Hard to shift into gear

I have a 1995 Tacoma 5 speed two wheel drive and it is hard to shift into gear. The truck can be cold or warmed up but it is really difficult to get the gearshift to slide into first gear or even second at a stand still. Today it just refused to go into any gear until it warmed up a little. It never grinds and sometimes (rarely) shifts into any gear easily. Any thoughts?

 

clutch?

 

When's the last time you changed your tranny oil? If it gets easier to put into gear as the tranny warms up your old may need to be changed if it wasn't recently.

A bad throw out bearing could also cause hard or impossible shifting. Do you have a habit of sitting at a red light with the clutch pressed in? With the engine on, push the clutch in & listen carefully for a whining noise. If you hear it & it goes away when you release the clutch, your throw out bearing is bad.

I would start with a tranny oil change. If your clutch is hydraulic, check the fluid level too just in case. If it's cable, try adjusting the cable.

 

sorry to thread jack... but what if i hear the opposite. whining then when i press the clutch in, it goes away?

 

Don't quote me on this but if it's the other way around, it could probably be the pilot bearing or a shaft bearing in the trans. I've never changed a clutch on a Tacoma or any Toyota so it could be different but in general it's commonly this way.

If it's making any kind of whining noise, I would take it to a knowledgable Toyota mechanic & have them check it out. Then go to 1 or 2 other places & see if they tell you the same thing.

 

The transmission fluid was changed yesterday with synthetic and the clutch doesn't seem to slip. I have hammered the throttle in all gears and the revs don't indicate slippage...

 

Oh and no odd noises from the clutch whether depressed or released.

 

Ok... Today I had the clutch system (and the unrelated brake system) completely flushed. No change in shifting. I guess it is the clutch.

 

Have you tried bleeding the clutch master cylinder? Maybe there is air in the lines and the clutch isnt fully disengaging or something? I dont know a whole lot about transmissions but Im learning slowly.

Oopps didnt read your previous post..

 

I'm gonna guess the clutch...sorry mate

 

Yup it was the clutch.

 

For the record, that whirring when released is indicative of a failing throw out bearing, usually occuring after hammering thru the throttle using all gears.....

 

Throw-out Bearing....

 

How did you finally figure it out?