datsunfish Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 I recently noticed a noise in the tranny in my 521.It sounds fine until I let off the gas pedal and begin to decelerate.It is perfectly matched to the speed of the vehicle.Sounds like a baseball card in bicycle spokes(anybody do this as a kid?)Lightly give it gas and it goes away.Upon inspection I found the tranny to be leaking out the rear shaft seal.No signs of a leak on the ground as it is spun onto the bottom of the truck and the road. I threw some fluid in there and it changed nothing.I got a new shaft seal but,since having issues with these trannies recently I dont know if I should trust it to get better or just replace it. I would have to take the dogleg out of the 620 unless somebody has a decent 4 speed. Quote Link to comment
lynchfourtwenty Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 mmmmm baseball card in the spokes... i was always the kid that ran the pop can over an did it that way.. but those 521 trannys and rear ends seem to blow alot.. i'd switch to a 620 or 280 tranny.. just my opinion.. its simple.. cheap.. and effective.. Quote Link to comment
lynchfourtwenty Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 oh shit your the guy from blue lake with the white 521 arent ya??? man you do have tranny problems dont ya.. that sux.. either way i'd upgrade to a newer style tranny.. Quote Link to comment
datsunfish Posted November 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 The newer long shaft tranny is not that simple in a 521.I stuffed a 620 5 in there once and it had absolutely no clearance for any sort of flex at all.The 4 speed is a bit skinnier than the 5 but either will relocate the shifter and make the cool stock shifter plate useless.I would also have to make a custom mount and switch to the short front drive shaft.The dogleg would also require a custom mount.maybe a stock 4 would hold up better if I took better care of it.I think I might take apart the one stuck in 4th and see whats up there. Quote Link to comment
lynchfourtwenty Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 yeah it was just a suggestion really.. i wasnt aware of the differences.. but all these 521's seem to have the same tranny / rear end issues Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 The newer long shaft tranny is not that simple in a 521.I stuffed a 620 5 in there once and it had absolutely no clearance for any sort of flex at all.The 4 speed is a bit skinnier than the 5 but either will relocate the shifter and make the cool stock shifter plate useless.I would also have to make a custom mount and switch to the short front drive shaft.The dogleg would also require a custom mount.maybe a stock 4 would hold up better if I took better care of it.I think I might take apart the one stuck in 4th and see whats up there. Never seen a seal heal itself. I once saw one not get worse.:D Well let's look at the good and the bad here: Do I replace with another 35 year old tranny? Do I replace with a notoriously weak dog leg? Do I want a 4 or 5 spd..... do I even need to ask? If I'm going to all the trouble of swapping a tranny, should I up grade? If I had a 620 5spd in there once ... should I do it again? Should I get an equally cool shifter plate from a 620, or move it back and fill in the difference. Quote Link to comment
lynchfourtwenty Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 hey now, i would take my 4speed over a 5 speed any day... some ask why.. well because unless i use a 620 5 speed or the right year 280 5 speed i loose acceleration.. which is not an option for me.. finding 620 5 speeds isnt easy from .. i rarely find a good one if i find one.. an they usually have stuff missing.. im content with my 4 speed.. if gas mileage is all i loose then so beit.. maybe one day when i find a decent 280 or 620 5 speed that everyone an they're mom hasnt molested i'll make the switch.. oh did i mention im poor.. Quote Link to comment
datsunfish Posted November 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 What I meant by getting better was the noise after replacing the seal and filling it up.Not the seal.I had the 620 ls 5 in there but never completed it after I dropped it on my finger getting 13 stitches.I sais fuck it at that point.I dont care if it is a 4 or 5.I wouldnt assume the dogleg is any worse than the short 4.After all I am only runnling a l16.I have never heard of issues with the rear end but tons of blowouts with the short 4. Quote Link to comment
dat521gatherer Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 i've replaces the rear end in my 521 only once. never had trouble with the 4 speeds. although it did whistle at a certain speed for many years and then the noise just went away. usually when a noise disappears it's a bad sign that it's about to get a lot worse.:eek:for me anyway. usually the biggest hassle for me ends up being the shifter slop. nope never heard of a tranny making that noise. Quote Link to comment
