Weird clutch problem, need help

OH! Almost forgot!

Make sure whatever fluid you run it is GL-4!!!

Redline MT-90 is GL4

GL-5 fluid will eat the syncros over time, the sulfer chemically reacts with the brass dog teeth gears.

$91 Red Line 50305 MT-90 75W-90 GL-4 Manual Transmission and Transaxle Lubricant (MTL) - 1 Gallon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002...1544612680&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65

 

Flyinmiata.com*

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/starting-to-get-hard-to-go-into-first-manual-trans.502183/

Some good info and what happened to me why my truck had issues going in to first. Had a cracked fork

@SwampLizard

 

Happened to me. see thread below

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/starting-to-get-hard-to-go-into-first-manual-trans.502183/

 

Yep, same year, same problem. I guess that year had fork not strong enough for the clutch. I noticed it started to get difficult into gears about 30k miles from home. The fork gave up one traffic light from home - and that was red light. I had to shut down the motor on red. When green light came on I started from the second gear (I had quite good battery) and made home on the second gear, where I found what the problem was.

I did not have tools to drop the transmission, so AAA tow truck took my Tacoma to the shop. That was the first and only time when my Tacoma was traveling not turning its own wheels. That is if I don't count the travel in a shipping container from California to Poland.

 

Yup same thing. started to get hard to get in to 1st then about 5K miles later the fork gave up at a stop light. started it in 1st and just no clutch shifted to a parking lot. Lol

 

Just had a similar thing on my 06. Mine would be stiff going into all gears, and would not shift into reverse. Turn the engine off and it shifted fine. Pedal felt normal. Would only do it after sitting in the garage for a few days. Once warmed up it was fine. Drive it daily and it was fine.

Multiple mechanics telling me the trans needs rebuilt. Local transmission guy had it a week and couldn't duplicate. Finally told him to put a clutch in it. Two months later, no more problems. Interestingly enough, the clutch had 45K miles on it, but since it's not a daily driver it took 8 years to put the miles on. There's a small amount of wear on the clutch fingers where the throwout bearing touches, but otherwise it looks brand new.

The key thing for me was that it shifted fine with the engine off.

Whether it's the clutch itself or the fork as others have suggested, sounds like the trans has to come out. Just don't let them tell you it needs a trans rebuild just because the clutch is okay visually.

Local trans guy did tell me that syncro going out in trans normally results in one gear grinding, being locked out of all gears is a clutch release issue.