5 Speed Tranny Trouble

Hi all, I searched this topic and didn't come close to getting anything useful so please forgive me if this has been posted before.

I'm having tranny trouble with my '01 Tacoma. It's always had a touchy 3rd gear and if you don't hit it just right you get a little bit of resistance (sometimes a slight grind) but it's been this way since I got it in March of last year. Guy I bought it from claims it had a new clutch in December of '08. Didn't ever get the "why" out of him but it seems he thought an ACT clutch was a performance upgrade.

I'm not sure when my real problems began but I noticed them a week ago when I blew a rear axle seal (plugged vent tube, since fixed). I had the rear of the truck up on jack stands and was putting brakes back together while another buddy of mine was under the hood cleaning the throttle body out for me. When my brake girl started the truck for the guy under the hood, the rear hub started turning and I hollered at her to take the truck out of gear. Turns out, the truck WAS in neutral already. Apparently the power isn't enough to make the truck move in neutral when it's on the ground but it IS enough to turn a 285/75/R16 when it's off the ground. I'm no transmission expert but I've got to assume this is a problem. When I push the clutch (in neutral), it stops so it seems like the transmission is making contact with one gear or another (it's a forward gear) while in neutral. Two days later the truck started grinding while shifting to reverse, and as of today it will not take reverse at all and the forward gears are showing some resistance. If I put the transfer case in neutral the transmission seems to shift into any gear just fine, no grinding anywhere.

Like I said, I know next to nothing about transmissions but does anyone have any idea what's causing this? I assume the transmission needs to come out and I'll have to take it somewhere to have this done but I'd like an idea of what I'm in for as far as repair and cost. If someone has ever had a similar problem (or these transmissions are known for issues?) I'd be interested in hearing about it. Thanks for any help anyone can offer!

 

No one? Lol. Well, it was worth a shot. Guess either none of you have ever had this problem or nobody knows what it is.

 

All the trucks I've worked on will still turn a rear end while in neutral with no resistance. There is always a bit of friction in a clutch even when fully disengaged.

 

This one never did until recently. Although I'm not sure how recently... It didn't do that last October, I'm positive.

 

It could be a worn clutch, and not disengaging fully.. Just a thought

 

That's actually what I HOPED it might be cause it'd be a heck of a lot easier on the pocketbook.

A friend and I are going to try and get at it this weekend, see if we can figure something out. Here's hopin' he knows more about transmissions than I do! Lol. Without a garage, in NB Canada, could be a tricky long process. Driveway could flood any minute. Ha ha.

 

Could be the hydraulic clutch actuator. Either a bad master or slave cylinder. Could be low fluid. Replaced a lot of these on Saturns. When they start to go, they don't fully disengage the clutch causing: hard shifts, grinds, creeping with clutch pedal in. Good luck.

 

This is actually lovely boys. You all sound like it might be the clutch when I thought for sure it was the transmission. However, I do have a good source for parts should I need a tranny (or motor, or rear end, etc.)... all the frame recall trucks from eastern Canada were hauled to the same junkyard, which is only about an hour and a half from me. 600 Tacomas and they only thing I'm NOT allowed to scavenge are frames .

 

Where in NB are you?

 

^^^^

Near Moncton. The recalls are in Fredericton.

 

oh right on, whats the name of the junkyard in freddy. just in case i ever need somethin lol. im right in between freddy and SJ

 

Capital City Auto. And one of the boys there has a pretty sweet 4 Runner too. Unfortunately he scavenged all the 16" wheels before I found the place! Lol.

 

+1, thanks

 

This really sounds like the clutch isn't disengaging. Transmission failures don't do what you're describing. Since the problem is progressing, it's probably one of the hydraulic cylinders. Also check if the lock nut on the pedal adjustment is locked -- up under the dash.

You're lucky to have all those Taco parts close by. But then, I've never needed anything bigger than an injector.

 

This may sound like a stupid question, but would the clutch not disengaging cause the creep in neutral? Cause that's what made me think it WASN'T the clutch...

 

Yes. It's just like when you're easing into a tight parking spot.

 

Going to take a look at the clutch right now. Thanks for all the help everyone! I'll post what I find.