Transmission Swap Economics

[ggunder]

I have the 4-speed removed from my '72 and was planning on installing my Craigslist find $100 5-speed from a '77 280Z. It is a lot of work, so I decided to have the 5-speed checked out before installation. The shop charged $131 to open it up and inspect it and estimated it would cost $1,500 to rebuild it. As an option they found one for $900 with the old transmission as a core. If I take this option I am into the project $100 + $131 + $900 = $1,131. Any ideas or alternatives? I am located near Sacramento and travel on business weekly to the bay area.

Thanks for your input on this. Gary

[Duffman]

As a comparison, I just had new bearings and synchros replaced in my 83 5 speed trans, casing cleaned and painted, and the flywheel turned for $680 in Phoenix. Like new!

[Zed Head]

You went from $100 to $1100 or more just to be sure the installation work was worth the effort. Whoa. What kind of alternatives are you looking for, a cheaper place to get a rebuild or a better way to ensure that the 5 speed works once installed?

What did the shop find inside the transmission? Did they recommend a rebuild or just tell you what the cost would be? It might be fine as is.

You could probably find a whole car with a 5 speed, that you could actually test drive to evaluate the transmission performance, for less than $1100. If you don't need like new condition.

[olzed]

Did YOU get to drain the old oil. Was it coloured with flakes of metal.?

If the oil came out clean, you should be OK.

As Zed said. there might be nothing wrong with it. Fit the tranny and see. If it's no good then get another.

Not a huge job.

[Jetaway]

You already have the 4-spd out so change the oil on the 5-spd and put it in. If it works, it works, if not, you'll find out before leaving your garage or very shortly thereafter and won't get stranded far away from home.

Side note: The garage charged you 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours of labor to "look inside" the 5-spd? That they didn't have to pull from the car? Seems to me that for that kind of money they could give you a much better handle on what parts need to be replaced.

Chris

[Zed Head]

You can at least run it through the gears out of the car and listen for grinding bearings. Wiggle the shafts and see if they're tight. Replace the seals.

Did the shop give a written estimate, or mention any damage?

[olzed]

I fitted an untested five speed 11 years ago, and it's still going strong.

Found another for 100 bucks at Pic a Part still in a car. Drained the oil, which came out like clear honey.

Couldn't get that out quick enough.

[cygnusx1]

Don't get robbed. A FULL rebuild kit for these costs $150. You can get used ones, as you know, for $100-$200 all day long. It takes little time to swap one out. You are better off taking a chance. Follow the advice above, shift it, spin the input shaft in all the gears and listen for grinding sounds. Check the drain plug magnet for chunks. Metal "fuzz" is normal on the magnet, metal chunks is a bad sign. Change the oil seals and the two speedometer pinion seals.

[ggunder]

They said they would reassemble and change the front cover gasket and seals (which I supplied) for another $131, so the total bill would be $262. At this point I kind of wonder if they can be trusted to even do that. No written estimate, but they said in needed sycro rings, bearings and ship levers. I can go pick it up in a box for $131.

The story on the transmission is that it was stored (vertically) for a long time and did not have any gear oil in it. It was pulled from a wrecked vehicle to be used as a spare for a guy who used to race. The drain plug was really stuck, but when I got open it had some goo on it, but no metal on the drain magnet. It did not come with a shifter.

Thanks for the very good advice, now back out to see if I can reinstall the oil pan (leaking gasket), remove and replace the rear main seal and remove the pilot bushing!

Gary

[Zed Head]

I would go get it in a box, soon so that parts don't get lost, bring it home, take pictures and post them here. The plug might have been cleaned when the fluid was drained so no clues on condition there.

You can take the shifter out of your 72, from inside the car, to test the 5 speed. The shifters will interchange. It's just a clip, and a pin and it pops out. The hardest part is not dropping the clip or having it fly out and hit you in the eye.

The parts the shop mentioned are standard full rebuild parts, but the shift forks rarely need work. Sounds like they just quoted you a full, like-new, rebuild cost. It's not Aamco is it? I worked at an Aamco for a summer and their modus operandi is to rebuild everything that drives on to the lot, whether it needs it or not. It's corporate policy.

[jeanp]

datsun parts will sell you a 5 speed rebuilt for 730$ shipping is 250$

They can give you all the ratios there. a 4 speed tranny have a ratio on 4th speed of 1 to 1 same as the fourth speed on a

5 speed. You will hae an overdrive of i think .76 ratio.

[Powderkeg]

Gary,

I had mine done by:

Manual Transmission Warehouse-Sacramento

(916) 441-2712 Owner: Richard

1220 C Street

Between 12th & 13th

Rebuilt Z with Nissan parts "Nachi" brand bearings

60 Days/6000 miles warranty

650.00 + tax = 738.00

This was in 2004 and the transmission still runs flawlessly.

Dave Ruiz