3rd Gen Manual Transmission

Pro mod

The 2 stroke tuner in me would have polished the channel you cut, damn near looks like a 2 piece cylinder head!

 

Makes sense. I prefer the isolated feel of stock, including the leather knob. Considering that, and that I already don’t like some of the notchy feel I get when a synchro doesn’t mesh perfectly, I probably ought to stick to what I have and not shorten the throws. I actually like the throws as they are anyways.

 

I possibly would have kept OEM if the rubber isolators in the shifter were a bit stiffer, but in the end glad I changed. I run a Rago Ram mount bridge for a yaesu radio and others, the extra room from the shorter throw is welcome.

 

Floppy garbage?


Sure is…


https://youtu.be/dX38e5UbE3s?si=dL5e0vvIG1mSFn9i

 

Yeah, I can’t say I agree with the floppy garbage assessment. 1970s 3 or 4 speed Tremec or Muncie, probably. Not a modern Aisin in my experience.

 

This is one of the smoothest transmissions I’ve ever driven. Although, the clutch took me the longest to get used to out of all my vehicles.

I did the ADM after about 6 months driving it stock, awesome mod.

If you want floppy garbage, go drive a manual ford ranger and report back. Still loved that little truck, miss it dearly.

 

I had a 3.0 Ranger for 3 years and about 60K miles. I liked it. Honestly the transmission was smooth there too, the only thing was I got a driveline clunk when I put it into 2nd unless I shifted out of 1st at 4000. If it was any lower, I got a nice thud every time I went into 2nd. No issue and tons of folks said the same on the forum, but it was always there. All of my transmissions, Jeep AX15, Ranger M5OD1, Nissan FS6R31A, and Tacoma have been smooth. Long throws, but smooth.

1970s cast iron trannies where the shifter flops around a mile in neutral are an entirely different definition of floppy.

 

I don't need a video I drove my truck for 20k with stock shifter. I believe my point is compared to the core shifter the stock one does in fact feel like floppy garbage. If you tried one you would understand what I'm saying.

 

I know exactly what you are talking about regarding that “clunk”. Every manual ranger I’ve seen, did that.

I remember the transmission having very long throws and mine always had a bit of an issue going into 1st or R when cold. Was impossible at times so I had to start my truck with gear in. Been like that for 7 years.

Loved the cable throttle, perfect rev-matching almost all the time.

Man I miss that truck so bad… Wish I could’ve kept it. Besides it being a pig on gas after I added steel rims and E rated duratracs, that thing was awesome. No major issues in 7 years. Replaced 2 thermostat housings, starter, TB and AIC valve, otherwise just maintenance.

 

Not sure what to tell ya. If you think stock Tacoma shifter is “floppy garbage” then you probably haven’t driven a lot of manuals.

My video proves how effortless it is to row gears.

 

Spent 10 years in manuals. Like I said you would have to try the core shifter to understand my point, happy Christmas eve eve

 

Mine was kind of a maintenance pig. For the 3.0 being the “reliable” one (or at least said to be reliable over 4.0, not 2.3), it needed a lot of things. Some truck specific and some engine specific. All new brakes, wheel cylinder blew also, control arms (bad ball joints), inertia fuel pump shutoff, cam synchronizer (3.0 specific), radiator (my fault), needed a belt per year. Needed a new PCM (common 04-06 problem).

The final straw was the timing cover leak. The water pump is on the timing cover and the coolant passing through the timing cover eventually leaks on all of them. Happened on mine at 206K. It’s no big deal to fix specifically, except….the timing cover joins the oil pan and people make a big scare about ruining the oil pan seal. The 2WD coil spring models have a crossmember under the motor so the oil pan can’t come off unless engine is lifted way up. So the big scare is ruining the OPG and not being able to change it without way more work. So I bought a frontier, then decided to tackle the repair. Of course, the repair went perfectly.

Anyways, loved that truck regardless. What I didn’t like was not knowing when I’d have to deal with the next thing. I did all work myself except the PCM because programming. It was a good truck and not a bad buy. I just got tired of dealing with it and since I had a frontier, I had no need for it once I fixed it.

 

10 years is not enough!!!

I kid, I kid.

Merry Xmas eve eve to you you man!

 

Holy smokes!

Yeah I’ve heard the 3.slow was super reliable, guess you got unlucky…

Mine was 2007 and I drove it till 165k miles, engine ran like new, did not burn oil. I never even bothered doing fluid in the front diff haha.

 

Yikes, mine was a 2001 and I put about 200'000kms on it in 6 years. I had leaking injectors and a broken e-brake cable before I got my Tacoma. Otherwise I put a clutch in when I got it and a starter in that time frame. Great truck.

I found using gm syncromesh smoothed everything out better than any atf I ever tried. Also adding an extra 200-300ml of oil made the transmission quieter. Every m5od transmission I had in a vehicle you could hear the input bearing unless you over filled the tranny a bit

 

I used synchromesh in my m5od and surprisingly it made absolutely zero difference. Actually felt like it made it worse.

 

It sounded like mine went through a lot, but have to remember I bought it at 155K miles and took it to 207K, so they’re all pretty much high mileage repairs. And I bought it for $6400 so not THAT bad. I bought it expecting to have to mess with it now and then. It was actually a nice truck and honestly once I fixed the timing cover (went all new timing cover, seal, clutch fan, water pump using all Motorcraft parts), I probably should have just kept it.

 

Not sure what "Core shifter" is, but I am interested in the B&M Manual Sportshifter for my 2023.
Anyone with recent experience driving it? I understand it shortens the shifts, but how much compared with the OEM?
Appreciate any thoughts.

 

I drove one of my buddies a few weeks ago. It is very tight compared to stock. I personally prefer stock over short throw shifters in general, but it wasn’t bad at all. I’m sure fans of short throw shifters like that one.

 

Look up core shifters, its a brand, I have one and I love it. I would skip b&m and get a core of I were you.