Matthew Abate

Okay, now that I presumably have the trans question settled I have a differential question: why do people swap in the WRX STI differential and mess with the half shafts and axles rather than installing WRX STI internals into the r180 already in their car? I would assume the guts from one r180 would fit into another. Is it that the Nissan axles won't mate to the Subaru internals? Is it that doing that costs way more? I would think the guts from a Subaru dealer would be sub-$1,000, which is about what a used WRX STI dif + the custom parts costs. Plus, wouldn't doing it this way mean we could put any ring on to give us any ratio we can imagine?

Just bought my first choice 5-speed! Got one from a 1980 720 with the 3.592, 2.246, 1.415, 1, 0.882 ratios for $401 shipped to my house. Hopefully it won't be a pile of crap. Had to buy it on faith because it's in Idaho. Very possibly an irresponsible gamble, but I felt lucky and brave at the same time at that moment.

More stuff (thanks Patcon!):

Okay. But how are you guys cleaning the oil gallery then?

Cleaning up the F54... Deck is nice and flat. Only needs 0.003 off to be perfect. Anyone know if these jets can come out? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Because my machinist gave me a bunch of bad news on the rest of the head. There is a hole in the #1 exhaust port (dark spot in left center of the port). The head looks good otherwise, but the hole could be deep enough to make the water jacket metal thin. Tig welding the hole could be "tricky". Also, one of the valve springs was installed upside down! A pressure check will run about $60; tear down and reassembly about $80, I will probably need new seals for about $45, and as I've already said, the cam is shot. So, I could pressure test it and find out that everything is fine, but I have still paid for something that was supposed to be ready to go, but isn't. I'm waiting for him to get back to me on how he plans to make it right. Also, don't hydraulic lifters require the round part of the cam to be stock diameter, regardless of lobe profile?

More metal sex (p90a in great condition): Shot camshaft, though (good thing I don't want it, but I had planned to resell it):

New toys arrived earlier this week from Zed Findings.

Honestly, I thought the ca was a 71b and it would just be a bellhousing swap and bolt in. The chart is what got me fixated on the 3.59 to 0.813 ratio spread. With a 25" tire at 4,000 rpm and a 3.545 rest end you get 23 mph in first and 103 in 5th; the widest difference available. Maybe a ZX is the way to go since I want the WRX STI rear end Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So what would you guys do if you were in my situation. I think I can handle buying this transmission, but sourcing a bellhousing is starting to concern me. Then there's the rear end. From the other thread it's sounding like this tall first gear becomes unusable with anything more than the 3.545 in the back, and I had intended on going with the WRX STI swap, of which 3.545 is the shortest I've been able to find. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Got a response from the seller: more than 3.5 turns, so a 3.592, and 33 3/8 long. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Close! I'm looking for the #3 ratios with the shorter second gear to minimize the possibility of ending up coming out of first gear to soon because I plan to put a LS Subaru r180 in the back. There are a handful of WRX STI 3.545s on eBay right now... BTW, what's your driving style, Boomguy? Fairly aggressive?

Yeah, I'm lost now. Maybe Eurodat will weigh in. /M

I always thought it was the case that made it a B or a C, but I don't know jack about transmissions other than how the math works, so who knows. I asked the guy to check the number of rotations, so we'll see what he comes back with. If it's a 3.321 it's moot, because I can get that from a 280z. In other news, I found a 5 speed from an '82 ZX.", so...

Stamp on the housing says TA71B #1.

I don't actually own it yet, and it's two states away, so I can't tear it open. The guy who has it can't tell me which car it is, and it hasn't been rebuilt or anything. I have a feeling that I might be able to get it for under $100, which is why I'm interested. No idea what a bell housing will cost me, so I'm trying to evaluate the merits of the project. So the CA series engines also used the Z series bell housing? The pictures I have of the one I am looking at definitely match a Z series pictures you posted above, and I knew going into the conversation that the bell housing would need swapping. Haven't looked into how hard sourcing a bell housing is, but have been looking into the aftermarket brands like Lakewood (perhaps foolishly?). I originally had my eyes on transmissions from 280Zs and ZXs, but the more research I did the more Nissan & Datsun cars I found with 71Bs in them, and the more I found the more I liked the ratios of some of those other cars more. The tall 3.545 first gear pair with the short 0.813 fifth gear PLUS the smooth spacing of everything in between makes the 1983 200SX / S12 71B seem like the best option, but it's sounding like you guys don't recommend it. Maybe the difference is negligible enough that it's not worth the effort unless I have all the stuff just laying around, but Datsun 5-speeds are going for $700+ and this funky beast is cheep by comparison.

