this is a truck for sale that i have been going back and forth with. he says if you dont take it easy shifting into 3rd it will grind. but if you "know" how to shift it, its fine. what kind of repair is this? estimated repair cost? can you drive the truck like this, long term, once i get the hang of it? i have not driven the truck, its 10 hours driving away. the truck supposed to have a little over 100,000 mi too.

 

New bearings, shims and synchros from zbag.com right now will run you about $250. If you have the tools and ability to rebuild a getrag thats how much you will have in it. If not, to pay someone else to rebuild it, it could run anywhere from $1600-$2000, not counting if you have the shop R&R the tranny.

 

i can t do the work, and dont have that money for repair. how about driving it like that, assuming i can shift it without it catching at all? does it just eventually get worse? what is the cause? thanks

 

The 'Rags don't have the best reputation for durability or longevity. If you plan on keeping that truck for a while then you should probably plan on rebuilding your tranny a few times.

That being said, that wouldn't keep me from buying this truck if it is in good shape.

 

Im thinkin;
Change the lube. Do the over fill with Mobil 10/30 out lined in the sticky. If it has a load of junk lube in it this should help a lot.
I always double clutch when the drive train is cold. Concentrating on gettin real good at stabin pedals and pullin levers is a big advantage all by its self. Dont try to force it in to gear.

 

That sounds like normal G360 shifting behavior to me. Put a good synchromesh fluid in it and just shift it slow. Give the synchros a second to spin up and grab the next gear. They are not made for rowing the gears like a race car.

 

Mobile 1 5w30 works well for me. A big improvement over whatever was in it when I bought mine. 3rd is the hardest gear to get into usually.(atleast on mine) When shifting as said in many other threads on thit topic: "remember the three "S's"
SLOW
SMOOTH
STRAIGHT

 

when my dad bought the truck in my sig in 2000, we immediatly noticed the 3rd gear "grind". Its all about how you shift. The same tranny is still in the truck, with another 100k on it as my main driver . FWIW, my old man drug his bobcat 773, about 5 attatchments on a gn around for about 6 years, no tranny issues. I put a valvoline synthetic in and it helped a good bit. 11 bucks at wallyworld.

 

I agree, my third gear has always been touchy, but out of the 3 S's I'd take the SLOW out. I position my hand below the handle so I have less leverage and more speed, so it isn't being forced, but when the synchros mesh/line up it just 'flicks' into gear with a snappy motion. If I try to sorta mush it slowly into third I will always feel a notchy grind. And definitely don't hesitate or stop the shift motion halfway into the shift, continuing from that halt will definitely grind your hand.

 

3rd scrapes a lot in mine downshifting, too, if I rush the shift. When I double clutch and rev back up to around 2 grand, it goes in smooth. I rebuilt my Getrag about 15,000 miles ago with new synchros, bearings, etc., set it up according to the rebuild manual. and used a synchromesh oil in it.

 

thanks all for the solid advice. i might commit to the drive (10hrs to test drive) if the catch in 3rd were the only issue.
this is also a non intercooler model. i currently have the truck listed in my sig, (94 4x4 5spd with 170K) and would essentially would be trading for the 1st gen. and for no other reason than the look of the 1st gen and the girlfriend thinks the bench seats of 1st gens are way more comfortable for long trips. plus the paint on this one for sale is 'pretty' (really, its in sweet condition, compared to my 94 which has almost no paint on it) with all due respect to 1st gen owners do you think the 94 is a better truck considering the non intercooled, the getrag vs nv4500, and the couple of grand i put into little things here and there over the last year?

 

I think all of us that still own the first gens do it because we prefer them for one reason or another. Maybe it is because they are the last real truck that didn't get econo engineered from the ground up in 1980 because of Chry filing CH 11. Maybe it is because the true 4x4 enthusiasts appreciate a passenger drop heavy duty kingpin front axle.......

But because enough time has gone by most of the people here can afford a 2nd gen 'upgrade' financially as before it wasn't the case. There are many owners like myself here that could easily drive in to a dodge dealer, sign on the dotted line and drive off with a brand new truck, but we still prefer the first gens.

Maybe this one isn't for you for whatever reason, but I knew that when I pulled up with my wife (gf at the time) to see the '89 she blurted out "oh that's cute!" I knew I was an owner...

Another thing is though, we do probably have the largest contingent of younger owners that have 1st gens simply because they are cheaper. This always adds to the flare and ingenuity here as well. I'm always impressed with the imagination and fab skills of younger folks (born in the late '80s) - that along with their enthusiasm is always welcome.

But all that being said, I see you're from santa cruz... There is no shortage of local first gens that pop up on the california Craigslists... If this one is too far away or isn't the perfect one, another will surely become available soon. /ramble off

 

Notchy shifting into 3rd gear seems pretty common. I have noticed it on my truck when it is cold and the trans has not warmed up. Using a syncromesh fluid helps a lot.

 

Depends on what your plans for the truck are. If you want a 500 HP truck, stick with the '94. The 1st gen seats are more comfortable, but if the 1st gen is a 4X4 the ride sure isn't.

If you like doing your own work, you will really appreciate the accessibility and simplicity of the 1st gen. It's nice not having half the engine under the cowl...

For a low budget play truck, it is hard to beat the non-intercooled trucks. Some pump tweaking and a 3200 RPM spring turns them into smoky little monsters that will beat the pants off a new stock truck.

 

I notice the same thing when shifting into 4th! How many qrts of gear oil should be used! I put Royal purple syncromax. I like it! But I only put in it what it would hold from the fill plug! So I need to pull the shifter and add. But how much???? Thanks, Robert