5-speed popping out of 1st

[superdave5599]

Hey Guys,

I just bought a '94 4Runner. I've wanted one since watching the Top Gear episode where they try to kill the Hilux, though the SUV bodystyle is more useful for me, hence the Runner.

Anyway, it pops out of 1st gear. I bought it after reading about the shifter seat and bushing, hoping that I would get a good deal and just get away with replacing them. No luck this time.

I also dumped the seemingly very thin gear oil that was in there and replaced it with fresh GL4 with no help.

In reading, I ran across an old thread on this forum, where a guy said:

I don't think it's the synchros/gearset. Mine has been dooing the same thing, if it's the synchros, it should pop out under load, mine will come out after coasting.
There is a detent ball/spring that holds the shift shaft in gear, mine were missing.
Look under the pass side of the gearbox, there is a steel plate that carries the rear bearings. There are 3 plugs with allen heads, remove the lowest one, if there is a spring behind the plug, replace the plug, & move on.

Replaced them to the tune of ~$3.00 & 90% of the problem is solved. Still happens rarely, & i think the Marlin products are the solution, what the hell, for $16.00 on a 15-20yo vehicle you can't go wrong. I'll post when they come in.

So I crawled under there and pulled the bottom plug. No spring was immediately evident. Just to see what things looked like, I pulled the middle plug and there is a spring present!

So I'm hopeful that replacing this spring may help my problem. Maybe the old one broke and fell in and was ground up or is stuck somewhere on the bottom of the trans.

Is there any chance I could pull the spring from the middle plug, stick it in the bottom, and see if the popping out of gear issue follows it to a different gear?

Where would I get a replacement spring from? Anyone have a part number?

Thanks! I've wrenched on many many Volkswagens of many flavors, but this is my first Toyota.

 

[superdave5599]

I did some more googling, and found a parts diagram that shows the same part number for all 3 springs, so I did try inserting the middle spring into the bottom plug, but it didn't bottom like it did in the middle plug. Perhaps the ball is gone too.

Are these parts I can order and just stick in? As in, order the ball and spring, shove them in the hole, and replace the plug? Or is there something internally that is missing that would have caused it to fall in?

 

[Gerdo]

When I have seen this in the past, it has been worn out syncos.

Can you hold the shifter and keep it from popping out?

 

[superdave5599]

When I have seen this in the past, it has been worn out syncos.

Can you hold the shifter and keep it from popping out?

Yeah, though it'll kick at my hand once or twice before I need to shift.

 

[Gerdo]

Sure sounds like worn syncros.

 

[superdave5599]

Any thoughts on the fact that I am missing one of the springs I mentioned?

 

[mikebontoft]

I'm not sure.... but I had this problem for a few weeks when I first got it and it no longer does it.

 

[Azcodito]

I am having this exact same issue. Any luck with the replacement ball and spring?

 

[Cbrown]

still popping out?

I have replaced the shifter seat But it has not fixed my issue. Does anyone have more info on the Syncros? Id like to have more info before bring it to the shop to get fixed. It pops out of first every time even when I hold it.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.