It's my first time on the board. I just bought an '82 4x4 pickup last night. It's got a few problems. First off the transmission won't shift into fifth at all. The shifter will move into the fifth slot but it doesn't catch or grind or do anything. Any ideas on that one? As a former Suzuki enthusiast I know that every vehicle has "common" problems and stuff that every owner should know about. Can you guys let me in on the "need to know" stuff.Thanks. I'm looking forward to becoming an addict to another 4x4 forum.

i had the same thing happen on a 92 chebby S-10 i owned with the 5th gear thing....i never bothered to find out why. sorry....if someone with good knowledge on trannies doesnt chime in, my advice would be find out what kind of trans it is, and find the local u-pull-it junkyard and grab yourself one, shouldnt be much more than 300

on the need to know stuff

1. top post in the forum is the FSM this =holy writ for repair and maintenence

2. read and pay heed to everything engnbldr posts, he is a retired machinist and has prolly forgotten more than most folks on here know, he also sells high quality engine parts for the 22re, if thats what you have. get a cam!

3. if you plan on off roading the truck, make sure you have emergency supplies and equipment and recovery gear, that is the #1 modification....nothin like bein high centered on foot thick ice with 2 feet of water swirling around the truck when its 17 degrees in january on a sunday, in the middle of the pine barrens.....(my brothers truck, he drives a dodge so that explains alot in itself)

4. this board is good for asking questions, and rarely if ever will people be rude to you or 'flame' you. the only dumb questions are ones that arent asked!

hope that helps you a little

Find out what tranny it is first... L45 or L50. One is a 5 speed, one is a 4 speed.

A P.O. could have changed the shift knob...

you can look here or here to help identify the tranny...
other things that are common w/shifting problems is the shifter seat here's a linky <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

I appreciate the help. I just found the 22R Carburetor FAQ post done by another member (sorry don't know his screenname yet). It was very well written and put together. Keep the good info coming!!

one more... Chock full of useful information
Roger's WebSite
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Regarding common problems:

Usually the front axle seals are worn out. The front knuckles should be relatively free of grease on the outside. The bearings usually need repacking. Check to see if the front bearings are loose by wiggling the front wheels top to bottom.

The front axle on early trucks is not as tough as some people think, and it can be bent leading to a pull in the steering. Later axle housings have a gusset to address this problem.

Usually the clutch pedal has to go all the way to the floor to work. The clutch master cylinder usually needs replacing or at least adjustment.

Oil leaks at head gasket is pretty common.

Warped exhaust manifold is common. Also heat shield between manifold and block is weak and can crack, leading to an exhaust leak. This part is NLA.

Damaged exhaust threads in the block is common. Make sure exhaust pipe is supported at the block near the oil pan.

Overheating is pretty common, and can typically be traced to a bad radiator. You might find pinhole leaks in the water pump housing.

The 22R engines need timing chain replacements at around 100K.

Rust in the frame and elsewhere is common.

Input shaft bearing on five speeds is a common problem.

Gas gauge malfunction is common.

Destroyed dash pad is common. Interior parts are pretty much unavailable.

Doug
80 4x4 Truck

Thanks for the advice. I think that I got a pretty decent truck for the age and price. It's running rough but I don't think anyone has done a tune-up on it for a long time. It runs rough like it has a vacuum leak at idle, and it struggles when only the primary is being used but once you hit the secondary you can definitely feel it. I'm excited that I can actually do 75 in the thing and have some power left over. My samurai would only do 75 with the pedal to the floor and drafting behind a big truck (which I don't condone doing of course). I can't wait to get it tuned up to see what it can really do.

Last night I checked out a few basic items on my truck to see what was causing it to run so rough. Found out that the choke is stuck open, and the mixture screw was almost all of the way backed out. A good 1/2" or more of the screw was showing!! I adjusted it and the idle screw and now it runs much better. I think I still have a vacuum leak of some sort because when I cover the inlet on the carb over partially with my hand it revs up quite a bit. Am I right in my thinking? By the way drainsbe, the clicky for Roger's Website isn't working, it says that the address is invalid. What is the URL for that site? Thanks.

Fixed the link in the post... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> thanx for the heads up... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />