I need help with my trans my first gear is popping out I have changed the shifter bushing and seat it still pops out I even dead stopped and sampled it and it popped out.... Has anyone had this problem before
+1 for synchronizer worn down. 1st always goes first from people jamming it in while still moving. greatest speed difference between the internals and highest ratio means worst wear.
Pops out as I release the clutch and drive slow on first Is there anything I can do or do I gotta get another trans?
its gonna be easier to get a replacement trans. when you do, make sure to swap out the shifter seat and bushing from that one to your new one. mean time, just hold it up in first with your hand till you get to replacing it. so long as you hold the shifter in place, it wont pop out... (if you havent done that already) as for preventative measures, always take your time going into first from a stop light. i know too many people who jam and slap gears in too hard and wonder why their stuff wears out fast.
The w series trans are tough but not bomb proof. I've toasted a couple and beat up a lot. Don't downshift from 2nd to 1st to slow down for red lights. That's one of the biggest damagers to them. Any w trans from a 75-95 2wd truck or 75-85 celica will work. Some require a bellhousing to match so try to get that with the new trans.
My 82 had 5th gear do the same thing. So on long interstates I had a bungee cord holding it in 5th....
The alternative to replacing the transmission is rebuilding it. I wouldn't reccommend it for a first-timer. ANY transmission Heel-toe downshift? wassat? You mean rev-matched downshift? Double clutching is what you want. Do that (correctly) and you're fine. Just pushing the shifter in, letting the synchros work is what wears it out. Mine goes ka-chunk into 1st from worn synchros (~250k miles. doesn't grind or pop out yet) but DCDS and it goes in slicker than an upshift.
Each downshift requires a throttle blip of a certain amount to bring the RPM's high enough to get into that "perfect window". Going from 2nd to 1st at a much lower speed requires QUITE a bit of throttle to bring the RPM's high enough to make a successful rev-matched downshift/heel-toe if the situation calls for it. The lower the gear, the more sensitive it'll be. I don't do it much from the start. I just know as I'm doing 1mph to a stop, I blip the gas to raise a few hundred RPM's to allow it to fall right into gear. Transmissions are weird magic.
I'm guilty of making my poor trans cry every once in a while. 45mph, on an onramp coming off the highway, slamming on the shifter and thinking: "Why the hell wont this go into 3rd!?!... Oh, thats right... Cause its 1st!.. Heh heh. Heres your sign."
that'll do it. Try relaxing your shifting hand (a lot). Let it center itself in the 3rd/4th channel. My wife has the same problem, she thinks she has to completely control the shifter and tell it exactly where to go. Gotta let go and let it do it's thing, just guide it where you want it. Find your zen with the transmission. (haha I know what you're thinkin: "this guys " but try it. Get good at double clutch downshifting and you'll never have to use more than a lb of force to move the shifter. If the insides are all matched up, it'll go into 1st at 30 mph as easily as 4-5 on the freeway. Execution is the hard part lol. practice practice practice.
