Not Synchros, Right?

OK, I've got an 87 AE86 (Toyota Corolla). The thing is a blast, but 9 out of 10, it refuses to downshift to second. It will shift up to second like no tomorrow, but not down. I heel-toe and rev-match, but it refuses. After refusing to go into second, I might come to a stop, and it still wont. I have to push the stick somewhere else to 'reset' the mechanism and unlock second, like shifting into and out of 1st before attempting second again. Then, still stopped, I can shift in and out of second just fine. So it is definately some sort of device, a change of state, and not a continuously sticky second fork.

[History:] It's always been like this. I relplaced the GTS tranny with an SR5 tranny and the problem persisted (plus it sounded terrible, junk sr5). The GTS tranny was thrown away by the shop owner (D'OH!). I've just replaced it with a 'new' GTS tranny. Sounds better, speedo is right again, but it still will not downshift to second reliably.

So thats 3 transmissions, all behaving identically, not better or worse. So I lean toward it being something outside the tranny, like clutch adjustment or shifter(just replaced the shifter this morning, no improvement).

So synchros? Synchro's don't stop you from shifting into a gear, right? They just line the teeth up. If a synchro goes, you can shift into position just as easily, you just grind, right? It isn't the synchro mechanism that keeps you from actually moving the stick, right? So what stops the stick from pushing the forks around?

What keeps you from shifting to 1st while doing 90? I'll bet it's the same thing.

Do you agree that this is not Synchro related? Is there something I can dissable to keep this from happening?

Thanks

Sounds like somethings off with your shift linkage.

sounds like you need another tranny... :icon16:

as silent says, you've pretty thoroughly proved its not the tranny, all that leaves is shift linkage. Might be as simple as a stretched cable.

Yep, sounds like a stretched cable, loose cable end, or a bent shifter mount.

I dont think its the shifter linkage, theres just not much to break... I replaced it anyway. No change what-so-ever. The Corolla GTS is RWD, and doesn't use cables. The stick bolts right to the top of the tranny.

Besides, if it were the shifter linkage, it would always have trouble going into second, right? But it does fine from first, or really soft (slow) downshifts, just not aggressive downshifts.

Thanks you for the replies, keep em coming. If there are any hachi-roku owners out there, give a shout out and tell me if I'm alone or not. Is this just MY corolla, or are all 8-6's like this?

I assume its a T50 Spliecase?

If so then your right about there not being any linkages, the stick goes out of the box and into the car, so if theres something wrong, then its something in the box.

But, just to be sure, take the boot off the stick and have a look around as you move it between gears, a broken or misaligned gearbox or engine mount could move the box off to one side, meaning the stick catchs on the side of the hole in the transmission tunnel.


However, while the old T50s are regarded as being one of the most versitile boxes around because of thier strength, they do, like all Toyota boxes from that period, have very weak synchros.
What you describe sounds exactly like badly worn synchros, and you might have simply got very unlucky and picked up 3 worn out boxes.
You might want to open one up and have a look, just so you can rule that possiblity out.


And there is nothing in the box to stop you going into 1st at very high speed except the strength in your arm against the resistance of the syncrhos.

this is exactly why I hate synchro's. never understood the point of them. If I needed the help, I'd buy an automatic

Yeah, but Im lazy.

Its just so much easier to push the stick around with your foot on the clutch than it is to have to match shaft speeds, and the drone of a dog box just dosn't work with the Pink Floyd on the Stereo.

mmmmm....pink floyd.......