No fluid change required.
But maybe, the others reporting the new saddle didn't fix the problem, needed new fluid. Some manufacturer's manual gearboxes use motor-oil or ATF, or they need a special friction-modifier additive added to the gear-oil.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

Thanks. I'll deal with the shifter if/when I have too. It's just not a priority right now. My brother's been down in Virginia baech removing a tree that fell on the rental, and I'll be headed there this weekend.

Happy Motoring, Mark

 

Glad it worked itself out. Mine just got worse. At first I thought I was going to need a new transmission. Instead, I went through the little steps first, just in case. It worked for me. Plus, the saddle and fluid needed to be changed anyways.

And I have to owe it to the wealth of knowledge from this site. Many people here, without them knowing, saved me some money by posting what they knew and the experiences that they have had.

 

Well, I've been away from this site for awhile, and made some major improvements to my $400 '96 Tacoma.
First was a $25 Sony CD radio from Pick-N-Pull to replace the PO's DOA Sony unit. It fit the existing harness adapter and adds an aux jack to connect my MP-3 and other devices.
Also yanked out the PO's crappy oversize 6x9 particle-board speaker-boxes that were jammed into the seatback, and mounted a pair of compact 2-way black aluminum-case Optimus speakers on the floor behind the seat. I think I got those about 20 years ago, for $12 at a flea-market. Great sound now, and I gained some much-needed extra storage-space.

Next, a $300 white ARE fiberglass cap off craigslist, with a 5" rise in the roof so I can fit slightly taller items in back.

Then a set of KYB Gas-Adjust shocks from Rock Auto, for $85 after rebate.

And now the Biggie!!
This April, I installed 'factory AC', using OE Tacoma parts from three salvage-yards, and a new compressor, drier, O-ring kit, and AC lines from Rock Auto.
Including the AC belt, oil & freon, the total came to about $420.
Adding some extra $ for misc small repairs, my $400 Tacoma has become a $1300 Tacoma. But having AC and a decent audio system has transformed my Tacoma from what I drive when I need a truck, to something I can enjoy all year!
Still have just under 80,000 miles on it, and the shifter problem has not returned.
Now, on to my next project, which I'll post in a new thread.

Happy Motoring, Mark