Thanks! This is super valuable info. i don't actually own it yet, and it's two states away, so I can't tear it open. The guy who has it can't tell me which car it is, and it hasn't been rebuilt or anything. I have a feeling that I might be able to get it for under $100, which is why I'm interested. No idea what a bell housing will cost me, so I'm trying to evaluate the merits of the project. To your other point, I started this thread before I found the active one. I'll switch to the other one.

Someone on Hybridz.org pointed me to this: http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/240sxtransmissioninstall/ Not sure how much of that is applicable, since we're talking about the B transmission. I already see a couple of details on that link that might be wrong (i.e. Didn't the C transmission start coming with the 200x in '84?) I'm pretty sure I could find a bell housing from a Z to bolt on, and the jackshaft bearing from a ZX is straight forward. The thing giving me pause is modifying the bell housing to accommodate the CA20 shifter rods. Would it not be better to use shifter rods off a Z/ZX? Is that even possible? This is foreign territory for me. Another open question is whether or not this transmission is strong enough to work with a ZX engine. I've read the 200x B is weak (not sure why). The ratios might be right for me, but is this as good as or better than a ZX transmission as far as reliability goes? I'd love to find a bolt in solution that down't need any modification, and the '83-84 ratios seem ideal, but the T5 sounds like it could be an even better option because the ratios aren't that far off, parts availability is better, and it might be stronger, but getting that into the car sounds like way more work than getting the 200sx B transmission in.

I have another thread going in the parts swap section about the 83/84 200sx FS5w71b. Anyone know how much it needs modifying and how hard it is to do to get it to fit a 240z/280z? Can't seem to find anyone who's done it. /M

Other than being bent to sh!t, what's weird? /M

I've found tons of info about adapting a FS5w71c into a 240z, but I can't find anything about using the 200SX / S12 version of the FS5w71b 5-speed in an S30 other than a little comment on this page: '83-10/'84 200sx w/CA20 and the truck # 3 use same ratios. This is often touted as the best gearsets for a 4-cylinder 510. Very low 1st gear for fast starting acceleration and smooth progression of jumps between ratios. For use with an L-series, a 280Z/ZX style bellhousing must be swapped onto the CA20 tranny case and bellhousing modified to match with larger diameter CA20 shifter rods, and use smaller OD 280zx jackshaft bearing. I'm interested in this transmission because of the ratios (3.592, 2.057, 1.361, 1.000, and 0.813) being so similar to the FS4w71b ratios that came with the car, and that 5th gear having longer legs for highway driving. It really seems like the optimal ratio spread. My question really is, presuming I were able to get my hands on one, how hard is it to do the work described above. I can't seem to find an example of anyone having done it.

I've found tons of info about adapting a FS5w71c into a 240z, but I can't find anything about using the 200SX / S12 version of the FS5w71b 5-speed in an S30 other than a little comment on this page: I'm interested in this transmission because of the ratios (3.592, 2.057, 1.361, 1.000, and 0.813) being so similar to the FS4w71b ratios that came with the car, and that 5th gear having longer legs for highway driving. It really seems like the optimal ratio spread. My question really is, presuming I were able to get my hands on one, how hard is it to do the work described above. I can't seem to find an example of anyone having done it.

Here's another useful resource for specifications: http://www.automobile-catalog.com/list-datsun.html

Some pics from the block inspection: ... Looks like someone turned the crank with the head off. The chain is trashed. The cylinders still have cross hatching. A quick check puts them in at 85.725, but need to double check that. Factory is 86.1, right? All told, this was a very good purchase.

Awesome. Thanks. Now I can copy you. /M