Transmission Swap
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Transmission Swap
First post here, cut me some slack if I'm not doing it right, but I'd like some experienced advice. I have a 79 with a 5 speed with 82k miles, and the tranny is starting to act up, and I am looking to do a transmission swap. My criteria (in order of importance) is ease of swap, reliability, part availability, cost, and lastly strength (by this I mean im running a semi stock 12a and not pushing any extreme power lol and am NOT looking to anytime soon).
#3
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@mazdaverx713b When you say altering the trans tunnel, what needs to be done? Hammering it larger? Relocating the trans mount? I'm curious so I know what I may be getting into in the far future. I understand the shifter hole is wrong. I would like to see pictures of the differences, shift hole alterations too, for curiosity sake.
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First post here, cut me some slack if I'm not doing it right, but I'd like some experienced advice. I have a 79 with a 5 speed with 82k miles, and the tranny is starting to act up, and I am looking to do a transmission swap. My criteria (in order of importance) is ease of swap, reliability, part availability, cost, and lastly strength (by this I mean im running a semi stock 12a and not pushing any extreme power lol and am NOT looking to anytime soon).
#5
Waffles - hmmm good
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It may not be the tranny. Give us more symptoms. It could easily be the pilot bearing or low on fluid or any number of other issues and may be working just fine otherwise. In other words there may be a simpler fix that swapping or rebuilding.
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7aull (07-09-20)
#6
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This...
...and this...
It's a manual transmission, so there's only so many things that can go wrong. Assuming the box itself isn't detonated, changing the slave and master cylinders, swapping the clutch/flywheel/pressure plate/throw-out bearing, and doing a fluid change will be less expensive and less wasteful than tossing out the whole kit-n-kaboodle.
It's a manual transmission, so there's only so many things that can go wrong. Assuming the box itself isn't detonated, changing the slave and master cylinders, swapping the clutch/flywheel/pressure plate/throw-out bearing, and doing a fluid change will be less expensive and less wasteful than tossing out the whole kit-n-kaboodle.
#7
Have RX-7, will restore
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If you were to swap a later transmission in, you would have to cut your trans tunnel rearward to accommodate the extra length. I'm with the above on having your trans rebuilt or replace it with a known good trans.
Also, why do you think the trans is bad? The SA trans is pretty tough and at 82k miles, unless it was run out of fluid from a tail shaft seal leak or beat to death by shifting like an animal, it should have held up very very well.
Also, why do you think the trans is bad? The SA trans is pretty tough and at 82k miles, unless it was run out of fluid from a tail shaft seal leak or beat to death by shifting like an animal, it should have held up very very well.
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t_g_farrell (07-09-20)
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#8
needs more track time
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For a trans rebuild, Pettit, Rotary Performance, RX7.com, maybe Defined and probably spec miata shops should be able to take on the job or at maybe make a recommendation. Assuming you can't find a good local shop.
Here's a spec miata shop that does trans rebuilds on miatas https://www.advanced-autosports.com/
Here's a spec miata shop that does trans rebuilds on miatas https://www.advanced-autosports.com/
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mazdaverx713b (07-10-20)
#13
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Driveshafts are the same length for all 1st gens, and the transmissions are same length. The shifter housing on the tail shaft is in different locations making the shifter sit further forward on the SA.
When I swapped to a gslse rear end on my SA, the se driveshaft worked perfectly with the SA trans.
When I swapped to a gslse rear end on my SA, the se driveshaft worked perfectly with the SA trans.
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mazdaverx713b (07-17-20)
#14
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Pretty sure that you can just swap the tail shafts from your SA transmission to a FB gearbox and it will fit. Have seen some pictures in tech section. I did kinda of the same thing when my FB gearbox broke, and buddy had a S4 FC gearbox... he swap my tail shaft and speedo gear and we put the S4 gearbox with FB tail shaft back into my 85 FB without needing to change anything else. Welcome to the 1st Gen RX7 world.
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