Hard to shift into 1st and sometimes all

I had this happen to me once. somehow the bolt holding the pedal bracket to the firewall came loose causing the bracket to flex when the clutch pedal was depressed. I adjusted the hell out of pushrod until I noticed the problem.

 

well, i just read this thread and also have issues with 1st and 2nd gears..i literally just ordered Redline MT90...Hopefully it helps..

 

I think a lot of what people are experiencing is normal operations of the trans in these pickups. I have an 83 4 speed and that thing is butter. No work done to it ever. My 98 has the R150F. New input shaft, synchros, bearings etc. complete rebuild (OEM) Marlin crawler clutch kit. This next week I am replacing the Master, slave and new hydraulic fluid and MT-90 in the trans. These things are just pickup truck transmissions. I almost have to be stopped to get into 1st most of the time. I replaced the shift socket thing as well with Marlin's upgrade. It's definitely different than driving the car! lol

 

This is very common as well as the bushing in the bracket that goes bad. Can simulate a bad clutch condition. On my old 91 pickup the bracket completely broke off as I was driving!

 

I'm having the same problem

 

When I put my Marlin Crawler Short Shifter kit in, it came with a new seat and bushing and I drained the tranny an put in Redline MT-90 and it shifts smooth as silk now. Before the shifter change it was starting to get notchy.

 

I have a 2000 4runner with the 2.7, so pretty much identical to the tacoma, and I'm having this exact same issue. The shifter seat looks good, and the previous owner said she just replaced the clutch. Anything else I can try before taking it to a shop? How difficult is it to bleed the slave and master cylinders?

 

If the trans. can be effortlessly shifted while not running and gets hard to put into first while running or (horrors) downshifting, it's nearly always the Master/slave hydraulics.

It's actually very easy to bleed as it doesn't suck air like brakes BUT that also makes it nearly self bleeding, when there's a problem it's prob. not air. It's just not pulling enough fluid in 1 stroke to depress the pressure plate.

I just replace them both together and they last a long time without issue. Seems like EVERYTIME I try to chince 1/2 the money, I keep the problem.

I suppose it's why many makes utilize the system being one piece.

 

I'm having a similar issue: it shifts like butter with the engine off but when running I have to fight to get it into gear, especially 1st which is just about impossible until it warms up. Reverse will also grind as I muscle it in. Redline oil in the gearbox, PO bled MC and installed Marlin short throw kit.

There is a hissing sound as I try to get it into gear, so it sounds like it's the MC/SC as you said. Any idea why it seems to resolve itself as it warms up? As I keep driving it, it seems to get progressively easier to shift through the gears.

Anyway thanks for your input on this thread as it's helping guide my troubleshooting as I'm reading it now.

 

That's a pretty classic symptom as it warms to act slightly better. The hissing is prob. not really fluid or air, it's more than likely the throwout bearing making contact and starting to spin.
I'd have to reread thread to see if it's been said before but if the clutch doesn't slip and does disengage completlely sometimes (after warmup) it's got to be hydraulics. I seriously doubt you have some rare problem or something bent.
if your hydraulics are getting old, the rubber bits prob. aren't sealing so great. Just buy new ones for 200 bucks and save yourself further misery.
Your pressure plate will thank you.

 

Yea the clutch feels decent although I do have a low idle on startup, but I think that has more to with my knock sensor code. Thanks again.

 

Hello, new here, have same issue with my '97 Tacoma 2.7l 4X4 5speed. Feels like clutch isn't fully disengaging, has new MC/SC, clutch, and salvage trans. Quick question, is there any adjustment to clutch fork ball stud? I ask because the push rod on master cylinder is adjusted as far as it can go, yet I still feels like it isn't disengaging the clutch(on flat ground it tries to roll on starting) and had noticed it seemed like there was movement before it hit diaphragm spring on clutch, and I was thinking that if I could take up that slack that I might get disengagement

 

See this old thread brought back from the dead I thought I would report back.

my clutch ended up being toast as well as the clutch fork had a huge crack in it.

I ended up doing clutch flywheel. Which I would not recommend the luk one I had issues with my starter missing teeth on it.

new master and slave and redline mt-90.

I suspected it was the fork and the worn out clutch.

I also ended up putting in the marlin delrin shifter linkage piece with a new cap to hold it in.

sold that truck tho

 

Yes, also keep an eye on Luk's master/slave cylinders, had several box broken parts.

 

That's normal. I had my R150F completely rebuilt, marlin crawler clutch kit etc. Still almost have to be stopped to go into 1st. Just how these 1st gen 5 speeds are. Like shifting a large haul truck. lol

 

How about the W59?

 

yup I had a w59

the only non Toyota part I had was the luk flywheel.

We have a resident transmission master @gearcruncher helped me tremendously when I was dealing with it.

also I’m pretty sure 1st gear has a lockout so you don’t money shift. I could be wrong I’m sure gear can chime in

 

My issue turned out to be a MC/SC that were out of adjustment. All the mechanicals seemed to be fine, although I still do get a chirp from the TOB.

 

I was today years old when I learned this. Was wondering why it felt stiff trying to get into 1st sometimes

 

Ok, new development with my Tacoma, was messing around with it trying to figure out why it felt like clutch wasn't fully disengaging. I remembered seeing an older post where someone had a loose clutch pedal bracket, checked mine, solid as can be. While I was laying in the floor I decided to give the pedal I couple of pushes and noticed that the adjuster was pointing at a downward angle, while master cylinder push rod was at an upward angle. Needless to say, I didn't think that looked right, so I pulled it apart and found that straight on it didn't give much at all, but at an angle it gave to just a couple of fingers squeezing it, so I straightened out the crimping and took it apart, the round piece of rubber inside was slightly sticky and soft. I substituted that piece of rubber for a large nut, put it back together and re-crimped it. Installed it, pumped pedal couple of times, and immediately noticed that sitting with everything off/stationary, I could get every gear, started engine and still got all 6 gears. Took it for test drive and it now shifts as pretty as you please, nice reminder folks, army has an acronym KISS, Keep It Simple, Stupid. Check the little things before throwing major parts at it, your wallet will thank you.