Manual Shifter Sticking

Hey guys. 3.4L 5 speed. I often have trouble getting into first gear from a dead stop. Sometimes have to put some serious weight behind the shifter to get it into gear. I read that "shifter bushings" is the problem. Is the heavy duty seat & socket combo on marlin crawler what I need? I eventually want to get a short throw (I'm 6'2ish and leaning forward to shift into 1st, 3rd & 5th is getting old) and I've heard that it will make the shifting issue worse so I want to tackle that first. I also am thinking the slave cylinder is starting to go. When it is cold out the clutch pedal sometimes doesn't return all the way by itself and it squeaks when wet without fail.

 

What color is the fluid in the clutch reservoir?

 

Sounds like the shifter seat bushing to me. The stock one crumbles apart with age and makes shifting difficult.

 

So the Marlin kit would be the right parts as long as I purchase for the right transmission?

 

Yep

It's just a new shifter seat bushing if I remember right, pretty easy to replace...on Marlins website there's a video for it I think.

 

Sometimes first gear can be hard to shift into unless stopped .

I can`t recall if I go into 2nd or third gear first then into first gear.

I have been doing it so long I no longer think.

The New Clutch and The Marlin Crawler shifter bushing and seat did not change the First Gear shifting though everything else improved.

 

Not a good idea to force the transmission into first gear from a dead stop.
If you mash your clutch pedal to the floor and place a stethescope on the shifter , you can hear when the input shaft stops turning . Once the input shaft stops , you wont have an issue grabbing 1st gear .
As mentioned above , throw a new shifter bushing at the trans to begin , then a new slave and clutch master cylinder .
Do you have issues grabbing reverse from a dead stop ?

 

Does it shift into gear easier when the engine is off? If so it could be the clutch isn’t completely disengaging. I changed fluid in mine and it helped some. A short shifter is a bad idea, they are notorious for wearing out synchros fast.

 

I had this same issue when I first got my 3rd gen 4Runner (same aa 1st gen Tacoma) I got the Marlin shift seats, a new shifter bushing for the end of the shift stick itself, and did a few drain and fills with Redline MT90 over a few weeks.

It's the only manual transmission fluid I will use now. The shifter would literally fall into gear after the 3rd drain and fill, it was an immediate difference after the first few miles and just kept getting better and better with time.

 

Sometimes it doesn’t quite want to go all the way into gear. At that point I pop it back into neutral and try again and it will shift all the way

 

I think I will try this when I take care of my slave cylinder/master cylinder. Thanks

 

I’ll test it out in the morning. What exactly wears the synchros out faster? Are the angles of everything different enough or does it have more to do with the new pieces?

 

When the hydraulic controls for the clutch begin to fail , it takes longer for the clutch to remove the spinning power from the engine .
A new clutch slave cylinder , a new clutch master cylinder and a new shifter bushing would be a good start to fixing your problem .
If you end up needing a clutch , at least you will already have the new slave cylinder and master cylinder and shifter bushing .

 

In my experience with manual transmissions that are "aged" and everything is just loose and refuses to "line up" if I pull it back into second just enough for the syncro to stop the stack, then put it into first, it helps... it is just a band aid.

 

I’m pretty sure every Toyota 5 speed I have had in the past had to be driven like this. Tacomas, pre taco pickups, and an old celica too

 

I did the same thing and I also had a reputable shop completely rebuild my R150F (a bolt sheared off inside somewhow and I have the so called bolt with me - don't ask lol) New OEM input shaft as well.

Still have to about stop but - with Redline MT-90 it helped it shift more smooth. What's interesting is I have an 83 Toyota Camper with a 4 speed and I can shift into 1st so much easier. Just the way the old bish is I suppose. Hey - at least it's not an automatic lol

 

If you have troubles grabbing first or reverse from a dead stop , you have clutch control problems .
If you are slowly rolling and try to select first gear and it doesn't go , you have reverse power flow issues .
What's reverse power flow ?
As you are slowing down you mash your clutch pedal to the floor and try grabbing first gear but synchronization wont allow you to drop into first ?
Yes , you have removed the power from the engine by mashing the clutch to the floor but then the weight of the vehicle and those rear tires begin driving the rear differential .
The rear differential drives the drive shaft . The driveshaft drives the transmission output shaft which is connected to the transmission countershaft and spinning under a load. You have to wait until the input shaft meets the speed of the driven output shaft .
In the transmission trade , we call this Reverse power flow during deceleration .
Is there a way around it ? Yes
Install a clutch at the tail end of the transmission and you can grab first and reverse at 90 MPH

 

I had been wondering about this lately. At times I'm coming to a stop, but traffic starts to move just before I completely stop (say going 2 - 5 mph). I don't want to accelerate from that speed in 2nd because it will lug the engine. With bigger tires and armor my truck especially does not like starting off in anything other than 1st.

But grabbing 1st while still moving is not always easy as we all know. I never force it but occasionally it will take a few attempts before it grabs and I'm good to go.

Never any issue like that with any other gear but Ive just always assumed it was a normal characteristic of the manual trans. Though kind of irritating sometimes

 

First, press the clutch to the floor and hold it for 30 seconds or so. Slowly shift to reverse and listen for spinning gears to touch. If none, then yes, the shifter bushing will help.

It's still not perfect though. You can apply pressure to first and wait and it will go in eventually. I typically go to second and then first. To get to first while moving I tend to half ass double clutch to get it in.