The fire crackers have died as well as the gun shots from the tanked up Tacoma residents, {my friends dad gets stewed every year and hauls out his pump shot gun to celebrate crazy old codger}.

Well I just got back yesterday from ABC transmission here in Tacoma to find out the fate of my turbo 400 that was installed in my 1970 LS6 chevelle. And it was smoked... ouch!, they said about $600.00 to rebuild which is a very decent price I felt, but I am just gonna yard one out of a pull a part car for $50.00. OK now for the z stuff... I just happened to drive my 82 turbo zx to the shop because my $ 200.00 dollar 0600000 thousand original mile turbo z has had a transmission issue since I bought the car on April fools day{the seller was the fool that day}.

So seeking their opinion I had a tech drive it well he went about 15 ' and said it was toast , then he goes hey would you like to sell this car one of the boys here would jump on this, god I don't see many cars this old with such low miles, I smiled and said no I love this car, drove off and decided to snag the 5 speed out of my 83 Na.

It took me no time at all to yank the dash out since I have had it out 3 times fixing the heater, I thought it was the core but it still leaked so I replaced the water **** and now that mess is a done deal. Any how I got out the pedal assembly out quick and next went to yank the drive line .


This is were it got ugly fast... I could not bust a nut he he, I got out the best nut buster I have ever used pb blaster , if you don't have a can or two of this in your garage do your self and your knuckles a favor and get some nothing is better I swear by it. nismo pick knows about the blasters ability I just found out a month or so ago. No luck cause I could not fit a socket to use my air on it and when I got my wrench on it it started to slip. please don't tell me it is a 11mm nut. So this was way harder than I ever thought . my sawzall was to cumbersome to work and my air cut off tool to big as well . Sears was my only hope dremal cut off wheels. Got them today and got one cut off so far. It is pissing me off like the intake exhaust manifold job.

I am going back out to work on it till I have the 5 speed out of the donor car. This means a all nighter for me. But I pull them on a regular basis so no worries . I will keep ya posted on my progress I figure i can be done in 24 hours. 5 speed in turbo car ready to test. question will I need to fiddle with my drive line I bet I will or I don't see why I cant use the drive shaft out of the donor car. Bleach I want to buy that brown shifter boot in your garage if it is still for sale. Well time for a monster puff and off I go

 

Yup, all you need is the drive shaft from the donor car. As long as it's the same style as your car (coupe or 2+2) it should fit with no problems.

 

Great I love it when things are simple, not that the swap is simple, because it really is not. But then again yes it is. I am fast learning the time frame for certain auto endeavor's pretty well these days. Lets face it being a decent mechanic we all here know requires more than all the necessary tools, but indeed they sure help a ton.


I think the most important discipline in being a true journeyman (which by no means am I myself) is to not have any wasted moves while performing your job at hand. I have a few friends one for for the most part that really gets things done fast and correct. he is amazing to watch work. And has been at it since about 12 starting with vw bugs, then went to work at the local vw dealer here in Tacoma for 10 years or so, and now is the owner of too quicks German auto service. Very dedicated client ell some of over 20 years.

I guess my point is about myself and what I have learned just in the past 6 months since I got my first 280 ZX. I have from this and a few other forums gained I feel a respectable amount of free knowledge from all of the people. I am getting back into the swing of mechanical thinking and doing jobs I probably would not think about doing in my past. I t feels great to reap the simple rewards of all the time spent studying the proper procedures.

What is next sure wish I could rebuild a transmission set up a differential. Anyone else ever feel this way ? certainly you do or you wouldn't be here. I guess I'm a bit giddy (must of been my smoke break) but if you have completed this swap tell us how long it took and how you feel about the benefits of going manual, my guess is first and foremost for the fun or control you get with a manual or do you have evidence of more performance like say a better et at the drag races. I think I will grab my camera to take some photos of my progress which ain't much since I have a tendency of very long posts and puff breaks... gotta go fight the drive line nuts any suggestions on removing them cause I have choose to cut them off. This and every time here on out I will use anti seize on every thing.

 

ha ha double post

 

not only do I have the brown shifter boot still ( I think ) but I have a T5 transmission and a 2-seater turbo driveshaft for sale already out of the car.... ??

 

The driveline nuts are pretty simple, at least to me. Take a 12mm endwrench, and at the back of the driveshaft, are 4 nuts, being held on by 4 screws, that have a flat spot going to the inside against the driveshaft. All you do is turn the driveshaft to get access to the nuts, and one at a time, loosen, and remove them. And then woila, you can take it off, but make sure you have a catch pan to catch the gear oil if it is a manual. As for the automatic, not quite sure, if it would leak out or not. Hope this helps you out, and this is from experience.

 

drain the oil from the transmission first through the oil drain plug

When you get the 5-speed transmission, be sure to get a flywheel. Since you have a turbo, you're going to want the 2+2/turbo 240mm flywheel and clutch. Also buy a new pilot bushing for the 'clutch' since the crank in your block won't have one. ($3)

 

Yeah I would have thought of that. But mine is on there so friggin' tight. I have to drain it from the end of the tranny, after the driveshaft is out.

 

Get a bigger hammer

 

No the problem is, the plug is rounded a little. And if I put the ratchet in there with the big socket. It starts to round it off. So it is easier to remove the driveshaft to drain the gear oil. For me anyways, until I figure out how to fix the drain plug. I figured if I could get it off, and find another one. Maybe I could replace it.

 

have you tried drilling a hole on it and using the Thign they use to pull out broken studs? and then just take it to Home Depot or Ace hardware. and get something with the same thread but a Hex Bolt instead????