I am heading to a couple a salvage yards tomorrow to look at some trannys for my 1982 ZX N/A Auto Coupe. The trannys I am going to look at have ALL been pulled from the cars. Now I want to be prepared when I go to look at these and don't want to get screwed with the wrong year or type of tranny. Are there any ways to know for sure if the tranny is from an '82 or '83 Turbo coupe (T-5)? Are there casting numbers to look for or special markings? If one of you looked at a tranny, how would YOU know if it was a T-5 by looking at it? From the "look" of a tranny, what would make you shy away from it?

Lastly my driveshaft...will it work? If not, I am sure I will have the chance to measure a few driveshafts at the salvage yard, what length in inches am I looking for...if I cannot determine if it is a turbo 5 speed car it is on? What point to what point do I need to measure? (Center of U joint to center of U joint?) If someone can break these questions down in step by step instructions that would be really cool. I want to be very knowlegable when I do this tomorrow so I don't get bent over and done dry, OUCH! I have the entire pedal assembly for the swap now and the master and slave cylinders stuff but I will be running all new pressure lines myself, so that is in check. I look to have the tranny in the car in about 2 weeks. But I AM getting the tranny tomorrow. Thanks all.

 

The turbo Borg Warner T5 tranny is unmistakably different than the n/a tranny. Here is a pic of the T5:




and the n/a:




You will also need the driveline & diff coupler, as they are larger than the n/a.

There have been quite a few previous threads about this too:

https://www.zdriver.com/forums/showt...ht=tranny+swap

https://www.zdriver.com/forums/showt...ht=tranny+swap

https://www.zdriver.com/forums/showt...ht=tranny+swap

https://www.zdriver.com/forums/showt...ht=tranny+swap

https://www.zdriver.com/forums/showt...ht=tranny+swap


there's about 70 more... but that will do.

 

Yeah, that was alot of info...Looks like there really isn't alot of parts involved, just a matter of haveing all of them at one time. I am definatley getting the "Turbo" T5 for the swap...being I want to do the stroker thing to the motor. Physically the BW T5 looks very simmilar to the body of the 5.0 mustang T5's, I am sure the similarities end there. My buddy has said he will help me all the way swapping trannys as he has done many general swaps before but has a 5 speed of his own to reference for the placement of lines and what not. I can see between 5-10 hours or less as he says, if we are properly motivated.

 

Man I don't like being jerked around! I went to the Salvage yard to see these trannys and wouldn't you know, NO TURBO 5 SPEEDS!!! I even called before I left the house..."yeah, we have three 5 speeds from the turbo zx's" However they are from 1982 280zx's and none of which are turbos but for $200 I will just go that route for now until I can find the Turbo 5 Speed. They do have a complete 1983 L28ET with harness and ECU for $500!!! 53,000 miles, he did say they dont guarantee the wireing. Looked like it was all there though. But after looking at the non turbo 5 speeds (all were in good shape, looks wise) and after checking out the gear ratios on this site I think I will be happy for a bit...there is still one yard to go check out before I make the final call though but I could not get them on the phone and its 55 miles away so we will see.

 

i got a ? ...is the auto turbo trany set to differnt gearing then the n/a auto trany ?...the turbo car that i many be getting is an auto ..i have been wondering this for awhile is the turbo auto trany gearing better then the n/a auto ?

 

same here. I might soon be going with a turbo. sinc ethe 3.1 just seems about impossible. And the turbo part's car has auto trany. and t-top's, and it's a 2 seater. humm. why am i goign with the 2+2 N/A slick top again?

 

The gearing is the same in all the 3 spd auto. The difference with the turbo auto are the extra clutch packs for 2nd.

 

That sounds right to me.