Topic: 1st gear popping out

[esteamoore]

Hello all, I am new to the Toyota pickup world and loving it. I just bought my first 1989 Toyota pickup 3.0 a few weeks ago. A few weeks after driving it, first gear started to pop out of gear, so I put a new shift seat bushing and cap in. I guess I'm not one of the lucky ones because this did not fix it. I was wondering what you all would suggest to try next? When I pull to a stop put it in first to take off sometimes it slips right out after barely letting off the clutch. Other times it I'll get about half way across the road before POW it pops out of gear. Then other times it goes in perfect and stays in till I shift to second. Sometimes it doesn't even wanna go into first.
Thanks y'all,
esteamoore

[emsvitil]

How many miles on the tranny?

[twistedtoy92]

Well it sounds like a weak detent spring or a worn out 1st gear synchro to me.

[daniresch]

+1 for worn out 1st synchro gear

[OOPS]

Does it have a body lift on it? Sometimes with a BL they do not go all the way into gear and the boot will make them pop out of gear.

[1985CRAWLER]

i kinda had the same problem with my w56A in my 85 runner, 1st gear syncro went out on fordyce trail, funny thing is it never would really act up before then.
 but it just wasnt there, would go into gear but once in gear wouldnt do anything. just rev.

[junya92toy]

Hold the shifter in first, common issue

[87Fontana]

Time to rebuild your trans

[Rocksurfer]

A friend of mine has a blown synchro  and when needing to stay in 1st gear he has a short bungee that he wraps around the shifter so that if needed he can still change gears.

Fontucky Fabworks at its best.

[BigMike]

Hello all, I am new to the Toyota pickup world and loving it. I just bought my first 1989 Toyota pickup 3.0 a few weeks ago.

AWESOME!! Welcome to the world of reliable, simple, and easy to work on Toyota trucks!!

A few weeks after driving it, first gear started to pop out of gear, so I put a new shift seat bushing and cap in. I guess I'm not one of the lucky ones because this did not fix it.

You didn't mention heavy duty so I'm assuming you used factory Toyota parts? We make Heavy Duty Shift Seats (link) and Sockets (link) which can help shifting issues in some cases, but if it is an internal issue, then changing to our HD shift parts will not fix the problem. Short of this, you'll have to open up the transmission to see what is worn out (usually equals a transmission rebuild).

The good thing is that you have the strongest 5-speed transmission that Toyota has ever offered amongst Hilux, Hilux 4Runner, Tacoma, T100, and Tundra trucks. Also, finding good cores is less challenging than other applications (also means that rebuild specialists like Marlin Crawler charge less for your core -- more info here).

Does it have a body lift on it? Sometimes with a BL they do not go all the way into gear and the boot will make them pop out of gear.

This is what I was going to suggest first. Make sure nothing is contacting the shift handle or boot. It could even be a wasted engine mount(s) or transfer case mount causing the drive train to move more than it should throwing the shifter right into the cab and causing it to be pushed out of gear.

Check your engine & t/case mounts and report back!

Regards,
BigMike

[Ev87We4]

My experience in rebuilding numerous W series trans tells me that when these trannys pop out of gear, and there are no shifter interferences , that it is the center main shaft bearings that are worn. Everyone will tell you it is a synchro, but really all that does is help engage. Has little to do with keeping in gear. Time for a rebuild. U can try HD detent springs , but I doubt it will fix it.

[twistedtoy92]

Good info ^