NOS 300zx 5 Speed Transmission

[Bugeye]

Ok so my instructor and I were talking about our datsuns today, I was telling him I wanted to put a 5 speed into my 620 and he says we have a ton in storage (our college used to be a nissian program) all of the 5 speeds from the trucks have been ripped apart and but back together so many times that the gears fall off and I really didnt want one of those, then he tells me he wasnt gonna give me one of them...so i got a little upset, then this fucker goes over to a shipping crate (the black plastic ones they ship transmissions in) and says this one is yours, never been out of the crate...it was still sealed (until I opened it) A brand new 300zx 5 speed. Is it possible to make this trans work with an L20 or should I just try and sell it?

[Skib]

there are a few people who have gotten Z32 trannys to mate to L6 motors with a custom built plate. What year 300zx is it from?

[Bugeye]

not sure, gotta look into it more tomorrow

[Skib]

because a Z32 one has been made to fit but idk about a Z31 trans

[Hyphy]

Find manufacturer stampings and model numbers. The trick to getting the trany to mate is in the bell housing and clutch/flywheel mating. You can make almost anything work.....if you want it bad enough...lol

[Skib]

Heres the Z32 trans write up from HybridZ

http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=113143

[datzenmike]

Posta picture. There were three trannys for the '84-'89? 300zx. If it's an '86 up non turbo it's possible. POST PIX of it!

[Bugeye]

I still have to dig it way out of the storage room, but when I get a chance to get pics I will

[datzenmike]

FS5R90A Also known as the Borg/Warner T-5 used on the 300zx turbo from '84-'86. Barely able to handle the inline six, poor choice for the VG.

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/Tranny/trannyFS5R90AZ3184-86turbo.jpg[/img]"]

 

FS5W71C Stronger than the FS5R90A used on '86 and up non turbo tranny cars.

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/Tranny/transFS5W71Cnonturbo84-88Z31.jpg[/img]"]

 

FS5R30A Vastly improved over the FS5R90A tranny for use on the '87 and up turbo VG motors.

 

Can't find my picture of it but it is a monster!!!

[Hyphy]

Is the 30A different much from the 90A in terms of shifter location and output spline? I ask because I currently have the 90A from my donor and a new tranny is likely not immediately necessary, but something to keep in mind if/when i need to replace it.

[nismopu]

I am not a 100% believer the r90a is as weak as everyone states it is. The r90a I currently have in my car lasted the abuse I put through in HS and is now behind a much more powerful vg setup. Granted, i dont bang gears in my car that hard nor do I do any clutch dumps but I do like to push the loud pedal out of corners and do freeway pulls quite often. Of course some believe that the 300zx turbo r90a is a WC transmission. I haven't ever verified if it is or not maybe this next time I have it out I will run the numbers.

 

Oh and output splines and input splines should be the same however r30a shaft diameters are usually larger, far as shifter locations go it really depends on the r30a; there's about four different versions. peace.

[72240z]

I am not a 100% believer the r90a is as weak as everyone states it is.

 

I agree, I have seen this tranny 1st hand take 300hp beatings on a daily basis and be fine, just wore faster. I would love to know how it got this bad wrap. It is imo just as strong as the nissan counter parts and even if a little less so the HUGE parts availability more then makes up for it.

 

You can build one bullet proof to any gear ratio you like with off the shelf parts sold in america. You can do shifter upgrades like the nice gated ones they sell that completely change the feel of the tranny. Hell even TVR uses a t5.

 

I'm not saying its the best trans I'd just love to see someone say the same for any nissan trans of the same time period.

 

Personally I wouldn't go through the trouble of adapting unless its a z32, which like skip said they have off the shelf adapters already available. If its a t5 you can use the bell housing from the s130 t5 on the z31 t5 since it's nos I guess it would be worth it but I'm fairly certain the imput/output shafts are dif spline counts. You could just swap the spline from a z31 DS to w/e L series one your using, pretty sure they are the same size (cut and weld otherwise) and you can use a z31 clutch with the bigger datsun flywheel, I think the one off the 2+2. If its a nissan trans I wouldn't bother, I'd sell it and build a trans that would bolt up. Much rather put the money into the tranny then getting it to bolt up.

 

The z32 5 speed uses a shifter extension and none of the z31's do. That's the easiest way to tell them apart.

Edited May 14, 2009 by 72240z

[nismopu]

S130 t-5 enters some sort of weird grey area amongst the others. Mustangs,comaros, and 300zx all share the same input shaft length. However the zxt input shaft length is almost 2" shorter than the others listed above. Go figure. Also, spline counts are all the same for nissans of the 80's era on the input shafts.

[DRIVEN]

Is it possible to make this trans work with an L20 or should I just try and sell it?

 

Nope. Not a chance. You'd better give it to me. I'll "dispose" of it properly.

[hang_510]

A brand new 300zx 5 speed. Is it possible to make this trans work with an L20 or should I just try and sell it?

 

anything is po$$ible (like just giving it to me :P )

 

i say swap in a VG30 and then you know itll mate ;)

[b210in]

sell it and buy the one that does not require an adapter. a lot simpler.