L16 5 speed for a wagon

[jalen]

I have been doing some research about dropping Im my wagon. I have read that a '75-'79 280z 5 speed is the perfect candidate compared to a zx 5 speed. Do you still have to cut and rebalance the drive shaft or is it a direct bolt on?

[I'm BLUE]

There are no 75-76 280z 5 speeds ;)

79' is still a zx 5 speed...

 

What transmission do you have ? ( before doing anything with the drive-shaft ).

 

Early 77-79 280z/zx transmission's are going to have a lower 1st and 5th gear

(numerically higher number ... 5th = .864 ) than the 80-83 280zx transmissions.

also...2nd to 3rd is wider spread ....for s30 guys on the 77-79 280z/zx models as well versus the later 80-83 zx 5spds.

 

Word to the wise --- If you choose a 77-79 s30/s130 5spd trans ... the main-shaft nut in the back on the transmission (tailstock housing) is known to come loose on ocassion. I'd use one without much thought , but I'd be cautiously pragmatic at the same time.

[datzenmike]

The 510 4 speed is 26" long. The 280z/zx 5 speed is 31.5" long so yes the driveshaft will need to be shortened to 43 11/16" and balanced.

 

You can get away with using a 510 sedan driveshaft. 42 9/16"... It's within an inch of perfect for use in a goon with the FS5W71B .

[Dime Dave]

If you plan on keeping the power levels at or below a stock L20B, a dogleg 5 speed is an easy install. The dogleg 5 speed was used in L20B powered 200SX's and HL510's, but they were not designed to handle bigger HP,

 

The stock driveshaft works fine with a dogleg 5 speed (they are the same length as the stock 4 speed), but you will need to lower the transmission crossmember by 1" to have proper driveshaft alignment with the dogleg transmission (or you can buy an Experimental Engineering transmission crossmember and a 240Z trans mount to get the correct alignment.)

 

Besides the Z car 5 speed there is also the 5 speeds from 77-79 620's & L20B powered 720 2wd trucks. The truck 5 speeds have less of an OD jump than the '80 on ZX transmissions ( '77/78 truck was ..864;1 & '79 was .882:1 as opposed to the '80 ZX at .773: or '81 on at .745:1) You will also need a new crossmember for this transmission as well as a shortened drive shaft or the 510 sedan one that datzenmike suggested.

 

.

[jalen]

I thought '75 and '76 280z's had 5 speeds? I got that from a thread trout posted in.

 

So a a zx 5 speed and a sedan drive shaft should work?

[datzenmike]

'77 model year 280z and 620s had the new 71B 5 speeds.

 

So a a zx 5 speed and a sedan drive shaft should work?

.

In a wagon it will.

[I'm BLUE]

I thought '75 and '76 280z's had 5 speeds? I got that from a thread trout posted in.

 

No.

If you've run across a 75' or 76' 280z with a 5-speed it's because someone swapped out the factory 4-spd or auto-magic in favor of it.

 

Am curious what thread did you see that in ?

[jrock4224]

look at jalen with so many jrock like question and answer threads lol...

[Tristin]

look at jalen with so many jrock like question and answer threads lol...

 

 

 

At least hes getting some actual work done... this isnt like Jalen, so its nice to see him being a real Dimer. Ill take a couple noob questions from him to have him not cover things in zebra tape or set the engine bay wiring on fire. 

 

 

 

Keep up the work Jalen and soon you wont need Raph or Caseys help. :thumbup:

[jrock4224]

yeah agreed ... shit im going to get a irs ... looking at a l20 for my 521 .....my anodized wheels are on there wayfrom California .....im gonna have to follow suit... I really wanna get the wagon a roller on irs before blue lake ...

[Tristin]

yeah agreed ... shit im going to get a irs ... looking at a l20 for my 521 .....my anodized wheels are on there wayfrom California .....im gonna have to follow suit... I really wanna get the wagon a roller on irs before blue lake ...

 

9 days...

[jrock4224]

9 days...

holy shit ok no ........blue lake really in 9 days....jesus time flys

 

 

 

 

 

edit holy crap it is august

[jalen]

No.

If you've run across a 75' or 76' 280z with a 5-speed it's because someone swapped out the factory 4-spd or auto-magic in favor of it.

 

Am curious what thread did you see that in ?

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/43373-best-transmission/

i mainly saw troyts response

and in my '76 280z it had a 5 speed. pretty sure it was a numbers matching cars

look at jalen with so many jrock like question and answer threads lol...

