Since day one my manual tranny had an issue in 3rd gear. Shifting is a little tricky, you have to hold it til it clicks in, if not the shifter goes nuts and you feel/hear some heavy grindage. When shifting into reverse it goes CLUNK and can actually feel it.... I'm wondering iff it's going bad or if it's the linkage?

I would later buy a replacement, but I'm not sure if I need one specifically for a 4x4 and these transmissions seem hard to find!

 

you should be able to swap the tail housings. my buddy did that with his manual trans in his s-10 and gained an electronic overdrive.

 

Sounds like the 3rd gear syncro is gone.

 

I'd imagine the syncro is gone. Not worth fixing. Just learn to double-clutch.

 

What is "double clutch"? It drives in 3rd gear as I said. Just a bit tricky.

Does anyone know what vehicles I can get a tranny from? Can a get one from a 2nd gen?

Shadow, can you explain a little more? Thanx guys..

Damn

My truck has so many problems it's insane. Part of me wants to sell it, but I know I wont get what I want for it.

 

Try this: When upshifting, clutch in, shift to neutral, clutch out, clutch in, shift to third. When downshifting, clutch in, shift to neutral, rev engine to about where you estimate the engine sped will fall when the shift is completed, clutch in, complete shift to either second or first. Cars were made without syncros for years, and in fact many lorry's are still the same way.

 

Thanx. I looked it up and got a lil more info. At the moment it's functioning but it does make me worried about going on the freeway here in california the roads and freeways are packed. this trucks gonna have to make do, I have no other alternative and don't have the money for a transmission. Sucks man.

My input/output shafts need to be replaced aswell. And my engine will eventually need to be replaced. Do you guys think it's worth finding another tranny? What kinda $ am I looking at?

 

this is if you get another trans. if you can find one out of a 2wd dakota you might be able to swap the tailhousings, so you can get your 4wd back.
my friend took a tailhousing off a turbo 350 trans with overdrive and put it on his manual transmission and got an overdrive. but it acts up and he has to force it into od

 

I've had this same problem in a stick that I had... and double clutching didn't do anything for me personally... but what Apple hugger alluded to helped get it in gear:

"When downshifting, clutch in, shift to neutral, rev engine to about where you estimate the engine sped will fall when the shift is completed"

This is called rev matching and helps ease the job of the sychro's, so just make sure: whenever you're about to put it into third gear... that the RPMs (while you're clutched in) is approximately the RPM it will stay at once you're clutched out and in gear.
This is give or take 200 RPM, but the closer you get the easier it should go in