remove shift lever

vjharpe · Post by **vjharpe** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:56 pm

OOPS - posted to the wrong forum.

I'm new to this - have had my 84 manual for about 6 months. Its getting real noisy with the clutch pedal in or out, and doesn't want to shift, so I figure a pilot bearing or throwout bearing and will go ahead and replace the clutch.

So I'm following the Bentley manual, to remove the shift lever, I take off the console and attached boot, peel back the inner boot (which was broken around the top corrugation), vacuum out the dirt that had gotten in, and remove the snap ring. I now have a loose metal cup and inner piece around the shift lever, and see little detents on each side of the shift lever which don't move with the shift lever. It moves but won't come out! I tried putting in gear oil to loosen things up, and a little went in (not much).

Help!

Thanks for any suggestions.

keith · Post by **keith** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:39 pm

It would have been easier to remove the six bolts in the cover and pull up. You just have to pull harder.

takza · Post by **takza** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 3:36 am

I wouldn't touch those six bolts if you can avoid it...they break off.

If the snap ring is out...the shift lever should just pull out.

That area under the lever will hold about a cup or so of gear oil...though it will probably run out eventually...just let some soak in till you get the lever out. Then clean it up and add a cup of oil.

Sounds like your trans is going....I'd drain it and add 4.1 quarts.

keith · Post by **keith** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 6:33 pm

I've done it on two transmissions, haven't broken a bolt yet.

vjharpe · Post by **vjharpe** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 8:04 pm

Thank you to Takza. When I went to drain the transaxle, about 1 pint came out! I had a severe leak but had been blaming it on the power steering (which also leaks badly, and is now dry). I filled it with fresh fluid and now it works okay except a slight high pitched whine at all times (likely an input shaft from reading other postings) and more whine when the differential is working on sharp turns. A friend suggested draining it hot, adding 3 quarts of cheap automatic transmission fluid (the cheaper the better so it doesn't stick around), driving a couple of miles, draining it, and then refilling again. This is supposed to work wonders on transfer cases to get the gunk out that never drains, and is supposed to work on transmissions as well. I will try it and let folks know how this tranny likes running dry!

I put the clutch aside. Now there is no sign of clutch problems, and I don't have to face removing the transaxle yet!

takza · Post by **takza** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 4:48 am

Sounds like my "new" truck...where the transfer case was 1/2 empty.

I usually think flushing a manual trans is not worth it, but in this case...maybe it is.

With my T4WD trans that was going out...I used 4 qts of 20W50 in it for a few hundred miles.

I put an additive in it plus heavy gear oil and ran it another 300 miles or so...I still had metalflake gear oil come out...in a container it would shine like metallic paint.

It wasn't the input shaft bearing...but one deeper in the trans...one that ran all the time...main shaft?

So I put in my spare trans. Diff also ran in this crapped out oil...but I can't tell any difference yet...but I drive it easy...trying to keep the shock loading down.

Might consider 90W140 weight gear oil? Noticed with my trans that in summer even with heavy oil it was noisy...but in winter it was pretty quiet....viscosity makes a difference.

keith · Post by **keith** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 11:30 am

This transmission has three compartments. In the middle is the original 4 speed RWD transmission from the 70"s. At the front is the external 5th gear and differential that converted it to FWD. and at the rear is the 4wd transfer case and EL gear. To drain, you open the rear drain bolt 8 turns, the remove the front two bolts. To refill, you replace the drain bolts, remove all three fill bolts on the side and fill from the rear only. Takes about 4.5 quarts.

In my experience, as you fill it, the oil will start coming out the middle fill port long before the front is filled, so I stop filling from the rear at this point and finish filling through the front port. Replace all bolts and tighten the rear drain bolt and your good to go.

I tried using a synthetic gear oil in this transmission (two of them in fact), it doesn't let the syncro's work like they should. Went back to regular gear oil, 85w-90. I have not tried 85w-140 so I don't know if that would work better on old trannies.

takza · Post by **takza** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 6:19 pm

Both my manuals say 4.1 qts I think...but I was running 5 qts without knowing it with no problems.

90W140 will cushion the bearings more...but might cause shifting problems when cold...I wouldn't be afraid to use it with a doubtful trans...espec if theres a leak.

I'm using 25% Hyperlube additive right now...it's thick stuff.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 9:23 pm

i'm going to try running redline MT-90 in my tranny next time i fill it up.

its full syntetic, but its formulated to allow proper syncro function, so i won't have the gear clash thats usually occurs with synthetic gear oils. I'm using it in my echos transmission right now and it made a huge improvement over all the other oils i tried in it. (85W-90 regular, 80W-90 synthetic, 85W-140 regular EP, whatever comes from the factory)

anyways, i was curious, are you suppost to put gear oil in where the shifter goes in the tranny? my dad put gear oil in there years ago, but i cleaned it all out and then regreased everything with a generous amount of Syntetic MP grease. I also replaced that inner dust boot, $12 from toyota.

takza · Post by **takza** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 4:21 am

Not sure what's supposed to be in there, but gear oil works vs dry rust? Most of those inner boots seem to be split and have let water in. Besides the ball joint you see at top....there's also a "bar" that goes into the trans and has to move thru some kind of seal.

keith · Post by **keith** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 4:52 pm

I'm not sure either, all I've seen in there is grease and water. I don't think the water was supposed to be there though. I repack them with Moly-B grease.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Sun Nov 05, 2006 8:01 pm

yeah, i had alot of water, had to wait for it to unfreeze before i could drive in the winter, lol

keith · Post by **keith** » Tue Nov 07, 2006 7:13 pm

Yeah, but the frozen water is easier to remove.

Mac · Post by **Mac** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 2:31 am

huh? that water is long gone now. I was just wondering if your suppost to use gear oil or grease.

takza · Post by **takza** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:50 am

I actually used both...1 cup gear oil in the hole...lots of grease on the ball and socket to act as a water barrier.