Hey guys. I've just bought a 1984 300zx turbo w/auto tranny and I'm looking to swap out the transmission for a manual (cause it rocks!). http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWN:IT&ih=015

I've been doing research online and have found a couple of other cars that use the Jatco 4N71B Auto tranny - the same tranny used on the 1987 rx7. I then found this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEBI:IT&ih=014

This is probably a stupid question, but will the manual tranny from a the rx7 work on a 84 300zx turbo since they both use the same auto tranny? Are the ratios about the same?

Thanks and don't flame me too much - I'm new to transmissions so bear with me.

 

Welcome to ZDriver!

And it's not likely that an RX7 tranny will fit a Z31 block... they are completely different engines & I'm sure they have different bell housings. Why not find a Z31 5 speed tranny and save yourself A LOT of headaches?

 

What you're proposing is possible, but, I can't say, one way or the other.

It's possible because the Borg-Warner T-5 was factory installed in the '84-'86 turbo z31s, and, the Borg-Warner T-5 was Ford's choice for the Rustangs of that era, and, Ford owns Mazda. Still you'd have to have the correct bell housing to marry the transmission to the engine.

It'd be a lot less hassle, and risk, to just do the switch using bone-yard parts off scrapped out z31s. You're gonna' need a lot of z31 specific parts anyway to accomplish the conversion.

Good luck. Keep us updated on the progress.

 

its probably a different bell housing. maybe swapable though who knows. also, ford didnt own mazda till the mid 90's i believe. their symbol changed and they dropped the RX-7 i think when ford bought them

 

Thanks for the input guys. It was just an option I was looking at - since I can't seem to find a 5speed for the z31 anywhere. If you have any useful info on where to locate one, please let me know.

 

www.car-parts.com

 

Awesome. Can I swap a FS5W71C tranny into it even though it came on the N/A models?

 

Also, is there a thread somewhere here that shows a list of everything needed to do the swap?

 

A/T to Manual Swap Instructions


The usual disclaimer: Use at your own risk. This procedure is not in any way endorsed by Nissan and Vic takes no responsibility for your using these instructions.

Acknowledgements to 84T (Z31.com) , Al87T and Dave, parts manager @ Garrands Nissan who were great virtual companions throughout this project, and the rest of the folks who encouraged me along the way.

These instructions are based on my swapping the A/T from my 89T for a 5-spd from an 88T. It will work very well for pre ?87 cars except for the electronics. Some of the stuff is for turbo cars only and I?m sure you?ll find out as you do the swap. I did my swap following excellent instructions, including pictures from Craig Macho?s write-up at http://web.archive.org/web/200502260.../marcho/300ZX/ for pre ?87 cars. Unfortunately, that site doesn?t exist any longer ? unless some computer guru can revive it somehow. Now, remember that if you plan to sell the A/T later on, do everything gently so not to damage anything.

