Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Right, I'm going ahead with this 350 Chev and still tossing up a few options. I know the 5 speed non-turbo box is the one I really want, because of its low 1st, but now I'm thinking of cutting corners:

I'd like to retain my transfer, transfer mounts and drive shafts. In other words, all I want to change is motor and gearbox, or just motor. I have the 4sp petty with L28 attached and donor vehicle has 4sp with 350 Chev attached.

1. The two 4speeds look the same. Is there any chance they'd be different as far as mounting pattern goes? I can't see the numbers on them unfortunately.

2. Did the diesel ever have a 4speed? I ask because the voltmeter in the dash of the donor goes to 30V, which suggests it was a 24V diesel at some stage.

3. What are the ratios of the petty 5speed? The diesel ratios are of course available on this site, but I don't know about the petty.

4. What's the difference between the 4speed and 5speed petty g'boxes. Different shifter location? Different mounting pattern?

I can get the 5speed petty g'box for $800. The diesel g'box is $1200 (more than I paid for 350 Chev + complete car!!) and may not be available. As well as ratio change, the 5speed would push the engine forward, which I'd like. I have the advantage of 2" body lift, but still, the donor car has the engine a long way back, despite moving the g'box forward. So I'm wondering whether $800 for the 5 speed is worth it. If the ratios are better, and it'll fit, I'll do it. Otherwise I might make do with the 4 speed.

heath heath heath...

i just sold my non turbo 5 speed diesel box 2 weeks ago for $600... it was modified to suit the conversion as well.....

OUCH!

basically, if you retain the transfer on the back of the gearbox then the mnounts are all the same. you bolt any of the series of gearboxes straight in on the same gearbox mounts and use the same drive shafts.... there is differenences between shifter location on diesel comnpared to petrol, which i had modded the diesel box for, but if ya give me a buzz i can go through it with you and tell ya wat needs to be done there....

its all about motor location. because you only have a 4 cylender long motor now, you have lots of length in the engine bay to play with. the 5 speed box is longer between the transfer and box, so if u bolt the transfer in on the same mounts then the box is sitting further forward, if you still had your 6 cylender you couldnt move the motor forward to compansate for this, but you can with the V8. just make engine mounts to suit the new location and bolt the box in on the same mounts retaining shafts...

with the 6 cylender if you put a 5 speed in, u cant move the motor froward so the box mounts need to be modded backwards which means longer and shorted driveshafts...

give me a buzz and we can chat, ill give ya all the info ya need bud.... might even get up there to give ya a hand

screwy

Heathx4 wrote:Right, I'm going ahead with this 350 Chev and still tossing up a few options. I know the 5 speed non-turbo box is the one I really want, because of its low 1st, but now I'm thinking of cutting corners:

You'll regrete that decision if you decide to go for tyres larger than 33"
35's, 38's, 39's really do require the low 1st gear if you plan on any sort of crawl ability, while its not so noticable with the 35's it will stand out with the 38's and upwards.

Heathx4 wrote:I'd like to retain my transfer, transfer mounts and drive shafts. In other words, all I want to change is motor and gearbox, or just motor. I have the 4sp petty with L28 attached and donor vehicle has 4sp with 350 Chev attached.

It will depend on the gearbox fitted to the chev.... is it a diesel or petrol 4 spd ?????
The two ARE differant and WILL cause "oh shyte" if not "converted correctly"

Heathx4 wrote:1. The two 4speeds look the same. Is there any chance they'd be different as far as mounting pattern goes? I can't see the numbers on them unfortunately.

Yeah they "look" the same........ BUT they are diferent,
the location of the actual gearshift is differant in the top over plate. In the diesel box the shifter exits around the middle of the top cover whilst with the petrol box the shifter exits towards the rear of the top cover plate.
The reason for this is that the diesel motor is situated much further back in the engine bay therefore pushing the gearbox / transfer further back and making the driveshaft lengths also differant.
The top coverplates CAN be made to interchange...... I have shown Jeffrical the big mean green tree hitting machine how to do this so he can instruct you on this as he is far closer to you.

