5th Gear Pops Out

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Dbuchanan734
Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2017 6:45 pm
My tercel:: 1984 SR5 4WD
Location: SW Virginia

5th Gear Pops Out

Post by Dbuchanan734 »

I've got an 84 that was used as an RV dingy for most of it's life. Only 65,000 miles. The interior, blue and white, is as immaculate as a 30 year old interior can be.

The car runs good; engine has power, gears shift smoothly, new tires and brakes.

My problem is that when shifting into 5th gear it slides right in, very smooth. But upon applying any torque from the engine it pulls back into neutral. I've tried holding it in 5th gear and found that I couldn't apply enough force to counter-act the expulsion.

I changed the oil in the tranny, seemed full considering it had sat in a field for 10 years. The oil didn't look bad.

I've thought about the 50/50 ATF flush. May try that next. Any other ideas?

Doug
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Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: 5th Gear Pops Out

Post by Petros »

sounds like the detent is stuck or rusty from sitting around without being driven. it does not have enough miles on it to be worn out.

ATF flush is a good thing to try. may need to be taken out and inspected, unstuck. that can wait until you need to pull the trans for other service like a new clutch or rear main seal. 5th gear is easy to access/repair with the trans out of the car, you remove the bellhousing/front diff assy from the main gear box and it is right on the front side of the gear box front wall. if there are any bad parts there, it can be replaced without going any further into the main gear box, which is a major operation.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
xirdneh
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Posts: 2121
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:38 am
My tercel:: 87 tercel 4x4 wagon w/reringed engine, 83 tercel 4x4 wagon w/salvaged engine and 4.1 Diff's
Location: seabeck, washington, USA

Re: 5th Gear Pops Out

Post by xirdneh »

does the car have a trailer hitch?
towing in 5th ruins a lot of 5th gears
the snap ring in front of 5th gear hub may be messed up or the slot it rides in or the hub itself : hub splines worn or hub front worn where snapring rests against it. or missing detent or synchro mesh teeth on large 5th gear buggered up.
Love those Tercell 4x4 wagons but they sure suffer from road noise.
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