Some Specs for ?89 Cars (probably same for ?87-?89 cars)
• A/T Model: E4N71B
• A/T Model Code Number:
o N/A: X8203
o Turbo: X8206
• Torque Converter Assembly (number stamped on the torque converter)
o N/A: GXA
o Turbo: G
• 5-spd Model:
o N/A: FS5W71C
o Turbo: FS5R30A
Advice:
• Go to fiche section of z31.com (http://web.archive.org/web/200502260...fiche.pl?4:a:1) and study the Nissan A/T attachment to the rest of the car as well as the 5-spdattachments. You?ll also find out the differences between trannies over the years.
• Make every attempt to get a tranny from a 87-89 car otherwise you?ll have to modify the drive shaft flange for it to fit correctly.
• Don?t get a tranny from a ?84 car ? may be too much trouble to fit.
• Don?t use a N/A tranny on a turbo ? not strong enough ? ratios different, number of teeth in gears different, counter drive gear different, evendrive theacity different. Can use a turbo tranny on a N/A.
• Whenever you take a part out, reinsert the retaining bolts whenever possible so you know where everything goes when it comes time for reassembly.
• If you have a friend who is willing to help you,get them. The job is much easier and faster with two sets of muscles in place. I had my wife and didn?t want anything to do with it. ?Till this day, she doesn?t want to drivethe car ? for fear the tranny will fall out!!!
Parts You?ll Need
A lot of the stuff you?ll be able to get from a junkyard. But, some stuff you?ll have to buy new. Essential Stuff
• A full complement of tools ? you don?t need any special tool but make sure you have a full set of basic wrenches, sockets,etc. Also, be prepared to purchase some large wrenches
• Flare nut wrench
• Tranny fluid
• Brake fluid
• Clutch alignment tool ? get it, you?ll need it
• Tranny jack ? rent one
• Some way to lift the car reasonable high up so you can work underneath comfortably
• Copy/print all necessary pages from the fiche, if you don't have a shop manual, even if you do, get the fiche prints
• Tranny rear oil seal
• Engine rear oil seal
• Moly type grease for oil seal installation
• PB Blaster or WD-40
• Some anti seize compound for bolt the threads
• Some thread locker compound ? medium strength.
Stuff From the Donor 5-spd Car
• 5-spd tranny, from bell housing to tail, including all bolts, washers, pins, etc. The whole works. Make sure both the neutral switch and reverse light switch and their harness are attached to the tranny,as well as the shifter and its hardware.
• Dust plate (2) that attach to front end of tranny/back end of engine
• 5-spd drive shaft
• 5-spd flywheel ? may have to get new, depending on condition of used one
• Flywheel to crank bolts
• Speedometer cable depending on analog/digital Speedo
• Speedometer pinion O-ring - new
• 5-spd tranny mount and cross member ? may need new mount depending on condition of rubber bumpers on used one
• 5-spd Clutch pedal assembly
• 5-spd Brake pedal assembly
• Clutch master cylinder ? may have to buy new
• Clutch slave cylinder ? may have to buy new
• Clutch dampener ? may have to buy new
• Clutch hydraulic line from 5-spd car
• Front tube from 5-spd car (don?t have to get the bolts for this)
• 5-spd ECCS (computer)
• Make sure to get ALL bolts, washers, clips, pins that attach any of the above items to the 5-spd car chassis.
The next three items are sold via Nissan as a set for under $150.00 I believe. Unless you?re using heavy-duty clutch assembly, get this set
• Clutch pressure plate ? get new
• Clutch pilot bushing ? get new
• Clutch throw-out bearing ? get new
Begin Work

1. Have a shop resurface the flywheel ? NAPA did mine for $50. You have to do this otherwise you?ll regret it quickly.
2. Disconnect the battery; as a matter of fact, take the battery out completely.
3. Now, go inside the car and take out the center console
o see fiche 7E12: http://web.archive.org/web/200502260...iche/7/e12.gif
o there are a couple of bolts behind the ?300ZX?plate on the center console and a few more in the console box.

4. Take out the A/T shifter
o See fiche 4J8: http://web.archive.org/web/200502260...iche/4/j08.gif
o It?s got a two harnesses that dig deep into the drivers side tranny well carpet. Go in and disconnect them.
o You?ll then need to disconnect the shift link mechanism from under the car. I did this later when I jacked up the car.

5. Install the brake pedal
I started with the most difficult (IMHO)step - replacing the brake pedal (see fiche 4L5 http://web.archive.org/web/200502260...che/4/l15.gif).
a. Disassemble you?re A/T brake pedal only from it?s mounting
b. Disassemble the 5-spd pedal from its plate (keep spring/shaft)
c. Start putting the pedal in. A royal PITA to align the pedal shaft while trying to maintain the spring in position in order to bolt her in place -you'll see what I mean when you get there. PATIENCE, A LOT OF IT, and it'll eventually get in. I used a rope to pull the spring compressed,then with a guide pin at the other end of the bore for the brake pedal shaft(item #46582), I was able to get it in ? all this after an entire day of trying to get it in there. Torque tightening bolt to 22-30ft-lb. Be creative in your options!!! Once this is done, take a break and have a beer, for you?ve earned it!!!

6. Install the clutch pedal assembly
. The clutch pedal assembly includes the pedal itself, its mounting bracket and the clutch master cylinder.
a. If using the old master cylinder, make sure to clean it thoroughly.
b. Take out the windshield washer fluid reservoir and on the firewall you?ll see a plate bolted where the clutch pedal shaft will go through.
c. Take that plate out
d. Install the clutch pedal and master cylinder (can?t do one without the other)
e. Torques: Clutch master cylinder securing plate:5.8-8.7ft-lb; Clutch pedal push rod: 5.8-8.0ft-lb; Clutch pedal lock nut:12-16ft-lb.
f. Don?t install the clutch hydraulic line at this point ? not enough room to play with.


