borg warner/R200 driveshaft swap question

[MidnightCafe]

So I'm collecting parts for a transmission swap down the road for my 1978 280Z 5 speed manual. I picked up a Borg Warner 5 speed from a ZX turbo a while back that I plan to use. I'm also looking to pick up a 3.9 ratio R200 diff. 
 

I'm picking up a 3.9 R200 diff from Craigslist, and the owner will also sell me a 3.5 R200 diff with a turbo driveshaft attached. He claims the auto driveshaft should work on the manual tranny, but I searched the forums and it looks like it won't. Maybe someone can confirm that the auto driveshaft won't work on the 5 speed B/W?

 

We agreed on a price of $100 for the two diffs and the auto driveshaft, so even if the auto driveshaft doesn't fit, the price is pretty reasonable for the 3.9 diff I plan to use.

 

Edit: I made a confusing post first time around-next time I'll post from home rather than sneakily at work!

Edited March 31, 2015 by MidnightCafe

[NewZed]

Why would a new post on "the forums" be better than an old post on "the forums"?  Aside from that, the ZX propeller shafts are all different lengths than Z propeller shafts.  So you'll have to have whatever you get cut to length.

 

According to the FSM, the NA propeller shafts are identical, manual to auto.  Same part number.  But the L28ET uses its own shaft.  My impression has been that the slip yokes are different.  Borg Warner and Nissan spline counts and shaft diameters are different.  If you have the parts, which it looks like you do, you could measure and count.  Or take the BW trans. with you when you pick up the diffs.  Or count and measure the BW, then count and measure the propeller shaft.  Or take pictures and compare.

 

I wrote all that stuff then realized you only asked about the "auto diff".  Which doesn't really have anything at all to do with the 5 speed B/W.  Good luck.

[SleeperZ]

The slip yoke for the T-5 is different.  But all the differential flanges will interchange even if there is a differential difference between the 3.54 (turbo) and the auto, or the non-turbo 3.90.

Edited March 30, 2015 by SleeperZ

[Pac_Man]

I've done a lot of poking around with what driveshaft will work with the NWC T5 found in the 280ZX turbo (aka the FS5R90A). Putting the FS5R90A into an S30 will mean you need a custom driveshaft. I still don't understand it to this day but the T5 driveshaft is something like 1/2" too long to be a direct swap into an S30. A friend of mine did some modifications to the motor mounts to scoot everything forward just a smidge and made it fit, but a lot of people would say that's not the "right" way to do it. He has also reported driveline vibration at highway speeds so I suspect his driveshaft is either still too long or the u joints are bad.

 

Jamal (borini63) on the forums here wrote a post I think on zcar.com or maybe another website stating he used an automatic driveshaft in the T5 and it worked fine. I never bothered to ask him about it and while he does seem to know what he's doing, I find it hard to believe that it would work. 

 

Your best bet would be find a place locally that will make you a driveshaft for a decent price. A well-equipped shop can make you one with replaceable U-joints and a differential pinion flange that will bolt up to the smaller R200 flange found on everything but the T5 diff. If you can't find someone nearby, I called Powertrain Industries in California and they quoted me a very reasonable price for a brand new, custom made driveshaft.

[MidnightCafe]

 

I wrote all that stuff then realized you only asked about the "auto diff".  Which doesn't really have anything at all to do with the 5 speed B/W.  Good luck.

 

Typo there-meant to say the auto transmission driveshaft.  Sounds like a custom driveshaft is the way to go.