1st Gear Grind

[solara90]

how about the free travel of your clutch pedal?

[solara90]

double post.... FAIL

[chriscarter]

Does your clutch engage higher or lower in the range of travel? In other words, does the car start moving when the clutch pedal is closer to the floor or closer to the top of its range? Check your clutch hydraulics too, as someone else suggested. Be aware that a clutch master cylinder can bypass internally and not leak, but also not push the slave cylinder properly. I've heard a number of Toyota clutches that creak or squeak.....means the release arm pivots are dry.....not much you can do without dropping the gearbox......probably not the cause of your problem unless the clutch is worn out.

Re: first gear synchros - unless the car has been driven hard and someone has made a habit of downshifting all the way to 1st gear for a few years, they're probably OK.....even if they're not, huge pain in the @ss to repair.

So - check gearbox oil level (I like synthetics) and make sure you're using 75W90, not the 90W140 that is also available. Check clutch hydraulics.......and hold the clutch in for 1 second before moving the shifter into first.