Clunky Shifting 2001 2.7 Tacoma

Good luck and let us know if you find anything or have any questions.

 

Now your problem "crunchy problem" sounds like bad synchros. My shifter shifts in silky smooth in all the gears 90% of the time.

The problem that I have (and I think the op) is with the actual clutch. When we let out the clutch, there is a thud or a clunk unless you shift super slow and at the right speed.

 

I get that too at times, it isn't a loud thud but the more abrupt my shifting is the more noticeable. I should probably take her in for a tranny service, I think the previous owner may have treated it rough with the supercharger.

 

I would say that's a fairly accurate description of what happens for me. I do the brakes tomorrow night, then after this weekend I'm going to try the fluids and see if that helps at all. I want to change them out anyways as regular maintenence to my new to me truck. I want to keep this thing running sweet.

Since I have got it I've changed the oil, greased everything that's greas able, cleaned the MAF and changed the plugs. Going to peek at the throttle body tonight.

 

So after looking again I don't have any movement in the u joints, but I was looking at the carrier bearing (I think?) and I am curious what is a normal amount of play their. I'm unsure if a worn carrier would cause that symptomn or not. I'm thinking deep down that it's probably something to do with the clutch, I'm just trying to put my head in the sand...

Again thanks for the help here, great info.

Unrelated but I did the throttle body clean last night. Was pretty dirty in there. Would like to take it off completely next time I clean it, but I noticed truck is more responsive. Idled high for a bit, seems to be back to normal now.

 

That's just how you have to shift with them if you're new to it, slow but steady. When you become good at that you can go faster and it won't be clunky. Or you can learn to drive stick on an unsynchronized dump truck and shift clutchless or double clutch. I wouldn't recommend clutchless unless you're really good though, it'll eat the synchros. The fluid in the gearbox won't change how you handle the clutch which sounds like OPs issue. If your used to sporty cars it's just gonna take time. Took me a while to get used to it, but now I can row the gears really fast without jerkiness. You're clutch might be heavily worn which will have the engagement point super high which many aren't used to as well.

 

Could be the way I'm shifting it, but I think there is more going on. Whether its worth worrying about I'm not sure. I have driven other tacomas, but not another 2.7. I didn't seem to have any issue, I have driven standards all my life. And my work truck is a diesel 550 loaded with a couple hundred gallons of water, chainsaws, hand tools, hose ect. It shifts smoother.

I did read other posts about changing the gear fluids helping, but maybe not for this. Worth a shot anyways.

 

Don't forget that the diff in that back takes a gl5 gear oil. While the transfer case and transmission are gl 4.

 

That's not true. The manual calls for gl4 or gl5.

Some people say gl5 will be hard on the syncros in the trans, but that seems to be a myth.

 

I have a very similar issue in my 99 2WD 2.4l w/ 152K... One afternoon just would not shift into 1,3,5. Or would barely go into gear and immediately pop out when releasing the clutch. Changed out the the shifter seat bushing and fixed that right away, cost about 10 bucks. Shifted better and went into every gear but still feels notchy. So I changed my fluid with Redline 75w90 GL4 expensive synchro friendly fluid (NOT CHEAP BTW) but made ZERO improvement.

I'm considering either a whole new clutch and flywheel and/or master and slave cylinder because I want that smoother shift and engagement back. Haven't decided which one to do first or which is most likely going bad.

My advice, don't bother changing your fluid unless you change your clutch/flywheel as it only lubricates the gears and doesn't provide pressure assistance. Most likely will not help with the problem you're describing, at least it didn't work for me. Rather keep troubleshooting and if it leads to a clutch replacement, then change your fluid to the Redline Gl4 because your going to have to drain it anyway when you drop the tranny. If you have to fill it twice with Redline Gl4 (like I'll probably end up doing now) its gonna cost almost $100 or more just in fluid!