can I use a 12a tranny on a SE without haveing a drivline made???

 

aren't the drivelines the same length?

 

I dont know... I know the t2 tranny wont work on a 1st gen without a custom drive line... I have a chance to pick up a SE and it needs a tranny... I am thinking about picking it up and puting one of my spare 12a trannys in it and selling it... I havent looked at the car yet... I am trying to find out before I go look at it...

 

Yes, any '81-85 12a tranny will work.

 

Other than the gearing being different, theyre basically the same. So, as Sterling said, yes .

~T.J.

 

but 12a tranny is weaker that the -se one. why you want to put one on a -SE?

 

I think being weaker is kind of a rumor isnt it?

~T.J.

 

All the NA gears are the same strength.

And its drive SHAFT, dammit.

 

same trannys except for the bellhousing vents and a taller 5th gear!

 

Yes it'll fit but the SE trans has a switch IIRC for 5th gear that the 12A trans doesn't. Only the 1st gen autos had a different lenghth drive shaft.

 

Are you sure? I didnt think they were different either.

~T.J.

 

yes they are diferent T.J. even the -SE dirveshaft is diferent that the 12a's because of the engine

 

I bought my 85 Se with a blown tranny and installed a used one from a 83 GSL. Bolted right in, no probs.

 

...

 

Nope. On the 13B's, the engine sits further forward, not backward. Same driveshafts.

Yep. I am not sure but I think an 83-85 12A tranny is interchangeable with an SE tranny.

79-82 you need the driveshaft because of the spline, not the length. Again, I am not sure of that part.

 

originally posted by Directfreak but one of the guys in mazdatrix to me that non -SE and -SE driveshaft are both difrerent. because -SE driveshaft is shorter. but in tis case it doesnt mater because were arent talking about driveshaft

 

ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz.........

All the 78-85 drive shafts are the same with two exceptions. The Auto trans is longer making their shafts shorter. The early cars have a different bolt pattern on the pinion flange than the later, so the shafts of course have a different pattern as well. I have swapped many late model pinion flanges (GS, GSL, & GSL-SE) with the early for the sole purpose of using the early style driveshaft with replacable u-joints. On the other hand, if you'd prefer to shell out $250-300 for a driveshaft you don't need...

Anyway, like I said before, with the exception of the 5th gear switch, any (GS, GL, GSL) 81-85 trans will bolt in to a GSL-SE. Yes it's got a different gearset in fith, yes it has a cooling vent for the clutch...and an early trans will have the course gears instead of the fine. One hint, plug the two extra wires together when you finish the swap...if you want to know why PM me.