Clutch? Or?
 

Hi,

1990 p/u v6 ext cab 5 speed manual 200,000 miles


When I shift into 3rd it will sometimes pop out into neutral. Doesn't happen, yet, in any other gear.

I still have the original clutch in it.

Is this inability to stay in gear a sign that the clutch is going? Something else?

If the clutch, what work/parts should I have done/replaced when I take it to the mechanic? Seals? Etc?

Thanks so much.

Syncromesh ring maybe?...All the clutch does is get you into the gear, I don't think it helps it stay there.

it's a pressure plate that basically disconnects the engine from the transmission, so when you go to shift the engine isn't spinning the shaft and lets the gears mate up at the same speed.

Then when you let off the clutch two plates of metal mash into eachother and friction gets them spinning again

I'd say its the synchronizer in the tranny ole buddy

Sometimes a bad shift seat bushing can cause it to pop out of gear. If your shifter has a lot of play in gear, the shift seat bushing might be the problem. Marlin Crawler sells a heavy duty bushing for fairly cheap, and you can replace it from the cab without removing the transmission.

If the shifter is tight, then I would agree with everyone else about the syncros.

If it is not just worn shifter bushings.

you may have a bearing going out in the transmission.

As the bearing wears it allows it to pop out of gear

I would guess also that its your shifter bushing....why? Cause mine did the same thing. Marlin sells a bushing to replace it. Mine was totally in pieces. $ 10 worth spending to see if it was the issue, before a complete tear down. Also replaced tranny oil with redline mt/90 I believe. No more issues.

I would guess also that its your shifter bushing....why? Cause mine did the same thing. Marlin sells a bushing to replace it. Mine was totally in pieces. $ 10 worth spending to see if it was the issue, before a complete tear down. Also replaced tranny oil with redline mt/90 I believe. No more issues.

i've ordered the shifter bushing and plastic end for the shifter from toyota. hope to work on it this weekend. and, obviously, hoping that is all that it is. i've been pretty kind to the tranny over the last 23 years, no jamming or grinding, so....i'm hopeful.

its a 90 and there is no center console, i guess i'm stuck removing the seats to get the carpet up to allow access to the shifter plate. but, eh, no biggy.

fingers crossed!

thanks all for the replies!

No need to remove the seats just remove the plate that holds the shifting boots to the floor. Unless you have some custom carpet job done that makes it impossible to do without removing the seats.

thanks all for the input. i replaced the shifter bushing and seat this weekend and no problems since then. i hadn't noticed that i wasn't getting all the way into 3rd and that was the reason it was popping out of 3rd. but with the new bushing and seat in place the shifter went way further and solidly locked into 3rd. very nice.

i did have to pull the carpet to access the shifter plate. i removed the seats and just peeled the carpet back. no big deal.

so....tranny is still going strong and so too the original clutch....wonder if i can get another 200,000 miles on them? :)

thanks again.

That started happening to me. Then it went to 4th gear and tranny was shot. 3rd and 4th gear forks. It was annoying so i went all out with a marlin crawler hd tranny and hd clutch kit