I've got an 87' 4runner 22re with 5spd manual. I was driving down the freeway today and decided to downshift into 4th to begin slowing down. I was able to shift out of gear just fine, but it locked me out of 4th gear, I then tried to get back into 5th gear but it locked me out of that one too. I then pulled over and tried to shift into first after coming to a complete stop and it did not allow me to do that either. I really had to jam it in there to get into gear, and when I finally did I started to accelerate but I really had to slip the hell out of the clutch to get moving anywhere.

The car started making this terrible grinding noise and I was smelling something burning (clutch?). I tried a few more times after letting it cool down and the thing just wasn't going anywhere so I just left it.

The car was driving beautifully all day today and didn't show any signs of its impending failure at all.

Can anyone tell me what the problem could be? Is it the tranny or the clutch?

 

Sounds like the clutch wasn't disengaging. Weird that it's ok now...

 

It's not okay now, it's still broken lol.

I just need to know if this sounds like a bad tranny issue or something else. I was simply saying that the car was driving very well up until that point. It wouldn't make sense for the tranny to go bad. I was driving on the freeway for about 18 miles but....that's not an excuse.

 

From what it sounds like, I don't think the clutch is properly engaging/disengaging. It doesn't make sense for the whole tranny to fail out of nowhere so I am hopeful it is the clutch.

Any ideas?

 

sounds like a slave cylinder or something a long those sorts.

 

I'm not sure, do these have a throwout bearing on the clutch? Had one fail on me (Isuzu p'up) that did the same thing, all I did was move it across the street and BANG, done, gone, with no prior notice. Could be that or some mechanical failure of the clutch plates?

 

They do have throwout bearings, and yes, it could be that. but start simple first. Get under the truck and have someone push the clutch, and make sure the slave cylinder is working correctly.

 

Eh, bleh...the tranny is shot. Opened up the drain plug to see if any fluid would come out...and nothing did. That burning smell wasn't the clutch...but rather the internals being cooked.

Apparently a line blew or something of that sort. Sucks to be me.....guess I have to find a used tranny.

 

Hey bro What type of Transmission do you need? I have a W56 5speed.