1982 280ZX 2+2 manual transmission
1981 280ZX 2+2 auto transmission

Can I take the engine from the '82 ZX and use it on the '81 ZX, with the auto transmission, and use the auto tranny instead of the manual one?

 

< SHIVER > why would you want to go from 5speed to auto?

 

the answer is yes, the engine will swap in. They should be exactly the same head and block if both cars have the original engines.

To make it easy (if the engine itself is bad) just unbolt the manifolds but leave them there in the car. Swap out the block/head combo. Put the manifolds back on. You won't have to do any wiring. If you have fuel injection problems then you may want to swap in the known good FI wiring and ECU.

Auto = less power, less economy, less reliability, easier to drink coffee while driving

 

Thanks Beach!

Well, my spare '82 ZX has a busted manual tranny and the engine is going to the machine shop this week - since you guys clarified my doubts.
My '81 ZX has the auto tranny, and taking on a tranny swap is way out of league, and besides I want to drive my car..it's been sitting in the garage for a month now.

 

ah... gotcha. Well, manual to auto swap it quite easy... just swap the pedal unit, driveline / diff coupler, and shifter. If you can yank & install an engine, you can deffinately do a manual to auto swap.

 

Is one or both a t-top car? I'd say keep the t-top body. They look much better. You can do a turbo/5-speed swap later and join the club that NismoPick and I started.

My guess is that the 1982 car is a t-top and the 1981 is slicktop? Just seemed more common that way with the 2+2
Stick your auto and good engine in the 1982 car. You can leave the pedals as they are. Just use the gas and brake. Then later on when you get a good 5-speed you just slap that baby in there and bleed the clutch system! BAM!

 

I dunno... the standards are pretty high....

 

OH, true. What I meant to say was that you may apply to join the club. Many will enter, few will win.

 

Both are T-Top cars, so I have a set of spare t-tops

The body of the '82 is in pretty bad shape, body all rusted to hell and beyond, so I'm keeping the '81 which is very decent conditions (4 rusted spots which I'll fix very soon), not too bad for a Florida ZX.
A friend has mentioned about doing the tranny swap, since the engine's out, but I know my spare '82 (manual tranny) had a problem with the clutch. Last time I drove it (when I bought it from the previous owner), I had to pump the clutch to be able to switch gears.
Anyways, I've been contemplating doing a tranny swap, but I just don't know if I can reuse the tranny from my spare ZX, since I know it had problems with the clutch. As a matter of fact, the shop that's doing my engine can fix the tranny; I think that will run me another $300-$500 parts and labor.

You people need to stop putting wild ideas in my head!

 

Hold on.... the manual tranny has probs, or the clutch?

 

I don't really know to be honest.
I know the clutch had a problem and there was some sort of leak. What I recall was that the previous owner said to 'pump' the clutch to be able to switch gears. However, I never heard any gear grinding, but at the same time I only drove this car for like 5 miles and it got parked and then taken apart.
But I'm assuming that a tranny rebuild would probably go for around $500?

 

If all you need to do is "pump the clutch pedal" to switch gears, the clutch fluid line just needs to be bled... cost: $3 for a bottle of brake fluid. Don't ship a tranny off to be rebuilt if ya don't know if it's broke.

 

... Try more like 1200-1500 IF they can find the parts for it

There's probably nothing wrong with the tranny anyway's. Sounds like it's just a clutch issue.


Rod.

 

cause those s130 manual trannys NEVER go out, do they rod?????

 

Yeah I am betting it is your clutch, and not your tranny. Does your tranny go into gear, when the engine is off? If so, pretty much rule out the tranny being bad. If you have to double clutch to put in gear. I am guessing, slave, clutch master cylinders. (either one or both) Or a bad throwout bearing, and or clutch disc. I know some, because I had this problem earlier this year with my '82 5-speed.

Definately don't assume right away, that the tranny is shot. These 5-speed tranny's are friggin' tough man. Anyway hopefully you find out what is bad and good. And good luck on your motor swap, and or tranny swap.

 

Yeah, I had no problems switching gears, even with the engine off, the issue was only with the clutch. So, you guys might be right.
Now, I just need to find info on how to work on on trannys; I really know nothing about them.

 

I put money on the master cylinder, no pedal=no hydrolics. Change the slave and the rubber line just to be safe, cause if your master is screwed its only a mater of time. Totals about 60-75 bucks or cheaper if you shop. The only prodlem I have ever incountered with these tranny's is the third gear syncro going out, then you get a scratch if your winding up to higher rpm's and shifting up to 3rd or going down into second from third at 2,500-3k rpm. And it's easy to work on a tranny, as long as you dont open em' up. lol! No seriously if you get into it make sure you have your manual right there and lay everything out in the order you took it off, the hardest part is spliting the case. Personally I wouldnt recomend it unless you are mechanicaly inclined and have some one around who has done it before. Cause' essentially if your not scratching, there's nothing to fix.

 

if it is only your master and slave cylinders that are not right, why go making a large mess and downtime from hell when all you ned top do first is rebuild your cylinders and drive?????????????

two of my z31s have had their cylinders rebuilt--miracles DO happen--they run great!!!!!

 

First thing he should do is check the fluid level in the cluch master cylinder and then try to bleed the clutch hydraulics. If theres a leak or either the clutch master or slave cylinder end up being bad then replace both (always in pairs).

Question: What is your pedal pressure like? Does it feel like there is resistance in the clutch pedal or is it just slopping to the floor. When you pump the pedal does the pedal get firmer? These are things that will narrow it down to whether its a hydraulic issue or a clutch issue. Either way, I doubt it's a tranny issue. Rod is the first person in history to toast a ZX 5-speed in a non-race Z

 

Yeah, they do... But, mine went out after 250,000 miles and it spent the first 22 years of its life towing a PAIR of Harley Davidson Motorcycles behind it from San Diego California to Sturgis South Dakota and back EVERY YEAR.

So, It's not like it gave its life easily...


Rod.