Need to get shit done haha... matter in fact so do you! :poke: :geek:

At least hes getting some actual work done... this isnt like Jalen, so its nice to see him being a real Dimer. Ill take a couple noob questions from him to have him not cover things in zebra tape or set the engine bay wiring on fire.

 

 

 

Keep up the work Jalen and soon you wont need Raph or Caseys help. :thumbup:

note to self do not pour gas on an air filter for a fuel injected motor. and Cary a fire extinguisher that works.... :rofl:

and i was a hipster with that zebra tape! now its to mainstream Tristin! gosh! :cool:

 

[I'm BLUE]

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/43373-best-transmission/

i mainly saw troyts response

and in my '76 280z it had a 5 speed. pretty sure it was a numbers matching cars

 

That's interesting.. well the response in that thread above isn't correct

79' is still a zx 5psd whether it's the same gearing or not.

76' isn't the right area deduction in the post either.

 

Go here --> http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html

Download the 1976 280z FSM --- MT and AT sections in PDF. format.

Download the 1977 280z FSM --- MT and AT sections as well.

The 1976 FSM's only designate a 4-speed manual transmission.

Your '76 was a 4-speed swapped for a 5-speed.

Unless Nissan didn't believe their tech's needed knowledge for a 5-speed section. :rofl:

 

1977 through 1983 Factory Four/Five Speed Transmission Ratios Note: Ratios in 4spd.'s are the same as 5spd.'s For 1st-4th gears.

     77-79    1980     81-83         Borg Warner T-5 {Turbo Only]1    3.321     3.062     3.062         3.5002    2.077     1.858     1.858         2.1443    1.308     1.308     1.308         1.3754    1.000     1.000     1.000         1.0005    0.864     0.773     0.745         0.780

I haven't run across a numbers matching s30 in a long... time... more so that I was willing to pay for :lol:

 

Where did you find the numbers on the transmission ?

 

No offense man..

I've spoke to sellers in person who claim their 72 , 73 , 74 , and 75 s30's .

Some of them weren't even 5spd's :rofl: (that was funny ! :rolleyes:)

Combine that with the 8/10 people that mis-identify my car as rotorary ,,, a 280z ,,, an mg ,,, or some other pile of crap ... then tell me they've owned one as well as they were able to sustain speeds of 140mph faps ( in their 4spd's btw :rofl: ) while STILL having pedal left to go ... :rofl: :rofl: :rolleyes:

My point ^^^ was a handful of these people believed it was factory ,,, because it fit ,,, worked ,,, and had been in there as long as they owned it. ( literally the reasons I received after soft questions. Other than the fact a few of them were stretching the truth lol )

 

Don't believe everything you see on the internet without proof man.

oh wait ... kinda contradicting myself .... trololol

FSM's alone are solid :cool:

 

Here's moar links for yo pleasure.

http://community.ratsun.net/topic/46172-transmission-question-4-or-5-spd/

 

http://www.the510realm.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=15206&start=0&view=print

 

http://forums.nicoclub.com/5-speed-conversion-questions-t375391.html

 

http://www.zcarz.us/TechnicalInformationPageTransmission.htm

 

http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/GearRatios.html

 

^^^ Notice datzenmike is in there ;)

Now that you've been properly informed ...

I can rest and let YOU decide which trans and rearend combo is best for you !

 

I'd suggest knowing your power band (where you'll likely shift most the time ... think rpm range ... or if you have a cam...)

NOW... pull up this transmission gear calculator in one tab --->http://www.teammfactory.com/gear-calculator

next enter in the gear ratios , final drive , and tire height ^^^ ... keep all this in mind while you're driving around town.

It's one of my favorite calculators just to look and see what is what quickly. It's fairly accurate within reason (add in all variables of simulated versus real driving , mechanical condition , etc ... )

 

I'm seriously close to pulling the trigger on a 4.375 diff in my z.

I have 4.11's now , but 4.375 is suppose to be a significant enough jump.

The car it would be going in has an L24 , so wind up will be fun/fine.

My trans gearing will be

1st : 3.321

2nd : 1.902

3rd : 1.309

4th : 1.000

5th : 0.759

 

 

Seriously though... read the gear ratios ... memorize them ... you'll be glad you did !

 

Good luck and good on you getting some stuff pounded out (or at least figured out).

 

DTP

[jrock4224]

I like trannys ....just saying

[I'm BLUE]

I like trannys ....just saying

 

... and the tranny's like jrock ... tourtlez too ...

 

Back into my turtle shell !

[datzenmike]

There is also how to identify the model year. It usually starts in June of the previous year so the build date on the door jam could be 06 '76 and have a 5 speed (which was only an option then) From June '76 through to New Years is actually a '77 model.