My 2nd gear syncros are more or less shot in my n/a. The transmission has 150k on it, and the engine was just rebuild, so I'm considering a transmission rebuild. I've heard transmissions can be rather expensive for our cars, so I want some advice before I do anything. Can an ordinary transmission shop rebuild it for me? will they have all the necessary parts?

Oh, and I'd like to have a transmission that's more solid than stock when all is said and done, if that's reasonable, and financially feasible.

What do you suggest?

 

an ordinary tranny shop can rebuild it
but
it is a better choice to find another stock na transmission to put it in - at $75 each go and an almost endless supply, you could go for a long time.
if you want it to be moer durable, you can swap the t2 drivetrain on it, but be ready to shell at least $600 for it.

 

i agree with slpin, rebuilding a n/a transmission is a waste of money in my opinion. the transmissions just weren't built to take alot of abuse, even the rather meager amount an n/a can dish out..

 

Well, if it lasted 150K miles, no complaints. On my TII the syncros needed replacement at 80K and then again when the new engine was installed at 155K.
If you pull the trans it should run around $300/500 max, just a ballpark, depending on what they find once inside.

The used trans deal is great if a gambler, but you never know what you're buying, or how long it will last until it's installed. Get's old in a hurry.

 

I have no idea whether or not it's the original transmission; I've had the car for about 6k miles at this point (5k on a rebuilt engine), and the car could've gone through 27 transmissions for all I know!

If I were to look for a used transmission, what would you suggest? Just finding someone on here in OH who is parting a car out?

 

where can I source the parts I need so I can do it myself? I am trying to get a turbo tranny so I can rebuild it in my spare time and have an extra one on hand.

 

the dealer?

personally i only like OEM parts for items like syncros... cheap is cheap after all..

 

Yeah, I want to do this right. Money is an issue, but quality is more important.
I have a new rebuild- 5k on it at this point. I want a tranny that can take all the abuse this engine can dish out.

BTW, turbo transmission is geared differently, isn't it? If I don't want to stay in each gear longer, I should avoid a turbo tranny, right?
*edit* by "geared differently", I mean "geared higher"

 

Okay, question for you all. Is it possible to buy new syncros for my transmission from a Mazda dealer? for that matter, is it possible to buy a whole new tranny from a Mazda dealer?

What I DON'T want to do is spend $500 installing a $75 transmission, only to find out that it's as broken as mine.