Starting to get hard to go into first (manual trans)

So new clutch kit and flywheel. Making a noise in neutral...when you press the clutch or when it's just sitting there idling? What kind of noise?

 

When I press the clutch the noise gone but when I do not press noise come back, the noise look like release bearing

 

Wow I did not see you reply. Very late response here I apologize but if you haven't solved it then I am 90% sure it's the input shaft bearing.

 

My 98 makes that same noise. I have new flywheel, marlin crawler clutch, input shaft all new bearings and synchros. Same noise. Sounds like a "woosh woosh woosh" almost. I took it back to the guy who rebuilt the trans. He's been doing this for the past 30 years. He said if it doesn't affect anything and doesn't get worse it's probably ok. He also has a Toyota just like mine but it doesn't do it. I have about 20K on mine like that and I just changed the master and slave cylinder. Also put in Redline MT-90. I have the Marlin crawler shifter bushing as well. My pickup shifts like butter (first still not super easy to get into but better) and the clutch is flawless.

I chalk it up to being just one of those noises it's going to make forever.

 

Hey guys. I see it's been awhile since this thread was posted. But since I'm running into trans issues I will ask. And maybe ole gearcruncher will chime in? I'm having trouble putting mine into first , first thing in the morning. Like if I start the truck up and let it run for 10 mins then it will go in without any problems. Or if I start it in first and drive about a block, then it will shift into first like butter. I thought that it was a problem with the idle being high before it has time to warm up, and not going into first because of that. But it seems like it needs to get all lube up before it goes into first like normal. Makes me think that it's a syncro problem? It started several months ago and don't think it has gotten too much worse. I changed my mt90 a couple months back and it really didn't seem to help. I also changed that bushing and put that one from marlin crawler in. Even though I had to leave out that thin washer that goes under it, cause I couldn't get it to set down far enough to fit the shifter cap back on. But that hasn't effected anything. But it just seems like it needs to be in first for a few hundred feet then it will shift into first just fine. My clutch has been replaced about a year and a half ago and I used the one from marlin crawler. Now I'm not sure what my fork looks like , but by the way it's acting I don't think that is it. It's a r150f bty. Has anyone had this kind of issue where once you drive a couple hundred feet then it will go into 1st just fine, and be just fine the rest of the day?

 

My 2004 has always been hard to shift into first gear unless you're at a dead stop. In the winter it takes some getting warmed up and then I can get it into first at maybe 5mph. In the summer time it warms up quicker and I can get into first at 5mph or maybe a little faster. It's the way they are. Nothing wrong with it. It's normal. These things were never meant to shift fast and first is just the way it is.

 

Thanks for the reply but, there is something wrong somewhere. I'm not talking about it being hard to go into first while moving. I'm talking from a dead stand still!! The first time you try to get the truck to move.. I know about all the little works that these trans have. This isn't the only one I have. And it didn't do it for the first 2 years I had it. So something is different somewhere. I'm saying as soon as I start it in the morning and i let the truck run a couple minutes then I try to put it into first and it just doesnt want to go. I can put it into 2nd and bump it forward , then it will go into first. Then after I drive about a block, it will go into first alot easier. And after another block , it will shift into first as normal. Then also the rest of the day it's fine.

 

Found this thread because of the same issue getting into first gear. Thought I would at least call it out so anyone else who finds it doesn't use GL-5 only and destroy their synchros. GL-4 in Tranny, GL-5 in Diffs.

 

Yes sir. I agree. But I've always used redline mt-90 and it's a GL-4. But I do believe it is a problem with my synchros. Its not hard to put it in gear when it's not running.

 

Old, dirty fluid in clutch master cylinder will cause this.

 

Thank you. I replaced the fluid about a year ago when I replaced the clutch.

 

Thanks black dog. Even though I replaced the clutch fluid in it about a year ago. I happened to look at it today a little closer. I checked the level a few weeks back but didn't look at it close. It looks like muddy water. It almost looks like it has been mixed with something else. So I will be bleeding it all out tomorrow and putting fresh fluid in it. I'll let you know if this fixes the problem.

 

Use a Turkey baster to remove the old fluid from clutch master cylinder and fill with fresh DOT 3-4. Drive a while and do again. Clutch bleeding can be tricky.

 

I have one of those brake bleeders that hooks up to an air compressor. It works good. U got it from harbor freight a few years ago and I've used it for brakes and slave cylinders. It comes with a bottle that sits on top of the master cylinder and it keeps it full of fluid as the old gets sucked out. I guess I should have said that I have the tools. Cause I've replaced several clutches and transmissions for people over the years. I'm fixing to head to my buddies shop to do it, and I'll let you know if it takes care of my problem. U hope it does, but I'm scared it's the synchros wareing out.

 

hey guys I am having a similar issue with my clutch as well and i found a video that explains the problem really well, I think the video is on a 4runner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj2u6kUlz80

 

I got my fluid changed out and my clutch pedal feels smoother but I still have the same problem. I had to wait till this morning to find out, cause it has to sit for at least 6 hours. But I believe it's my synchros. I added a little Lucas stabilizer about a week ago to see if it would help but it didn't. As soon as I started it up and it idled down , I went to out it in first and it felt like it was binding. But I shut it off and it would go up in first without any issue. It's no problem when I'm sitting in the driveway, but when I get down the road at a stoplight and I have cars behind me and the light turns green and it won't go in gear, I tend to push it a little harder. And I don't want to do that and end up bending the linkage. I can usually drop it down in second and roll it forward a foot and then it will slide up into first. Guess I'll just keep on babying it.

 

Could be a pilot bearing hanging or going bad causing the input shaft to spin with the clutch engaged.

@slander got a bad bearing from Marlin when he did his clutch and it ended up chewing up the input shaft pretty bad

 

When my pilot bearing seized it made a chrip noise whenever the clutch was depressed, which was when the bearing was actually spinning, it still shifted fine.

OP can you double clutch it into first?

 

Check out the petal linkage and bracket. Small chance the potmetal cracked and the throw is short.

 

It's very easy to do. The stock bushing will deteriorate over time.
1. Remove the rubber boot over the shift lever.
2. You should see where the shift lever sets on the transmission. There is a circular collar over the bottom of the shifter.
3. I used a pair of duck bill pliers pushing down on the collar while turning it counter-clockwise. then it comes off and you will see the seat where the bushing goes.