duowing

Alright I had asked Bleach for the full writeup on doing the swap. He said he couldn't find it and said to create a new thread. Through searching I really couldn't find a specific thread that really gave the full info of what was needed and what needs to be done. Maybe we can get a really good thread going on the swap.

I'd like to know what all would I need, and then what exactly needs to be done. Some say it's easy others say it's not that easy. So let's see if we can get this thread to be really good.

FubarI33t

I am doing a auto to 5 speed as well right now.

Drive Shaft: Need's work or new one.
mostly thing's will just bolt right up.
are you puting your 300ZX trany in the 280?
If your throwing in a 280 5 speed, then just the drive shaft, ECU(out of a 83 5 speed 280ZX n/a, and maby a lil wireing. I think that should be about it.

As a mater of fact. As of right now. I am swaping my 83 blue 280ZX 2+2 auto into a 5 speed trany. I am doing a rear end swap also at the same time. but still doing the exact thing you are.

duowing

For me I plan to do the same thing. Just swap a 280ZX 5-Speed into my 2+2. I plan to swap in the T5 Tranny.

FubarI33t

main thing's you have to worry about is:

ECU: get one from same model, only a 5 speed model
DriveShaft: Need's work or New One
Wireing: the harness might be diff due to new ECU
Vaccume Line's: A 5 speed motor has diff vaccume lines then an Auto. But I don't know if you need them.

Bleach

I did this on a Datsun truck with the 4-cyl L-series but here's basically what you do.

Remove Auto transmission and 'pressure plate' with ring gear and torque converter. Behind that is (whats it called?) some thing related to the automatic's ring gear. Remove it.

Install flywheel and clutch kit from a manual Z. Be sure to match the clutch to the type of flywheel you use. 2-seater non-turbo should be 225mm for both, and the 2+2 and all turbo models share the larger 240mm clutch.

Install 5-speed transmission with driveline. I've heard from some that the Nissan driveshaft for both matches; other sources say they don't. For me in the truck the auto driveshaft did not work. I got the driveshaft from a truck with a manual transmission. Keep in mind if your car is a 2-seater, you must use a transmission from a 2-seater. 2+2 must use same. If you swap in a T5 (turbo) then you need the same body length driveshaft from a TURBO car. Also, on a T5, the back end of the driveline is different. Unbolt the differential front driveline flange from the turbo car. This flange will work on both a 2-seat or 2+2 car since it is just a flange that the driveline bolts up to.

My truck's rear transmission mount worked fine from the auto to manual. I'm not sure what the Z has. As far as Nissan to T5 swaps, all you do is turn the mount around 180. When the Nissan unit is installed the mount sweeps forward. As you can see in the attached pictures, both mounts out of the car are the same. When installed, the T5 unit sweeps rearward.

On the interrior, the floor plate under the center console has a different opening size from auto to manual. Swap out the plate, same goes for the plastic surround around the shifter. (optional) a new shift boot is also optional, but to keep out heat, dirt, and noise you should use both a lower and upper boot.

Pedals: Remove brake pedal. I found it nessisary to remove the driver's seat and lay on my back in that area to look up under the dash. Even so, changing out the pedals is a big pain. Install cluch and smaller brake pedal from 5-speed car. Any body style or turbo/NA will do.

Remove 'plug' in firewall and install a clutch master cylinder. Hook this up to the clutch pedal. Remove clutch 'hydralic line' from 5-speed car and install along firewall of the auto. Same goes with the hose that hooks to the clutch slave cylinder on the side of the manual transmission.

Honestly, I've heard that the ECU and electroincs don't matter. Sure you'll still have the kickdown switch under the gas pedal. It won't do anything and you can remove it if you like.

As for my truck, the carburetor didn't care if it was an auto or manual.

FubarI33t

bleach, do you know if you still have that drive shaft? I am going to a grave yard here in a few day's. I like it. You have to make an oppoitment to get in, And your in alone beside's the owner. But he has quite a few Z's. I am gone see if I can find a 2+2 5 speed. But I think all his Z's are 2 seater's. And all have great body's. He has a turbo all it need's is the front suspension off another Z. It even fires right up. selling it for $200. My freind might get it and use the front suspension off my red 2 seater part's car. Only thing bad about the turbo is, It's an AUTO. no fun there. But Bleach, let me know if ya got it. I might be able to set something up.

duowing

I'm curious, assuming you have everything. How long would you say this whole process takes? Oh and another thing, does the car have to be jacked up high, or not really? Would it be better to get the back end or the front of the car up?

Bleach

I still have the 2+2 driveshaft but I'm planning to hang onto it for a while. That's something I don't want to have to pull in a wrecking yard if I need it. Those store in a small space too.

You jack the car way up. The transmission needs a lot of room to drop to the ground and slide out the side. I had the front higher than the rear by a little bit. I put the rear tires on wheel ramps for stability and the front on jacks.

