rough shifting from 3rd gear to 4th and reverse

[tercell]

I need help my 1986 tercel sr5 wagon is shifting strangely into 3rd and 4th even when down shifting its not a grind i have to wiggle it a little for both gears and reverse is even harder to shift its like there locking out . I went to a trans shop and they said it needs a clutch and the clutch cable is fine and not the problem but i don't believe them the problem is constant and its the same at running temperature. This is a big problem for me because this is my daily driver and as you might figure really annoying. if any of you could give me some advise asap.

[dlb]

if you know your cable is good, this is a clutch test i have used before: with the engine off and clutch pedal depressed, try shifting into various gears. if it goes in pretty easily but is difficult to shift while actually driving, the clutch is likely a worn out.

my wife's 91 4x4 toyota pickup got progressively harder and harder to shift. by the end, i had to shut the engine off every time i needed to put it in reverse and first. i was parallel parking in town when i learned this. it was a PITA but i managed to drive it home. put a new clutch in and it drove great after that.

[xirdneh]

third and fourth gears use the same shift fork
86 forks are most likley aluminum
recently took one apart and the screw that holds the 3rd/4th fork in place had fallen out
prior to it falling all the way out the guy had trouble shifting to 3rd and 4th
but you never know what your going to find until you take it apart
other things could cause the problem
hard reverse shifting could be from worn clutch or pressure plate but i think first and 4wd granny gear would have hard shifting also

[xirdneh]

there is a spring loaded pin on very aft end of tranny on driverside (its a big nut looking thing)
it can get corroded and sieze up
i think it forces you to push the shifter over to the right so you will not shift into reverse while trying to shift into 4th
simple fix for reverse problem if that is it

[Gottolovem]

That cable could look fine but is old and stretched out!
I have had two different cars shift just as you describe and it was the cable

[Petros]

possible causes are in order I would check: worn or stretched cable not allowing full release (see if the auto-adjuster is at the end of its travel), worn out clutch can do that too. to test the clutch stand on the brakes, rev up the engine by "heel-toe", put it in gear and slowly let out the clutch. It should stall the engine. If the engine bogs down but you can keep it running, the clutch is gone. Do not do this test very often, all it takes is once to know it is worn out. If the clutch is good, yet the cable auto adjuster is at the end of its travel, likely you need a new cable. they do not cost much new from Rockauto and a fairly easy replacement.

low gear oil or worn syncros can cause that kind of behavior, after doing the above verifications you might help the shifting by doing an ATF tranny flush: drain oil gear oil, fill with 50/50 mix of cheap gear oil and ATF and drive it for a few days, go easy on it but get it up to fwy speeds several times to it gets good and warm. Drain the mixture and than install good quality gear oil, or gear oil and synthetic lube mix (do not use straight synthetic gear oil). That should improve the shifting a lot by cleaning out the old sludge and metal particles from the assembly.

If it is not any better after these check or fixes, likely the trans has to come out and parts replaced, if not complete overhaul or get a good used trans (if you can find one) and replace it.

good luck.

[drege]

Do we got a link or part number for this clutch cable?
After I had the gearbox down last year and found a healthy clutch disk I'm ready to believe to within $30 - $70 thats my problem with Kodama.

Also one of these days I'm gonna have to get bold and take its original transmission apart and see if that bolt was fallen out of its 3rd/4th fork.
Totally forgot about my problems with it until I read this thread.