I think I may be losing 1st gear. I have a 91 4 Runner with a 3.0 5speed and lately when I start to pull out or away from a stop, it will kick the gear shift out and if I have my hand on the shifter (which is always,) It grinds like mad. Any suggestions on whats wrong and costs to fix???

 

hmmm...mine is doin the same thing...I think it's the syncro's or somethin... but I know almost nothing about tranny's. Subscribed

 

How old is your clutch?

Try replacing the shifter seat and bushing (search that on the boards). Marlin crawler makes replacments that are far better then the oem parts, only costs about 30 bucks shipped..

 

I'm betting mine is orig. 200k. Think that would do it?

 

o...and my shifter dosent move nearly as much as yours did in the video.

 

I like to think mine is probibly the worse you will see this kinda transmission thats easily fixable.

A worn clutch (weak springs) is a known problem for trouble getting into gear.
The shifter seat and bushing are one of the bigger causes of these problems.

My truck will still pop out of 1st sometimes, but not often. I always have my hand on the shifter when in first since im never in that gear for long (unless in traffic)...

Pull the shifter out and inspect the seat and bushing. I bet you will find the seat in peices. But if not, dont worry, my parts appeared to be in great shape... Boy was I wrong

 

Yeah...but I was thinking that if the clutch was to blame, it would happen in all gears, I have no I idea though, I will check out the shifter seat, and see what happens, I am only concerned because I have a vw golf that did the same thing in rev. ( I know, common prob) untill finaly it wore all of the gear away, and it was the synchro's that caused it.

 

That's what I'm afraid of, wearing the gear out and then needing to rebuild the tranny. Would a local auto parts store have those parts?

 

Would you happen to know the gear ratio for a stock 4 runner?

 

The diff gears...it's prob a 4.56...but there is a code on the drivers door panel that will tell you...do a search for diff ratios...and you will find out how to tell.

 

If it was the clutch, it would eventually get worse, you would probibly start loosing more gears. BUT, check the seat and bushing first. Takes 20 mins. Then go from there.

You would need to go to the toyota dealership for the shifter seat and bushing, but trust me. Marlin makes a better product, it will also FAR outlast the oem parts, plus it will firm your shifts up
And in the off chance you wreck your tranny, you can find them online for CHEAP. A r150f and t-case go for around 250 bucks online.

It can range from 4.10 to 4.56. You can use online info to de-code your information sticker on your door jam. Or you can do the more reliable spin tire method.

- Block front wheels
- e-brake off, truck out of gear
- Jack one rear tire off the ground
- Mark the tire and driveshaft
- Spin the tire 20 times and get a friend to count the revolutions of the driveshaft.
- Take the number of revolutions of the driveshaft and divide by 10. You will then have your differential gear ratio.

 

just start in second gear!

my 64 austin healy has the same issue and since its geared like a truck in first anyways its worthless so i havent bothered fixing it

 

I have thought of that...but i'd rather have it work correctly.....eventually...1st will wipe out the rest... or at least thats what i have always thought...and if so....why waste the rest of the trans...when it would be easier to fix now.

 

and besides, i think you would totally smoke the clutch doin that. some times my truck pops out of first from a dead stop. im pretty sure its not the clutch though cause i just had all that junk done like 5000 miles back. im thinkin its either what jay said or the synchro. the only reason i would think the synchro is cause its hard to put it in first unless im doin less thatn about 5 MPH. that my 2 cents

 

oh, and i think your truck is effin awsome Jay

 

The shifter bushings are the easiest to check first. Search the board for more in depth info. What I've read before, and been told by my mechanic, is to try to shift it while *gently* pulling upwards on the stick. If this makes things easier, or holds it into gear better, then the bushings should be your prime suspect.

 

Hehe, thanks man

 

Check the shifter seat bushing first. Go to the garage with a philips screwdriver and a 10mm and 12mm socket. Take the console off, take the shift knob and boot off, and release the circlip that retains the stick.

If the bushing is smashed to smithereens, replace it with the marlin one, or with a dealer one. Then test drive.

Don't get your panties in a bunch. Check the shifter seat bushing.

 

wabbit also sells the shifter bushing make sure to get one for the transfer case at the same time I did not and I regretted not buying both at the same time.
I ended up using the old rubber washer from my shifter on the transfer case

 

Ha...I dig the avatar.... LOL my panties r not bunching...It only happened to me 5 or 6 times in the 3 weeks i have owned it. and i have found that shifting to 2nd before first makes it much better...I will check the seat and bushing, but, I'm sure I will be doing a clutch in the near future...it feels kinda spongey.

Noted....thanks for the tip!