My '89 4Runner generally shifts pretty well, but about 50% of the time won't come out of first or reverse from when the truck is stopped.
Example: I'll be creeping forward in traffic in first gear. Traffic stops, so I put the clutch in and hit the brakes. When I go to put the shifter in neutral it won't smoothly shift out of first and into neutral. I let the clutch back out, scoot forward a few inches and try again, and now the transmission will shift into neutral without issue.
The clutch line has been bled. The transmission fluid is 20k mile old parts store brand. I've never had the transmission apart from the block to look at the clutch.
So what gives?
Off hand, I'd suspect pilot bearing drag.
Yeah, I was afraid that might be it. Not looking forward to pulling the transmission.
Do you think it would be worth trying some higher quality (redline) mtx fluid?
Seems to me at best better oil might mask it slightly or require slightly less force, but it's not mediocre oil creating a situation like that.
Once you do cave in and drop the trans, am I crazy to think you also need to check the condition of the clutch disk splines (disk and trans input shaft)? I'm not sure I ever got a definitive answer, but I think I had a Rabbit whose disk didn't want to easily float away from the flywheel when the pressure plate was released.
Trans fluid won't fix a clutch release issue. Might let you ignore it tearing up the synchros, but won't fix anything.
Could be a failing master/slave cylinder (replace together), or clutch misadjustment, or the aforementioned splines or pilot bearing.
I'd be pondering the clutch slave and master cylinders before casually dropping that transmission. Especially if there is a transfer case.
Oh, there's a transfer case. Looks like I'll be giving the clutch cylinders and line a flush and bleed and crossing my fingers.
A flush won't help if there's a problem in the hydraulics. Bleed may for a while. If they have more than 10 years on them I'd just replace both.
Agree with the replacement of both. Cheap enough through rockauto and the like to justify the attempt.
The trans in my truck (1994 22re 2wd 5sp) is starting to get a bit sticky and hard to shift but I can work it into gear. Another thing to check is the shifter ball joint bushing thingy, I had a real issue and my truck wouldn't shift into 2nd or 4th, I was thinking a new trans was needed, I changed the ball bushing and it fixed the issue. The ball bushing is connected to the shifter, you pull it from inside of the cab, easy thing to catch.
