Trouble Shifting into 1st from a stop - Dealer says new transmission??

Hey Guys! I'm in a bit of a pickle with my 1999. My wife and I are moving south from Alaska in about 2 weeks here, and I took my vehicle in for a final check-everything-over service before the trip. I usually don't use the dealer, but wanted a thorough check before the 2000 mile road trip.

It has a manual transmission and has had some trouble getting into 1st gear from a dead stop for probably about a year and a half now. It's gotten progressively worse, but very slowly worse, and has had a few appointments with the mechanic over the years where I brought it up, and they couldn't find anything obvious (IE, slave cylinder works fine, clutch shows no other symptoms, no funny noises, etc).

I wanted to get it seriously looked over, since at this point it acts up fairly frequently while driving around town - If I clutch-in while coming to the stop, it has no issues at all. But if I coast to the stop without the clutch pedal depressed, there's about a 50/50 chance that I'll have to turn the truck off at the light, put it in gear, and turn it back on again to get it going.

To be clear, this is the only symptom - No rattling, no slipping, clutch engages probably 2 inches off the floor pretty consistently. The dealer just called me up and says "somethings going on with the transmission. If you want a new one, it's 3.5k + 1.5k clutch parts + 1.6k labor". They don't have any other info, just that it's "definitely something inside the transmission" (!!)

Has anyone run into this?? Being that we're 2 weeks out from the move, and most mechanics in the area are booked to 1+ month out at this time of year, I have to make a go - no/go on this in the next two days. Given that it has no trouble while in gear, is this safe-ish for a long road trip??

Edit - Also, to be clear, we are taking two vehicles down on this drive, so in a worst-case-scenario, we still wont freeze to death

 

I'd swap the fluid for Redline or GM sycromesh before swapping transmissions.

 

Do you use the clutch to shift into 1st? Does the gear grind when you try to make the shift? I think the easiest thing you can try is to change the tranny fluid and try some redline MT90.

 

Thanks for the input, I actually think there's a couple quarts of this in my garage already! I put the clutch all the way to the floor when I shift it into 1st from a stop. The response is pretty binary - It easily shifts into 1st, or it does nothing at all. If I push hard enough it will go, but it's a very hard push. It doesn't really clunk or grind when it eventually goes in, it's just a ton of resistance to overcome. It does have a short shift, which adds to the difficulty somewhat..

 

Hmmm... sounds like it could just be the synchro teeth are lining up with each other. Next time, if you feel this happen, put the shifter into 2nd quick and then back to 1st, or let the clutch out in neutral and try to go back to 1st.

If you say this is getting worse and worse. Try to fluid change, maybe your fluid is really old. Worst case is that maybe the synchro on 1st is wearing out but the redline mt90 can help alleviate this.

 

Sounds like the Pilot bearing is the cause.

 

I’d change the trans fluid first. Then consider other things if the problem persists

 

Shifter linkgages? Be careful going through the Alaskan Triangle. Make sure to let us know you didn’t mysteriously disappear....

 

Any transmission specialist shops near you?

 

I'd put in a new shifter seat bushing in before trying anything else.

 

Omg....the triangle got him already

 

I used to do this as a habit every downshift to 1st and also it helped to do 2nd to reverse as well. Good advice.

 

Hmm, adding to the pot here - At the times where it has trouble going into 1st, it also has trouble going into any other gear, so the 2nd-to-1st trick doesn't work. The fluid is not really new, but it hasn't raised any red flags when checked. I'll swap it regardless..

 

This my Trans has been doing something like this the last 60,000 miles I don`t give it much thought

Pull into second then first .

I have no idea why you shut the truck off.

Now if all the gears banged and crashed going in gear it might be a problem

 

Normal to sometimes have to double clutch into 1st and reverse in pretty much every Toyota truck with a stick Ive driven. Change the fluid and shifter bushings if its really bugging you.

 

Sorry, didn't specify in the original post - I mention that it has trouble getting into 1st, because that's the first gear one typically uses from a stop. When the issue is present, it actually wont go into any gear from a dead stop, 2nd/reverse included..

That being said, it has no problem at all going into any gear while moving. It's rather strange.

 

How are the engine and Transmission mounts .putting stress on the transmission when stopped

Clutch slave cylinder tight and not falling off ??

 

I would also try a new shifter seat and shifter socket first. I f the original ones are worn out or falling apart it will be difficult to shift into any gear. Cheap fix ,if this is the case.

 

You need a new clutch slave cylinder and a good bleed but it's better to change the master and slave together. Guarantee you this.

 

shifter linkage issue. (Bushings) final answer.