Ok...so the fates have spoken, the planets aligned, and I just laid down 1K to step up to a first gen FWD. It's an 81 in pretty good shape, with a Weber and headers already installed. (photos in a few hours) But it's got a qwirk.

It's a 4 speed tranny, but while test driving it I put it into 4-low to test the T-case, and I discovered that it's impossible to shift into second gear without hitting the T-case shifter and popping it into neutral. Also, the trans shifter is able to move into the 'fifth gear' position, but there's no fifth gear there to engage, so it freewheels (neutral).

What I'm wondering is, could this be an indicator that it was an original 5 speed truck and the trans was swapped out with a four speed at some point? (the shift pattern sticker is missing from the trans shifter.) If not then what are your thoughts as to the shifter clearance issue?

 

maybe that gear is blown? sorry i don't really know just a thought

 

i have a 1980 4x4 with the 20r....i actually have the 4spd tranny...i can put mine in 4-lo...and i can shift into second gear just fine...doesnt even come close to the t-case shifter...i would say...either it came with a 5spd in the truck..and somebody swapped a 4spd in there...or..ur 5-th gear is just that much shot...i do believe that after 80 they started putting 5spd's in the truck....so i think somebody did a stupid swap....

 

When Someone Pulle Dthat Tranny Out Probley For The Clutch Did Not Put The T Case Shifter In Right, Its Backwards. Pull Up Your Shifter Boot Pull Of The C Clamp That Is At The Bottom Of The Shifter And Pull Shifter Straight Up And Spin 180 Degrees And Put Back In. Let Me Know.

 

Sounds like a combination of a blown fifth gear (hence the fifth gear 'gate' but no 'gear'), AND a reversed shifter on the T-case would be a logical assumption.

Unfortunately the truck is about five hours away, and I probably won't be accessing it until spring, so I won't be able to try the fix until then.

Keep the ideas coming though....can never get too much data.

 

You Said That The Shifter Hits The T Case Shifter And Knocks It Into Neutral So How Is That A Blown Gear

I Had The Same Thing Happen To Me When I Swaped A Tranny I Put The T Cas E Shifter In Backwards And It Did The Same Thing

 

A blown fifth gear would explain why I can move the shifter into the fifth gear position, but get no transfer of power from the engine through the transmission MAKING ME THINK IT'S A FOUR SPEED TRANSMISSION, and the reversed T-case handle would explain why it gets knocked out of 4-low.

Read the ENTIRE first post.

 

Hey Dont Be A Dick About It Just Trying To Help You Out.

 

Easy Thing to do would be to read the plate on the inside passenger fender, under the hood. Then go to 4crawlers site and decipher it to figure out if it is a 5 or 4-speed. Of course, somebody could have swapped it but we gotta assume its stock.

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ToyVIN.shtml

PS, if the rotating shifter 180? doesn't work, I would install a short-throw shifter kit.

EDIT: Another thing about the fifth gear, my cousin once had a truck that had a 4-speed tranny except reverse was on the top left. Down was first, up-right 2nd, down 3rd, up-right 4th. Well the thing was is he would drag his shifter down from fourth until it stopped and then over to third. Well eventually it wore out enough to where it would go down, like in the reverse position on a normal four-speed. No Idea how it happened, just a thought.

 

my late 81 has a 4 speed...FYI

 

as does my 82

 

o my bad...i was wrong....o well...the local mechanic told me that....lol..looks like he dont know as much as he thought he did...