Tranny info here plz!

[learnerZpermit]

:lick: im new to the z's , where are the tranny codes so i can know what year of 5spd i have? are all five speed's the same? how do i know which one i have? the 5 spd. i have now is VERY close ratio, i shift so much my arm hurts..j/k

also, will any clutch/flywheel assembly fit? or will i need a specific year? its an L28 block, if that helps any?

[seerex]

http://www.geocities.com/zgarage2001/z.html

I think there were only two for the us market but i could wrong this is a great website on the trannys

[learnerZpermit]

actually there are three 5spd trannies. 77-80,and 81-83 and the t5 from the turbo z.

[seerex]

ahh yes the infamous T5

[ZSaint]

Welcome "learner". Now you know all there is to know about Datsuns trannies: They have sooo many different flywheel, clutch arm, t/o bearing, t/o collars, clutch pedestals and slave cylinder combos, no one actually knows what fits with what. You just need to try and get all of the same pieces "if you can". 280Z uses 280Z stuff. When you are putting a 280Z or ZX into an older Z, you need to use all 280 stuff. I am trying to put a 5-speed into my '71 Z. I need a 280Z t/o bearing-collar. It does not work properly. I did what everyone told me to do but it does not work, yet. I will figure it out, eventually.

I have a '83 Maxima 5-speed tranny. I wanted this tranny because it has the longer O/D 5th gear. I wanted the long gear for freeway travel. I have a R200 L/S 3.9 diff. I believe the 77-80 trannies had a .84 O/D and my tanny has a .76 O/D. I may be off on these numbers but you get the picture.

What is your diff ratio? If you are constantly shifting, it sounds like you have a shorter rear end ratio. Maybe a higher gear is in order?

[Carl Beck]

http://www.geocities.com/zgarage2001/z.html

I think there were only two for the us market but i could wrong this is a great website on the trannys

Actually that chart is quite misleading and incorrect according to our research (and the Factory Service Manuals).

Where it shows only one gear set for the 240-Z - there were two. 69-71 Type "A" tranny and 72/73 Type "B" tranny.

Where it shows "260Z" .. that tranny was actually used 72 though 76 for the 240Z, 260 and 280Z's with 4 speeds.

Where it shows 280a and 280B... again it is incomplete.

learnerZpermit: -

There are Four different 5spd transmissions found in 280Z and 280ZX's.

77-79, 80, 81-83 and the T5 in the turbo's.

I think the charts on the Z Car Home Page are correct- As they were reviewed and verified by several of our members with extensive race/rebuild and hands on experience, in addition to information published in the Factory Service Manuals.

<a href=http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/GearRatios.html TARGET=NEW> http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/GearRatios.html</a>

To answer your question - there is no way to tell which transmission you have from looking at the external case. The only way to tell is open the tranny can count teeth on the gears, or turn the input shaft and count rotations on the output shaft.

FWIW,

Carl B.

Carl Beck

Clearwater, FL USA

http://ZHome.com

[Carl Beck]

Welcome "learner". Now you know all there is to know about Datsuns trannies: They have sooo many different flywheel, clutch arm, t/o bearing, t/o collars, clutch pedestals and slave cylinder combos, no one actually knows what fits with what. You just need to try and get all of the same pieces "if you can". 280Z uses 280Z stuff. When you are putting a 280Z or ZX into an older Z, you need to use all 280 stuff.

Hi ZSaint (everyone):

First you say "no one" knows what fits with what - but then you seem to know - because you give good advice...ie simply use all the same pieces - I believe you mean a complete package of clutch disc, pressure plate, clutch fork, throw-out bearing collar, clutch slave and matching transmission from the same model year.. when doing the swap.

I believe this subject gets very confusing, very rapidly in part because we all use indirect references, mix terms, and fail to be very specific when we discuss this subject. For example what is "280Z stuff" and what "same pieces" are you talking about? {I'm using your example but we all tend to use the same shorthand all too often, myself included.}

Too often we also seem to want short easy answers to subjects that require longer and far more detailed discussions. There are so many things that can go wrong during one of these swaps, that it would take a booklet to document them and warn prospective newbie's about how to avoid them...

Again for an example:

You order one part from the Parts Catalog - but you received the wrong part from the vendor to begin with.

You get all the parts from the original installation - and all the new/used parts needed.. but in the process you get them mixed up!!! {ie... now which throw-out bearing collar came from which car?...}

You take a part out of a junk yard car - but have no way of knowing it was the correct part to begin with - who knows what some PO put in there? {maybe the car is in the junk yard because the PO couldn't get it to shift gears to begin with}

You order a 240-Z clutch from the Nissan Dealer - and the Parts Counterman fails to tell you that it is a "replacement part" - not the "as built" part. {you order a 240Z pressure plate, but when it comes in, it is really a 280Z pressure plate because they quite supplying the original height 240-Z part years ago}

Your advice to "use all the same pieces" is valid - but then the person has to know the specifications of all the pieces, to verify he is in fact getting what is required, and that he is in fact matching them up correctly.

I am trying to put a 5-speed into my '71 Z. I need a 280Z t/o bearing-collar. It does not work properly. I did what everyone told me to do but it does not work, yet. I will figure it out, eventually.

You most likely did - what you thought everyone told you to... but you most likely don't know for certain because of the compounding factors exampled above. Then on top of that, you have to have the clutch pedal adjusted correctly, the correct slave cylinder that is providing the correct travel/length etc.

I have a '83 Maxima 5-speed tranny. I wanted this tranny because it has the longer O/D 5th gear. I wanted the long gear for freeway travel. I have a R200 L/S 3.9 diff. I believe the 77-80 trannies had a .84 O/D and my tanny has a .76 O/D. I may be off on these numbers but you get the picture.

Throw in a "Maxima" or "truck" transmission - and all bets are off. They could be quite different in terms of bell housing and tail shaft housings, the position of the clutch fork etc etc.

Also - if the point is that you want the highest over-drive ratio - then the 1981/83 280ZX 5spd. has an 0.745 overdrive 5th. {the 77-79 5spd.s had a 0.864 5th gear}

What is your diff ratio? If you are constantly shifting, it sounds like you have a shorter rear end ratio. Maybe a higher gear is in order?

Good point...

FWIW,

Carl

Carl Beck

Clearwater, FL USA

http://ZHome.com

[ZSaint]

Carl, you amaze me with your knowledge. I used to know all of the ratios of the 'comp' direct-drive 5-speed. I remember getting one from Datsun to run in my 510. I had a couple of them for my 280Z's. We had a special high 1st gear for Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca. It was worth .2 of a second at the top of the hill at R/A and about the same a Laguna. That was a long time ago and I have lost all of that info from my memory bank. I barely remember .008/.010 valve adjustment! I did time the new cam in my 3.0 engine. It had been 20 years since I did one but it all came back once I got all of the equipment. I sold all of this stuff when I sold my last Datsun. I had a box of lash pads that was worth a fortune. Wonder what that guy did with all of that stuff. He also got 4 L/S diffs. We do crazy things when we call it quits. The guy got everything he needed to run the car for a long time. Hope he used it.

Oh yeah, the clutch. (I digress!) I will continue to adjust the pedal and the clutch rod until I get some clutch clearance. It will work out. I've got the time.