What's the shift pattern on a 1980 Toyota pickup?

August 4, 2009 5:14 PM

What's the shift pattern on a 1980 Toyota pickup? The 4-speed shifter, not the 4WD.
posted by attercoppe to travel & transportation (13 comments total)

One up-left, two down-left, three up-right, four down-right.
posted by peewinkle at 5:19 PM on August 4

Oh, Reverse is far-up-right, you have to lightly pull up on the shifter to get it to engage into reverse.
posted by peewinkle at 5:22 PM on August 4

Hmmm...reverse is far right, then down around the 4WD shifter (this I'm sure of). Which makes me think the pattern would be the opposite of what you've said. Driving it just now was crazy - it seemed to be one way, then the other.
posted by attercoppe at 5:45 PM on August 4

There is a bushing in the L43 that goes bad and causes sloppy shifting. You can get improved non OEM replacements and it's pretty easy to replace, just a few bolts from the top of the transmission. However the housing itself can wear and that requires building it up and then filing to fit.
posted by Mitheral at 6:39 PM on August 4

Something's wrong with the linkage, bro. Get under there and check it out.
posted by notsnot at 6:54 PM on August 4

It's not shifting sloppily or slipping out of gear - I just can't tell which gear is first. I can take off from a dead stop in either first or second (whichever is which) but the other of the two seemed at different times to be higher and lower. I've only ever driven one other manual with any regularity, and am still getting used to this one - I want to be doing it properly as I get familiar with it.
posted by attercoppe at 8:51 PM on August 4

While I'm sure there are some exotic exceptions (like racecars), nearly all manual transmission/stick-on-the-floor passenger vehicles have the same shift pattern for the forward gears. If your pickup is any different, I'll buy you a beer or coffee. The pattern is this:

1   3    
|   |    
|___N____
|   |    |
|   |    |
2   4    R

There is no bloody chance that it's the other way around. In fact, as I recall driving in England (for two days), even with the driver's seat on the other side, it was still the same.

Furthermore, this expands to cars with more gears, too: all the odd gears go along the top, and all the even gears go along the bottom. A six speed has 1-3-5 on the top, with 3 above N; and 2-4-6 on the bottom, with 4 below N. The location of reverse is up to the manufacturer and is the only part that isn't standard.

If you're sure things are mechanically sound, and it's still feeling funny, I might suggest that you're simply learning about torque bands. The gasoline engine does not produce the same amount of torque over its entire RPM range (which is why electric motors are far better). If you start out in first gear, but the engine's around 300rpm or something, it's going to lug and sputter and feel very much like you're starting out in third gear at 2500rpm.

Another thing that you should keep in mind is that you should not be carefully considering and selecting the gears. Especially if your car has synchros (and I can't imagine that a 1980 pickup wouldn't). The transmission is designed to give you the correct gear at the correct time.

You want first gear at a stop sign? Just jam the lever as far left as it goes, and push forward. You want second gear, ride the left-hand side as you jam the thing backward. Third gear, let off all left/right tension and push forward. Four gear is my favorite... just pull straight back.

This honestly works better if you don't think about it. Just jam it in the right direction. In fact, all of the racing material I've read, and my own experience, suggests that you make your shifts as straight lines. You push or pull in a straight line toward the gear, and let the gates take care of putting it in the right gear.
posted by Netzapper at 11:16 PM on August 4

While I'm sure there are some exotic exceptions (like racecars), nearly all manual transmission/stick-on-the-floor passenger vehicles have the same shift pattern for the forward gears. If your pickup is any different, I'll buy you a beer or coffee.

My 1983 Toyota Landcruiser FJ60 with the stock 4-speed H42 transmission has the reverse on the left and down:

     1   3
     |   |
     |   |
     |   |
 ____|___|
 |   |   |
 |   |   |
 |   |   |
 R   2   4

pb, mathowie, thank you so much for live preview!

If you're wondering where 1st gear is, though, I've never seen a car where first gear wasn't on the upper left. You may be accidentally getting third when you're going for first--that would explain the different feel sometimes. I do that every once in a while.

Also every once in a while I accidentally start to shift into reverse when I'm aiming for second; try not to do that. Makes a horrible grinding noise. There's a spring loaded interlock of sorts so you can feel when you're headed into reverse territory, but if you're shifting hard and fast and pulling it more to the left you (I) may miss the feel.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 9:21 AM on August 5

I learned to drive in a 1980 Toyota pickup, and I can confirm that Netzapper's map is correct.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:02 AM on August 5

Tangential anecdote: some European sport sedans had a dogleg gearbox, where R and 1st are respectively in the top-left and bottom-left positions.
posted by a halcyon day at 10:11 AM on August 5

My 1983 Toyota Landcruiser FJ60 with the stock 4-speed H42 transmission has the reverse on the left and down:

As I said, the location of reverse is up to the manufacturer and varies widely. The map only applies to the forward gears, really.

I don't owe you a beer.

Tangential anecdote: some European sport sedans had a dogleg gearbox, where R and 1st are respectively in the top-left and bottom-left positions.

I'm actually surprised by the number of cars on that wiki page. All of those Porsches.

Do you know if it was only on the European trim, or also the American trim?
posted by Netzapper at 12:00 PM on August 5

Netzapper (and mudpuppie) FTW! No beer for me. But much easier driving. Getting used to the stiff accelerator and the different clutch now, it's working great!
posted by attercoppe at 1:51 PM on August 5

The 200SX sold in Canada had a dogleg transmission (thanks a halcyon day that had been driving me crazy; I knew there was an alternative shift pattern). I didn't find it weird at the time having driven trucks featuring L in the top left. My friend's girlfriend who he taught to drive in his 200SX though I understand had a bit of a moment when she first drove her parent's car.

Also, though not what Netzapper was talking about, I think all column shift manuals are dogleg; even the four speeds.
posted by Mitheral at 1:53 PM on August 5