Swapping the transmission is the hard part. You can do it in a day if everything goes quick and you have help to lift the transmission. I'm lazy and slow so it took me several evenings over 2 weeks to swap the T5 in the Z. The truck swap from auto to manual was not done all at once either. I took my time.

NismoPick

the answer... how good are your mechanic skills? Have you ever pulled a tranny?

I've done enough Z tranny's to be able to pull it, & swap it in about 1.5 hours (with no hang ups). First z tranny I did... took about 10 hours.

Ya gotta jack up the car enough to be able to get the tranny out.

Bleach

I had a transmission lift attachment for a hydralic jack. The attachment sat so tall on the tranny that it would only lower it a few inches. So I ended up having help and we lowered and lifted the trannys by hand.

81 Black L28E

auto tranys in a zx turbo thats just unheard of lololololol

most turbo zx in 82 and 83 came as auto ...the factory did this to stop all the recalls they had on the 81 ...people were blowing the motors becuase of over reving ...
with a auto zx you get a better faster drift ....it is a little slow off the line but that becomes a adantage when pushing your zx hard into a long powerful drift ...slow off the start mean higher top end ...the auto kick down will make you think twice about having a MT....if you kick it down in mid drift you better know how to come out of it or you will end up putting it into a ditch the control of the car when in drift is much eazyer with a auto ..there is less deal with {ie shifting from 3rd to 4th in mid drift keeping the car in drift during these times is not an eazy task} .... try driving both and see for your self

FubarI33t

If your pulling Both Motor and trany at same time. it can be easyer. I have rear of part's car 3 feet in the air, and front still on tire's. I won't be pulling unless I get a drive shaft for her. I will have plenty of tinker time with blue motor. I might have one made. And Bleach, I don't blame you for holding on to it. Those are lookin fun to pull.

NismoZigma

As far as the tranny is concerned, what types will bolt on to a 280zx 2+2 turbo. I got a turbo with the auto. Its sometimes a headache but other time a savior.

NismoPick

all 240z - 280zx's have the same tranny bolt patern... doesn't matter if it's a 2+2... turbo... 260z... they all can interchange. so take your pic of trannies

EDIT... But remember that some tranny mounts are different & might need some mod's (as posted above)

jfairladyz

Amature J/K

That can be a dangerous endeavor with an automatic. You gotta know exactly where that pedal is in relation to the kickdown. And the fact that you gotta worry about it really limits the amount of control you can maintain over a drift. If you let up on the throttle the tranny is going to up shift and if you try to make up for it it's going to kickdown and most likely send you into a spin or at the least screw up your line. And why on earth would you shift in mid drift? That's just gonna throw off the balance of the car and lead to the same consequence of a upshift/kickdown situation. If you use proper gear selection shifting mid drift isn't neccessary and the only time I can see it coming in handy is a direction change while drifting to shift the weight balance to aid in changing directions. Example would be drifting a drifting a chicane. I'm not knocking you, you know I wouldn't do that. It just goes to show how different two driving styles can be.

RubberBerner

other than a weight transfer like JfairladyZ said, sometimes you need to shift in mid-drift if its a long sweeping corner, and you need more speed when exiting for the next series of corners. It Might throw your balance off, but a shakey drift looks better than a half of a corner drift!

jfairladyz

But a fast smooth drift through the entire corner just looks even better

If you carry enough speed into the corner in the first place and use weight transfer to get the car sideways you can use a higher gear to begin with therefore eliminating the need for the upshift midcorner. Problem is that this technique requires a high degree of vehicle feel and control and, most importantly, testilcles the size of Texas Oh and quite a bit of driving experience. I screw up all the time trying stuff like that. But again, diferent driver, different style. I was always taught to never shift during a turn. You pick your gear before the turn, and then, if needed, shift again after the turn. But then I guess you're right, it is better to finish the turn, at whatever cost, then to be sitting high and dry

What i may lack in initial skill as a driver I more than make up for in perserverence and the ability to throw the passion for life out the window .

I don't do much drifting in my Z. It's not ready for that kind of abuse. My 240 was another story, and I loved drifting that thing. It was so underpowered for how much it weighed though that I learned how to use momentum and weight transfer to my benefit. When you're initiating drifts without so much as a downshift, clutch pop, or ebrake pull then you tend to be going a little faster. It's funny how easily you can get a car sideways at freeway speeds

I am in no way a professional driver, not do I claim to be one. I simply drive the way that suits me. But I'm always open to suggestion and I'm always watching others to try pick up on what they're doing. Even if I have a faster overall lap time then someone at the track, they might have a better line around certain turns than I do so I still watch so I can go even faster. I'm always looking for something I can do better.

Bleach

5-speed + RWD LSD = drift car
anything else is just sliding around on pavement

Bleach

After you remove the torque converter and ring gear, these pictures show the little ring that you must remove before installing the flywheel for the clutch.

Just pry on each side back and forth a little with a small pry bar.