97 Tacoma won't go into gear

Last night I was driving home after several hundred miles with the transmission working fine. Near the end of my drive I came to a stop and had a really hard time shifting back into gear. Eventually I was able to get her into second and get the 1/4 mile home.

This morning I went out and started her up and tried to shift again and couldn't get into any gear. I push the clutch in and try to shift and hear a clicking noise that sound like gears trying to mesh, it goes away when I let the clutch out.

I am thinking that the clutch may be toast or possibly something else??? Also wondering if there is anyway to adjust the clutch manually and get some more mileage out of her while I wait for the parts to be shipped?

1997 Tacoma 4x4 5spd. 3.4ltr

Thanks
-Ian

 

Pull the shifter and check the nylon bushing that the ball of the shifter rides on. The bushing disenagrates causing the shifter to bind and/or hard shifts. Marlin Crawler sells a upgraded bushing and shifter ball or your local Toyota dealer should have OEM replacements in stock.

 

This happened to me several months ago. Thought it was the clutch as well. After doing some reading, I decided to drain the tranny fluid and fill it up with some fresh fluid. It worked.

I also changed out the seat mentioned in the post above. That helped stiffen up the shifter.

 

Make sure the truck is pointed in a direction you have so room.
Shut the truck off and see if it goes into gear smoothly, if it does start the truck in gear clutch in. But the clutch may grab even though its in.
If it goes in smoothly while the truck is off and you barely have to let it out for the clutch to engage it is usually a sign the clutch is toast. Or at least way out of adjustment.
You can try adjusting it by looking up under the dash look for the master cylinder rod attaches to the clutch pedal assembly. Break the jam nut loose and use your fingers to spin the rod towards the master firewall.

 

Make sure youve got fluid in your reservoir under the hood, the master could have gone out and leaked all your fluid.

 

I started up the car in gear with the clutch engaged and the everything worked fine which makes me think that the clutch is fine. The tranny reservoir has plenty of fluid.

When I engage the clutch there is a clicking noise that starts slowly and then speeds up, kinda sounds like it's coming from the bell housing. Maybe a bearing?

I am going to replace the tranny fluid today as well as the shifter bushing.

Does anyone have any ideas about what the clicking noise could be?

 

Sounds like your clutch and throw out bearing are toast

 

For sure the throw out bearing and if ur gonna pull the tranny I'd replace the clutch even if I thought it was ok.

 

Could also have slave cylander issues

 

I'm thinking the throwout bearing. I checked the slave and the master cylinders and I don't see any leaking and the reservoir is full.

Anyone know a good writeup on replacing the clutch and throwout bearing?

 

I googled it once and found a good write up or two

 

I'm having similar problems. Mine won't shift into gear on cold start up, I have to force it. But after it's warmed up its fine. I just changed the fluid so I'll see if it's still persists. Yall think it could be the slave cylinder?

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/search/...+gear&t=post&o=date&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=4

 

how many miles................

sounds like U might be down a slave cylinder

if Uv not had any issues b4

U might want to consider clutch

throw out bearing

pressure plate

while U r n there

 

Road dog i resurrected an old thread, I'm the one having problems now lol. It's got 255k on it. When I leave the truck overnight, come morning time I can't shift into gear when the trucks running. After I force it in and drive around its fine. I just changed the geae oil today so I'll see if that helps in the morning. You think it could be the slave?

 

yes i do

would be the 1st thing i check

U could try ' sneaking thru the box '

my dad taught me when i was learning to drive................had to use it once when clutch linkage broke

so dont screw up & blame me !!!!

if it will shift thru gears ' Without the clutch ' ...........more than likely it aint the clutch

its truly a matter o timing & being smooth

maybe Uv done it a time or 2

if U dont know or Cant do....................... DONT !!!!

 

Hopefully it is the slave than. If the gear oil doesn't help come tomorrow morning I'm gonna change the slave cylinder when I get off work.

 

maybe a change is necessary

U could top off the slave ....................bleed it

then see how it works

shotgun guessing aint what i do................... not difficult to check first

 

Well I appreciate the input. I think I'll go ahead and change it out. I just bought this truck not too long ago, might do good to change some stuff on it. Hopefully it's just the slave and nothing more

 

Does the transmission shift into all gears with the engine off?

What gears does it not want to shift into on startup?

How long does it take to be able to shift smoothly once the engine is running?

What level is your clutch fluid at in the reservoir?