Will a 5-speed bolt up to an L20B?

[lonelydriver_95]

Is there a 5-speed that will bolt right up to my truck without modification? my truck is an 80' 720 4X4 Long Bed with an L20B (well, as I type this it has no engine in it, but it will have an L20B in it soon, small details.) And it currently has a 4-speed. My commute is 70 miles a day mostly freeway and I'm interested in making my truck more interstate friendly so hopefully I can actually use it in addition to my more modern cars. I'm pretty sure a 5-speed was a factory option but I wanna say that started in 81, but I could be misremembering. Any help is appreciated.

[datzenmike]

The 71B 5 speed has been a Nissan option on the L20B since '77 in the 620 truck and the L28 in the 280z car. It stopped being an option and became standard equipment on the 720 in '83.

 

 

 

 

[lonelydriver_95]

Will my divorced transfer case cause any issues If I look for one out of those cars since those are all 2 wheel drive? 

[datzenmike]

Measure the length of your 4 speed, it should be 31.5" long. Some 5 speeds in the later 720 are 26" so they can't be easily modified to fit*.

 

The 71B 5 speed used on all L series engines should be 31.5" and match perfectly. Other than another 4x4 5 speed, yours does not have a speedometer drive in it. The speedometer cable is driven by the transfer case. All 2wd 71B 4 or 5 speeds will have the speedometer pinion and sleeve in it. I just sealed it with RTV to keep the oil in.

 

* You can use 5 speeds from other series engines by swapping your 4 speed front case onto them, converting them for use on an L20B. It's not that difficult to do. This increases your choices available. They are all newer that the L series ones.

 

L series

'77-'78 280z L28

'79-83 280zx non turbo L28

'78-'80 810 L24

'81-'84 Maxima L24

'77-'79 620 L20B

'80 720 2wd L20B

 

Z series

'81-'86.5 720 Z20/Z22/Z24

'80-'83 S110 200sx Z20/Z22

 

SD series

'80-'86.5 720 ( 2.2 and 2.5 diesel)

 

CA series

'84-'86.5 S12 200sx CA20 and CA18

 

The 71B ended '86.5 and was replaced by the much stronger FS5W71C.

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Mike always knows. That trans info is getting a lot of use these days.

[bottomwatcher]

Getting hard to find. That's how I justify hoarding a spare and keeping an eye out for more. 

[A guy named Rick]

21 hours ago, bottomwatcher said:

Getting hard to find. That's how I justify hoarding a spare and keeping an eye out for more. 

About to do the same sometime this year so I can have a spare 26" built ready to go. Been making funny noises in 3rd and 4th at low enough rpms around town (putting a load on the trans basically) ever since I owned it. It's survived 40K miles this far. Starting to get a bit of front seal leakage can see coming out the clutch fork opening, but not dripping on the ground yet!

[bottomwatcher]

Seal leaks is early indication of a bearing going out. That said 4th gear is usually silent with bad countershaft bearing because the countershaft is taken out of the equation. Load goes straight through mainshaft.