75 T5 Install questions.

[jeffp]

I have a tranny I am going to d ofor a guy to install in his 75. I am not to worried about the tranny, or the clutch stuff, but Waht I need to know is about the Drive line, the cross member, the speedo, and importantly the shifter.

I would like to get some input from guys htat have done this install in their cars. I do believe he is going to be running the R180 diff so SPECIFIC information on the drive line and cross member is very much desired. I really want this to be agood install for him as his car is very nice and I want to provide him with all of the ACCURATE information to make the tranny fit clean, and the shifter to be positioned correctly, and for the speedo to read the correct speed.

I haven't gotten into the 280z cars or earlier for that matter, but it seems I am somehow getting dragged into providing solutions for these type installs. I guess it is time to start a note book to keep all this stuff strait. Anyway, you guys and Gals that have done this install please give me some info on what I need to look for to get a 5 speed into this nice Zcar. Also, a recommendation on gear ratio would be helpful, he wants a good rpm on the freeway because it is going to be a high performance daily driver, somewhere in the 300hp range would be a good range to think about.

ALL information will be much appreciated.

Jeff

[Mike C]

I assume this is an L6 powered car and not a V8? If it is a V8 buy the JTR book. Here is what I wrote yesterday on the T5 vs. Nissan 5 speeds.

 

Relative strength of the T5 is debatable. Some people say they have broken T5 and replaced with NA 5 speeds with no problems. The "clunky" shifting can be remedied with an aftermarket shifter which also improves reliability since one of the big causes of failures appears to be "overshifting" the assembly. (This clunky shifting reputation is ironic since in the land of domestic cars it is considered a "slick" shifting trans.) The plus of the T5 IMO is that it has a first gear of 3.5, the same as the early 4 speed, and more overdrive than the early 5 speed, close to that of the late car. That way you can use 3.54 gears and have more first gear multiplication than a 3.90 equipped car with the late 5 speed and a lower effective final drive than 3.36 gears with the early 5 speed. That is why I am doing the T5 in my car. I bought a Hurst competition plus shifter for an 83-86 Mustang and even in the garage it is night and day better than the Nissan POS shifter. I am assuming I will have to bend/modify the shift lever when I do the install, but you never know. You can pick up a stock mustang shifter which is better than the Nissan one, but it lacks the shifter stops which are important IMO.

 

The T5 is longer than the Nissan trans in addition to the mount being ~ 1 1/4" further to the rear. Easiest fix for that is to section and offset weld the crossmember. It has a different spline output shaft. It will require either a new custon driveshaft or the shortening/balbancing of an 82-83 T5 turbo shaft. (I would get one made since the Nissan one has non-replaceable u-joints)The Nissan early 5 speed is a true bolt in requiring NOTHING including speedo calibration if he has 3.54 gears. The B model 5 speed speedo is setup for 3.90 gears. There are two different shifters, not including the bend in the handle. One is longer than the other from the pivot to the ball where it goes into the transmission. Unless his car is/was an auto then it should have an r200.