Problem with 1st and 2nd gear. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

JetspeedCamry · 07-15-2005, 03:55 AM

Ok, i'm a bit stumped at a problem I've got with 1st and 2nd gear.
Ive got the shifter and cables in and working. After that, I tried to run through the gears. The gear lever won't go right over to the left, ie. it can't engage the 1st or 2nd gears. If i remove the cables from the tranny, then the shifter moves around fine, so it's not the cables or the shifter itself. It has something to do with the gearbox, something is locking it out of getting into 1st and 2nd. You can physicly hear a knocking noise when you try to move it over, and it's not fouling anything in the area. Any ideas?

azz419 · 07-15-2005, 05:03 AM

where did u get your gearbox from? i know camry gearboxes had problems with synchroniser cones making them jump out of gear, but as for going into gear, i'm not so sure if they have anything to do with it, but they did have a problem with synchros, or your selectors are U/S ...

JetspeedCamry · 07-15-2005, 05:10 AM

I got the box from a reputable wreckers. It was fully rebuilt when I got it.
I tested it on the stand before it went in, and all was perfect. The only thing ive done since, is test fit one of the driveshafts and twirled it around a bit to see if it engaged the splines and span the diff gear, and install the box..so it's got me stumped!

JetspeedCamry · 07-15-2005, 06:59 AM

Ok, i was trying some more fiddling trying to work out why this feels so weird.
Could it be possible that the H pattern on the E153 is smaller/narrower and it "feels" like its not going in, but it is? I was fiddling with the arms on the box a bit more and it seems like theres a full 5 gears and R, but on the shifter, it won't go all the way over to the left, because the transmission lever stops.

Its like this,

Normal box, from say a 3SFE Camry (S5 watever it is!)

What it feels like with this E153

Could it be that the shiftlever isn't really designed for this box, and thus, it seems its not going into gear, but it is, there simply closer together?

Weird.

azz419 · 07-15-2005, 08:51 AM

there is an easy way to find out, if you have driveshafts in and engine running, is to try it, with the wheels jacked up off the ground, then listen how fast they rotate whilst trying different gears.

JetspeedCamry · 07-15-2005, 08:57 AM

Thats what a friend told me to do. He said it's the only way to find out without pulling it all out again. So I think I just put it together like its all fine, and hope for the best!
It's not that hard to remove the X-members again if I have to remove it!

da_horse · 07-15-2005, 12:28 PM

JSC, try taking off the side spring on the shifter housing, or that actual part that controls the side to side swing. it might be as you said that the e153 has a different shift length. By doing this you will be able to determine if its the side plates being to short or not. give me a buzz if you're not sure on what i said. (i've taken the shifter apart too many times now

Cheers

JetspeedCamry · 07-16-2005, 03:58 AM

Problem found!

Ends up that the bottom shift cable location, which is in the bracket, is too far forward. I DID actually have 1st and 2nd gear, and i had 3rd and 4th...I actually didnt have 5th and Reverse!!

. The point where the cable sits in the bracket must be brought backwards by about 10mm, which i will proboly do with shims or something. I tested it while someone held the cable in the correct position, and it works spot on! So, this problem has been solved!.

A pic of what I mean....

Thanks for all the help!

fredk · 07-16-2005, 04:12 PM

so jetspeed, when i get the e153 out of the junkyard camry, i better get the cables and shifter also?

JetspeedCamry · 07-16-2005, 09:25 PM

Well that all depends if they will work with a Gen 2... The cables and shifter I got is from a Gen 2, the gearbox (and that bracket) are from a Gen 3. I don't think the Gen 3 shifter will work on the Gen 2, unless you drill and tap holes. And the cables, could be longer or whateva, so yeah, you'd have to just play around a bit. But that bracket is definetly not correct for the lower cable, so it has now been cut back 15mm and rewelded, looks like it wasnt even touched! Ill post pics in my other thread.