Rebuilt Manual Tranny Time?

[alphyn]

Hey all, need your help!

My 1999 Highlander with 130k and a manual transmission keeps on slipping out of first. When I engage first gear, about 10-25% of the time, the transmission craps out first gear and violently pops it back in to neutral. Violenty = I would break my wrist if I held on to the shift lever wrong. The gear just won't hold. Honestly, it feels like I'm being rear ended when it gives out. I used to look behind me to see if someone plowed in to me.

I read up on a few threads about changing the shift lever ball seat bushing. I did that. It seemed to work for awhile, but after a few months I'm back to where I started. I also keep on popping out of 1st more often now to the point where I just launch from second gear.

Also, I just picked up a 1st gen supercharger. So, I'd be dumping even more power into the tranny than before. I haven't installed it yet and it is on my list of things to do.

Questions to the forum are these. I'm not planning on giving this truck up any time soon. I only drive manual transmissions and the whole world stopped making those in the late 90's. Except for the Jeep Wrangler Unlimiteds, which I'm not willing to shell out $35k for.

Should I go ahead with a quality rebuilt tranny (I was thinking something from Merlin: http://www.marlincrawler.com/transmission/rebuilt-complete/r150f)? Try to fix it myself? Take it into a shop and have them charge me $$$? I'm guessing I either have a bent shift fork or stripped first gear.

Your thoughts?

Thanks in advance, all!

 

[kernel.panik]

I vote for Marlin Crawler!

because with them in the equation, there is no other vote.

 

[bpowa]

Yeah. My vote buy a rebuilt. Fast and warranty. Save yourself the headache.

 

[Snowy21]

I'd just pull a 5 speed from a yard instead of rebuilding, cheaper and faster. Especially since the r150f is a generally strong trans that came in quite a few taco's and remained relatively unchanged over the years (unlike the a340f)

 

[1blink]

Mine's been slipping out of first every few days lately. Afraid I may be next in line, so I have the same questions. What's a fair price on a salvage tranny? How many miles do these generally go for? 212,000 on mine.

 

[SR5Runner97]

I'm crossing my fingers, I've got 186k on mine and just hard getting into first some days in the early morning. Replacing shifter bushing when it comes in.

 

[alphyn]

I'm crossing my fingers, I've got 186k on mine and just hard getting into first some days in the early morning. Replacing shifter bushing when it comes in.

Quick heads up if you're replacing the shift ball seat bushing. Make sure you take out both original bushing pieces. I repeat, BOTH original bushing pieces. There's the original green bushing and a washer type ring beneath. If you try to just slip in the Merlin white bushing replacement, you'll tear up your fingers, yell and scream, and wonder why the crap this stupid shift lever spring won't fit back in. And you'll do that for about an hour until you realized you should have re-read the directions and taken out BOTH original bushing pieces.

Not that I, um, ever ran in to that problem.

 

[madbomber08]

I'd Also pull one from a junkyard. You're taking a gamble, but at least you're not taking a ~$2000 gamble with a rebuilt one. Maybe I'm out of line with a $2000 rebuild on a manual ttanny, I just never hear about rebuilt manual trannys.

 

[Snowy21]

Fwiw it's probably slop in the main shaft that's causing your issues and can be fixed with a new bearing and retainer from Marlin. Typically the bearings get fore to aft slop and the whole shaft moves around causing it to puke out first (or be hard into others too) Of course it depends on how available his parts are and how much tech know how you have.

Edit: this is applicable if the shift forks are good, the r150f uses aluminum forks that can be damaged somewhat easy as well

 

[alphyn]

I'd Also pull one from a junkyard. You're taking a gamble, but at least you're not taking a ~$2000 gamble with a rebuilt one. Maybe I'm out of line with a $2000 rebuild on a manual ttanny, I just never hear about rebuilt manual trannys.

Pulling one from a yard seems like a lot of work. I'm taking the $2k approach instead. I just ordered a rebuilt manual tranny from Marlin. Two mods I am getting are swapping out the 3.83:1 first gear with a 4.31:1 gear. Also, getting the short throw shifter kit put on. After shipping, cost should be just around $1900, not including core charge. About $900 of that was for the first gear swap and short throw shifter kit.

After reviewing all my options (plus the 10% off code expiring tonight), I decided that trying to troubleshoot the problem would have taken more time and effort than I was willing to deal with. I've already dialed a friend to help with the install. Now to wait 9-11 weeks for it to arrive! Installation pics to come!

 

[alphyn]

Fwiw it's probably slop in the main shaft that's causing your issues and can be fixed with a new bearing and retainer from Marlin. Typically the bearings get fore to aft slop and the whole shaft moves around causing it to puke out first (or be hard into others too) Of course it depends on how available his parts are and how much tech know how you have.

Edit: this is applicable if the shift forks are good, the r150f uses aluminum forks that can be damaged somewhat easy as well

Yeah, that's sort of my fear that the shift forks have been beat up a bit, as well as 1st gear in general. I've spat out 1st over a hundred times or so in such a violent manner that I'm worried about additional damage to the tranny. Also, I'm about to install a supercharger. Figured I should start with a fresh tranny to tear up!