82 Turbo Motor and Trans

[str8pipez]

While cruising the interwebs I found a 1982 Turbo motor with trans (130K miles) from a 1982 280ZX for sale for $800. I got the guy down to $500. I've been looking for a 5 speed anyway and figured I could part the turbo WORSE case, but if all looks good it's going in my 75. He says it ran great when it was pulled. No ECU but I was going to use SDS anyway on my car.

 

Can anyone see anything in the pics that looks out of the ordinary? The blue car is mine in it's current state, sans turbo.

[Metro]

That's definitely not a nissan 5 speed, it must be the t-5. I think you might need the driveshaft that came with it or a custom one made to use it in your S30. Not sure if it's worth the effort, you might want to do some research and decide for yourself.

 

$500 bucks for the whole package seems nice though.

[mattb3562]

I welded the yoke off of the turbo driveshaft to my s30 driveshaft and it fits perfect. You'll need that, but $500 bucks is fair price. You will also either have to modify the shifter or console, though. Also, I believe the BW 5speed has a lower 5th gear than the N/a trans if low rpms is what your shooting for.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

Yep that's a T-5 if you can get the driveshaft even better If not custom will have to get made as mentioned above. I had a 280zx with a full turbo drivetrain swap I loved it but what killed it for me was the T-5. $500 is a damn good price!

[Heroez]

T5 sucks anyway. The only good shifter for it is a mustang shifter. I cant wait for clutch replacement or excuse to swap it out and upgrade to a NA 5 speed.

[cgsheen]

My Son has had a T-5 in his '76 280Z since we turbo swapped it 6 years ago.  He really likes that transmission and he's had no problems whatsoever.  He put a short-shifter on it almost immediately.  I like the way it shifts - quickly, nice positive feel...  I don't like the lower gear ratios, maybe it's just 1st that really bothers me.  The turbo engines have a fair amount of torque and IMO can handle a taller gear in 1st...  I have the Nissan "close ratio" 5-speed in mine ('82-'83 280ZX 5-speed) and I prefer the gear spacing in that transmission, but I wish it shifted like my Son's T-5...

[Gollum]

Considering it's a non-WC T5 it's gonna blow up at roughly the same HP levels as the datsun unit. I know datsun engineers "thought" they were putting in a better transmission, but I just don't see it. The T5 case flexes upon shock loading BAD and the gears just spread away from eachother like fingers, bad bad BAD.

 

The big upside to the T5 is that aftermarket gearsets are available, shiftkits are available, and with a short shift kit side to side movement is reduced as well, unlike the nissan design.

 

But it DOES indeed have a different driveshaft. I completed my first turbo swap in a S130 just to find out that all the local driveline shops wanted like $300+ to have a custom driveshaft made with the right yoke, even though I had the turbo driveshaft in hand. All the shops told me it was a "non-removable" yoke. I think they all just wanted to move on to more profitable work.... So I found a B16 CRX for $1,100, later sold that for what I paid and bought an already-turbo 280Z for $1,100. Not bad for a mere $800 more than a driveshaft, I got a whole S30 + turbo motor!

 

Point being, pick your battles wisely. Do you want to dick around with a tranny conversion when you could just drop the motor in and be happy?

 

Also, around here I've seen guys trying to sell the turbo T5 for around $500. I don't know what people are actually paying, but the fact I've seen several in that range tells me something. When I sold mine I asked for $250 and I thought I was robbing the guy.... Even at $250 that pays for HALF of your purchase. If you're going SDS you can sell the EFI, AFM and some other odds and ends and possibly be in the BLACK! Not a bad way to start an engine swap.

 

 

Oh, and as to your original question, it all looks fine. If the owner left the injector cooler on, EGR untouched, and was even running AC then you can pretty much bet it's all "original". Don't see any red flags either.

[Xnke]

The T5, world class or not, makes no difference...they both are only good for 300ft-lbs input. Go over that number and damage will occur in rapid fashion. But they are a smooth shifting box when they're in good shape.

 

That and the lack of shift stops makes it very easy to blow 3rd/4th gear by breaking a shift fork...get one of the aftermarket shifters with the shift stops and MAKE SURE you adjust them properly. It'll really make you kick yourself when you stuff it in 3rd at full boogie and then it gets stuck in 3rd or just grenades.

 

The stock Nissan FS5W71B 5-speed is good for 250ft-lbs all day, every day...and about 300 if you are soft on it. Upgrade to the later -C and -H boxes for 350ft-lbs capability, or to the more-complicated to-make-fit -E for as much as 400ft-lbs input...The nissan boxes get stronger up till about 1998...then the FS5W71X series transmissions start getting left behind for FS5R30A's and FS6RXXX series boxes. The -71's were still in use up until about 2002, best I can tell, though.

Edited April 19, 2013 by Xnke

[motomanmike]

I like my T-5 for now with the power i'm running.  It does have the Hurst short shifter on it so I didn't have to modify the console with mine. I love how it shifts.  Just had to replace the overly dried out hard leather shift boot. Read up.  You might have to modify the transmission cross member but i'm not certain on a 75.  You made out pretty good though price wise.  Good luck with the build.

[Gollum]

FWIW I remember that the stock S130 tranny x-member was straight, while the T5 X-member was offset, much like some of the ones I've seen in the S30, if not verbatim. So it mounts a good 2-3 inches further back, and might need some modification if you want to use the stock x-member you have.

 

I also slotted mine slightly to assist in easier engine/trans install. Call me picky...