Congrats, Stage 1 is complete, you can go inside now, wash up, give your wife or %$#@ one a good kiss and ask for a massage. Take a break!!!
7. Clean 5-spd Unit
. Clean the 5-spd unit as best as you can
a. Drain all oil out of it
b. Replace the rear tranny oil seal
c. Replace the throw out bearing
d. Put some grease on the fork
e. Depending on the condition of the rubber boot, you may have to replace it also
f. Make sure the neutral and reverse light switches don?t have frayed wires. If they do,you?ll need new switches.
g. Inspect the tranny mount and cross member ? take the whole thing out and look at the rubber pieces. They may develop cracks. In that case, replace them, then reassemble.


Now you?re ready to raise car up.
8. Raise the car up
. Raise the car up as high and as safely as possible and USE JACK STANDS to support the car. You?ll need to raise her high otherwise the tranny dipstick tube will not clear frame when time comes to remove tranny. Never work under car without properly securing jack stands under the vehicle.
a. Remove front tires for more room.
b. Drain whatever oil is in the tranny
c. Disconnect all the electrical cables to the tranny? the mammoth cable that goes to the battery area is the inhibitor switch cable. Note it ?cause it?ll come in handy later on.
d. Disconnect the oil temperature switch harness if you have it ? it?s the one that connects to the oil pan just above the drain plug and to the left of the sending unit. This harness is very easy to break as you will be working in the area.
e. Disconnect the battery ground to the tranny/engine interface.
f. Disconnect the vacuum line that comes from the passenger side of the engine to the tranny ? use a rubber plug to plug the hole left in the engine side, then fasten it down with a plastic tie down. You have to fasten it down otherwise at boost, it may come loose.
g. Drain all oil from the tranny
h. Disconnect the oil cooling lines from tranny end and radiator end. Blow out oil from radiator and plug radiator (or leave open if you wish).
i. Disconnect the speedo pinion ? careful here, you?ll need that again. Get a new O-ring for the pinion.

 

9. Remove Exhaust Components
From here on, we?ll start taking out bolts. You?ll break some (especially those in the exhaust area) so be prepared to purchase new ones.
Advice: Spray ALL exhaust bolts with some kind of solvent (PB Blaster, WD-40 or some other stuff like that) to soak them up real good, perhaps even overnight.
. Unbolt the cat. Bottom heat shield, cat to front pipe bolts, and cat to middle tube bolts.
a. Take the cat out and unbolt the cat upper heat shield.
b. Undo the three bolts that hold the front tube to the exhaust manifold/turbo outlet. Be careful ?cause you may need to re-spray these with PB Blaster and these bolts may break. So take it easy!!! Additionally, there?s an emissions (AIV) tube that runs from the side of the front-tube to the front of the engine that makes this double PITN to takeout. Impossible to detach this tube from the front tube - cut it from the front tube and replace with a new one, it?s very easy to replace. I took the front tube to an exhaust shop for them to undo the part that was lefth attached. If you can get a 5-spd front tube, use it. Why you ask?Because the heat shield of the A/T front tube will interfere with the manual tranny mount, as you will find later. The AIV tube is very difficult to locate in the fiches. The part number is 14823-19P00 for N/A and?19P05 for turbo (fiche #2E5, item #14820N, right figure, http://web.archive.org/web/200502260...iche/2/e05.gif )
c. Undo the rear support cross bar/bracket that connects both frame rails ? careful here, those bolts are very easy to break and hard to drill out!!
d. Disconnect the parking brake cable

10. Remove Drive Shaft & Transmission
. Disconnect the drive shaft at the differential side? remember you?ll need to rotate the wheels to get to all the bolts.
a. Slide the drive shaft out of the tranny and keep it in a safe place.
b. Now, use a tranny jack to support the tranny and put another jack (regular scissors type will do) underneath the engine oil pan(use a wooden block on the jack) to support the engine.
c. Undo the tranny insulator mount bolts.
d. Undo the starter
e. Undo the converter to flexplate bolts through the hole where the starter was installed. You?ll have to rotate the flex plate (?flywheel? for A/T) to get to all the bolts.
f. Undo the tranny-to-engine bolts (note: the have different lengths). You?ll have a hard time undoing the two topmost bolts. You have to be patient here. 84T from the board gave me a great tip: drop the tranny mount some and that lower the jack under the engine some such that the tranny has a slight tilt downwards at its tail ? not too much otherwise you?ll over stress you engine mounts and damage them. Just enough to give you enough clearance to undo the top bolts. You?ll need to do this again when putting in the 5-spd tranny
g. With the help of a friend, or just by manipulating the tranny jack, gently pull out the A/T, drop it and, voila!!! it?s out. Remember that the converter is loose with lots of oil in it, so it?s heavy. Support it somehow so no one gets hurt!!
h. Now, take a break, another beer is due and a kiss to your darling one is also due ? they don?t usually have the patience to see you abandon them for so long just to cater for a tranny!!!