lynchfourtwenty Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 my shifters got more slop then a pig in a whore house... ok that sounded funny to me so hopefully it does to you guys.. either way its got ALOT of slop.. i do lots of hard shifting .. i will fix it one day if its lucky.. maybe.. anyone got an idea to rid me of the slop?? stock 77 620 4spd. Quote Link to comment
71-521 Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 II would have to take the dogleg out of the 620 unless somebody has a decent 4 speed. I'll trade ya a good 4speed for that dogleg you gots there:D Quote Link to comment
datsunfish Posted November 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 better yet Paul,I keep the dogleg and you sell me that 4 for cheap.Or trade? Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 Lynchfourtwenty pull the pin out at the bottom of gear shift lever. I installed a bolt inthere and it squeezes the EARS to hold the lever in better. thats about it any more slop you just got to live with it Quote Link to comment
Cruzn620 Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 my brass bushing was missing in my datto when i got it, so i had my friend at the machine shop press a new one in, but there is still a lot of slop...its just part of owning a beautiful old truck Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 Bronze shifter bushings will help with the slop. Datsunfish, do you get the same noise in all the gears under the same conditions or is it just 4th? Quote Link to comment
71-521 Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 better yet Paul,I keep the dogleg and you sell me that 4 for cheap.Or trade? check that..the 2 spares I have are for the 510...sorry Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 hey now, i would take my 4speed over a 5 speed any day... some ask why.. well because unless i use a 620 5 speed or the right year 280 5 speed i loose acceleration.. which is not an option for me.. .. Ooooh,... that's right. Those L20Bs need all the help they can get.:lol: Quote Link to comment
datsunfish Posted November 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 The noise is in all gears.Goes with the speed of the vehicle.Maybe not the tranny but it goes away a bit when out of gear or the clutch is engaged.As for shifter slop I have only had an issue with the short shaft 4 speed.New bushing and washers will help.So will a nice shifter boot. Good idea keeping some spares around Paul.What did you end up puting in your 521 anyways. Quote Link to comment
lynchfourtwenty Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 Ooooh,... that's right. Those L20Bs need all the help they can get.:lol: yeah yeah mike.. bet ya my truck would take yours :fu: haha! Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 That's no bet on your part, more like a sure thing.:D Quote Link to comment
Jason Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 For the dogleg 5 speed tranny, short tail version you can still get a set of new bushing from the dealer. I changed these and they made a hell of a difference. I think they cost me something like $5. When I get power back on at home I'll post the part number. Quote Link to comment
lynchfourtwenty Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 only problem is mine is the stock 77 4 speed, so not sure if it'll work out Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 Jason, are they plastic or brass, or are we talking about these type: http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/A1.jpg[/img]"] or these: http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/Btype.jpg[/img]"] Quote Link to comment
lynchfourtwenty Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 Jason, are they plastic or brass, or are we talking about these type: http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/Btype.jpg[/img]"] mike mines like this one... its not the "Cup" type.. what do i do to tighten it back up.. shes loosey goosey.. like throwin a hot dog down a hallway.. :P Quote Link to comment
Jester Posted November 14, 2007 Report Share Posted November 14, 2007 The noise is in all gears.Goes with the speed of the vehicle.Maybe not the tranny but it goes away a bit when out of gear or the clutch is engaged. Sounds more like a throwout bearing to me. Isn't there a guy on ebay selling rubber bushings to fix the slop issue. Pretty cheap if I remember right. Jester EDIT: Here you go http://http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Roadster-240Z-521-Shift-Bushings-NOS_W0QQitemZ220171699019QQihZ012QQcategoryZ33733QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Quote Link to comment
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