The down for R or 1 is not done in the tranny itself but inside the
front shifter box under the front floor.

The Syncro tranny won't simply bolt into an 84 body. What you likely
have is the front shifter parts from the 84 4-speed mated to the 83
5-speed tranny.

The 5 speed front shifter is completely different than the 4 speed or
Syncro shifters and that is the reason it is different, to allow
shifting between 1-5 without pushing down for any of them. The Syncro
front shifter is almost identical to the 4 speed shifter and so they
behave about the same as far as most people can tell, at least after the
parts get some wear to them.

All of the 5 speed trannys have a low 1st gear. In the diesel version
that is combined with a low r&p. The Syncro 1st is much much lower than
the 5 speed 1st and not meant for much use. The Syncro reverse is the
same extremely low gear as 1st. In Syncros 1st is called G gear. In
Syncros they made the shifter require down for both R and G so you could
quickly shift between R and G back and forth to rock out of a stuck
situation.

Mark

Don Hanson wrote:
> I may have a syncro 5-sp trans in my 84 then, cause it seems to want 'down'
> for first and for reverse.  Also, my first is an almost  granny gear...I
> hardly ever use it unless I am stopped on a steepish hill and have to start
> or if I am on a really rough road and need to go slowly...My first winds-out
> at about 10mph,  and it seems like a waste of time to use it during a normal
> start..If I do use first to start out. I am shifting about half way
> through the intersection after a stop signal...
>    Curiosity leads me to ask if there is a way to determine which tranny I
> have..a number on the case or something...?
>
>    I guess one of those lable makers might help out "guest-drivers"...Put a
> sticker on the dash, "Down for Reverse" maybe
>    Don Hanson
>
> On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 5:27 PM, mark drillock<mdrillock@cox.net>  wrote:
>
>> Syncro - down for 1 and R
>> 5 speed - down for R only
>> 4 speed - down for R only
>>
>> None indicate down on the knob.
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>>