11. Replacing Rear Oil Seal, Flywheel and Clutch Assembly
When you look in there (where the A/T just came out of), you?ll see a flex plate and a doughnut steel ring where the nipple of the converter sat. This ring will have to come out. Here?s your next most difficult challenge (brake pedal was #1). Two things you can do here: use a puller to get it out (Autozone has some for rent, harbor Tools had an excellent one) or drill the ID to a lager ID so the 5-spd pilot bushing can get in there ? or be more creative than I can imagine. Do me a favor; try to put the pilot bushing in there. Ha!!!, it?s too large and won?t go in. Now you know what to do!!! Whatever you do, leave the flex plate in place as protection while you?re taking/drilling the steel doughnut out. The preferred method is to take it out. In some cases it?s easy to pull, but in some others, it?s near impossible. I couldn?t get mine out after breaking two Autozone pullers and going throughone harborr tools puller, so I drilled through. If you decide to drill through, use a 13/16th drill bit (youll probablyy have to buy this mother ?cause it?s not common, unless your uncleown aa machine shop). The 13/16thhas been researched by 84T andis thee one that?ll take just enough material out for the pilot bushing toslide throughh. If you take outmaterial unevenlyy, you may evoke a dynamic imbalance on thedrive shaftt, not good. Likelihood of doing that, near impossible,cause you?re taking out so little material that it won?t make any differenceat alll. In any case, if you decideto drilll, be creative and careful.
. Take/drill the steel doughnut
a. Remove the small circular drive plate and flex plate ? keep drive plate!!!
b. Replace the rear oil seal on the engine ? do it!!!,the car is old and this is probably the only chance you?ll have to do this, so just replace it.
c. Now is the time to install the clutch hydraulic tube (remember that???), the slave cylinder and the damper. Use a flare nut wrench and stick with torque specs!!!
d. Torque specs for clutch components: Damper bolts:5.8-8.0ft-lb; Operating cylinder (slave cylinder) bolts: 22-30ft-lb.
e. OK, at this point, take a break. You have completed the disassembly. From here on, you will be putting things back together!!! Isn?t that exciting???Get another beer and some more kisses and hugs!!! Reassembly begins here!!! Use the bolt anti-seize stuff as much as needed from here on!!
f. Gently press the pilot bushing in place ? it?s brass and if you push too hard, it?ll buckle in a way you won?t like!!! How far to push in? Just remember that it?ll have to be pulled out later if you screw up or if you have to do a clutch job, so leave some space between the far end of the bushing (the end towards the engine) and the end of the bore provided. You don?t want to push it ?till it ?bottoms? out!!!
g. Insert the upper and lower dust plates in place here ? the ? one goes in first towards the engine, then the full one. They may fall out, just make sure they sit on the dowel pins provided on the engine end. I don?t quite recall but they can be put in later.
h. Insert 5-spd flywheel in place (did you remember to resurface it????), set small circular drive plate in place and bolt assembly to crank shaft ? (torque to 72-80 ft-lb.)
i. Now bolt the clutch plate assembly (see fiche #4B1,http://web.archive.org/web/200502260...fiche/fiche.pl ) to see how things go ? clutch pressure plate next to flywheel, clutch disk. Here?s where you?ll treasure the value of the clutch alignment tool!!! Torque clutch pressure plate to flywheel bolts: 16-22 ft-lbs.

12. Install 5-spd Tranny
This?ll be your 3rd most difficult task.
. You?ve cleaned and prepped the 5-spd tranny, now put it on the tranny mount - that sucker is heavy, dude!!! ? and slide it under the car.
a. You can put tranny oil at this stage but I don?t advice it ?cause tranny will be heavier and in the process of aligning it, all that oil may come pouring out!!!
b. Do your best to align the tranny input shaft to the drive shaft. It may be a struggle -tranny may align at first shot or it may take you a few hours to get it all lined up. PATIENCE, more beer and keep on trying. Eventually, you?ll get it. It took me an overnight rest to get it in there!!!
c. Once the tranny is aligned, bolt her back to the engine (torque to spec ? different for the bolts due to different functions,22-29ft-lb for bolts just below the starter and 29-30ft-lb for the top bolts,reefer to manual) and don?t forget to reinstall the dust plates ? remember thetip about the top bolts???
d. Tranny is in place, tranny jack still under tranny and scissors jack still under the engine. Now, bolt tranny cross member and bushing in place (torque to 33-44ft-lb; couldn?t find torque reference for this, so I used engine mount torquereference) ? did you remember to checkthe rubber mounts???
e. Reinstall oil temperature sensor harness.
f. At this point, you must have reinstalled the starter, and the negative battery terminal. Oh my!!, did you forget those. Get your act together boy!!!
g. Reinstall the drive shaft (follow required torques)
h. Reinstall exhaust components. If turbo and you?re using same front tube,the heat shield will interfere with the tranny mount ? I used a wooden hammerto flatten her down by the mount area ?till it fit well!!!
i. Install the original speedo pinion with new O-ring
j. Install 5-spd drive shaft (29-33 ft-lb).
k. Reinstall exhaust components (front tube to engine:34-45ft-lb; to cat: 23-32ftlb, cat to middle tube: 31-42ft-lb, heat shields,rear rail frame x-member,
l. Readjust emergency brake (adjuster torque: 2.3-3.2ft-lb!!!, tiny, tiny). Make sure you get 8-10 notches before it fully tightens, otherwise, readjust.

 

13. Fill her Up With Oil
. Several ways of doing this. I threaded a plastic tube from the engine bay to tranny oil inlet and put in 5-1/8 qt of Redline MT-90 synthetic (4-1/4 qt for N/A). There?s no way you can miss the quantity?cause as soon a soil starts dripping from the tranny, that?s it.!!!
a. Fill up the clutch master cylinder (use DOT-3 brake fluid) and bleed the system ? damper, then slave, as best as you can. You?ll probably not be able to bleed itcompletely doing it alone. I took mineto the shop for a final bleeding.
b. Have the brake pedal and clutch pedals free play adjusted as best as you can

14. That?s It, You did it!!! Now, lets go to the electronics
. Put the front tires back on ? lube your poly bushings here if you have them, before putting the tires back on
a. Don?t drop the car just yet, you may need to go back there.
b. Put all your tools away and please clean the darn place!!!
c. Take a break, have a beer, and at this point, you?ve probably had enough kissing!!! Bruised knuckles and pains all over??? Not uncommon.

15. Do The Electronics (if you want to drive the car)
Here you?ll have to deal with the inhibitor switch ? that?s the 8-pin connector from the tranny that ended up in the battery area. Remember you had to disconnect it and I toldyou to pay attention to it???
Refer to figure for 87-89 cars only

(For pre ?87 cars go to http://web.archive.org/web/200502260...es/view.pl?170)
You are looking at the pins on the inhibitor switch FROM the tranny side ? not the end attached to the engine!!!
. To START,jump the Black/Blue (B/BL)with the Black/Red (B/R)wire
If you want to start only when clutch is depressed, and for the cruise control to work,perform this jump at the clutch switch (you may need to use a universal switchrather than the Nissan clutch switch). I haven?t done this yet.
a. If you want the reverse light to come on when you put car in reverse, connect the blue wire from the reverse light switch on tranny side to the B/W wire on the inhibitorswitch. Then connect the black wire(this is the ground wire) from the reverse light switch on tranny side to the B/R wire on the inhibitor switch.

16. Start Your Engine
o Congrats, you did it. Now, drop the car and start the engine. You may hear noises but you will be able to tell the bad from the good.
o Drive to your mechanic to have the pedals adjusted and the clutch bleeding done correctly.
o You mayhear a whine when you initially lift off the clutch, that?s OK. Let the clutch hardware wear in and you?llbe OK.

17. Required Adjustments
You?ll probably notice that your idle is approximately 1000 rpm higher!!! It needs to be adjusted if you want to pass emissions. For the N/A cars, use the idle adjusting screw by the throttle body. For the turbos, you?ll need the 5-spd ECCS for idle adjustment.

That?s it folks. Questions?? E-mail me or post at z31.com.
If anyone finds errors here, please e-mail me for corrections.
By Vic (veyo@netzero.net)

 

^^^^^ thats what she said

 

Man... That hasn't discouraged me at all... :-) Oh well, I'll start collecting the bits and pieces and get on it. Anybody in the Western North Carolina area willing to help on this (when I eventually get all the pieces needed)?

 

You could have linked to Vic's Writeup On my Site or on Z31.com. A lot less Copying and Pasting.

 

Oops. I should have known better. You have all the good writeups.