Heathx4 wrote:2. Did the diesel ever have a 4speed? I ask because the voltmeter in the dash of the donor goes to 30V, which suggests it was a 24V diesel at some stage.

YES more 4spds were fitted then 5 spds.

Heathx4 wrote:3. What are the ratios of the petty 5speed? The diesel ratios are of course available on this site, but I don't know about the petty.

Nissan were tight asses and never developed a specific "petrol 5 spd box" they simply installed a converted diesel 5spd box to the petrol motor. Ratios were either the turbo or non turbo ratios.....depending on what they had an excess of at the time. Usually its the non turbo box that is fitted up to the petrol motor.

Heathx4 wrote:4. What's the difference between the 4speed and 5speed petty g'boxes. Different shifter location? Different mounting pattern?

A) Top cover plates as descrived above.
B) Input shaft lengths are differant between the diesel boxes / petrol boxes, the petrol box input shaft length is longer in the spigot bush area...... considerably longer.
C) Hi / low shifter is also located differantly
D) Box to belhousing is the same between the two
E) Mounting holes are the same in transfers
D) Engine & transfer mounts on the chassis are differant.

Heathx4 wrote:I can get the 5speed petty g'box for $800. The diesel g'box is $1200 (more than I paid for 350 Chev + complete car!!) and may not be available. As well as ratio change, the 5speed would push the engine forward, which I'd like. I have the advantage of 2" body lift, but still, the donor car has the engine a long way back, despite moving the g'box forward. So I'm wondering whether $800 for the 5 speed is worth it. If the ratios are better, and it'll fit, I'll do it. Otherwise I might make do with the 4 speed.

Stop being such a tight ass
Fit the $800 box up behind the chev........ you'll be going in the right direction not the wrong one.........
mmmmmm 5th gear ecconomy

What adaptor is used for the current chev to 4 spd conversion ?????

That may have some issues in regards to what you can or cant do .



Kingy

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/PHP_Modul ... 659#737659

I have a petrol 5speed spare if anyone is chasing one.

I originally got it for the crawler 1st gear as well but I am not longer going to keep the mq so I don't need it.

heath: if it helps sell the box I am willing to negotiate the price too, just pm me and we'll see if we can work something out.

as it is though, you should be able to sell the transfer case and shafts and the 5sp will cost significantly less then $850

maybe $3-400 ?

does that help sway your decision on getting the petrol 5sp instead of a diesel?

V8Patrol wrote:You'll regrete that decision if you decide to go for tyres larger than 33". 35's, 38's, 39's really do require the low 1st gear if you plan on any sort of crawl ability, while its not so noticable with the 35's it will stand out with the 38's and upwards.

Currently have 35" and will probably go to 36 or 37 at next tyre change, so yes, I hear you. Currently, crawl sucks, but is bearable. And yes, I do like to crawl.

It will depend on the gearbox fitted to the chev.... is it a diesel or petrol 4 spd ?????

Argh! Turns out it is a diesel 4sp, which sucks. Shifter comes out of the centre of the box on donor car. My 4sp the shifter comes out of the back.

The top coverplates CAN be made to interchange...... I have shown Jeffrical the big mean green tree hitting machine how to do this so he can instruct you on this as he is far closer to you.

Have just had a chat with the man himself and got the low down.

Fit the $800 box up behind the chev........ you'll be going in the right direction not the wrong one.........

Was just about to go buy the box, but now that I've discovered it's a diesel 4sp in the donor, I've got a spanner fair up my rectum don't I?

What adaptor is used for the current chev to 4 spd conversion ?????

Between the motor and g'box there's just a 170mm long alloy bellhousing. I just noticed it actually leaves the bottom half of the flywheel exposed! What do you think of that?

Thanks heaps Kingy, Jeff and others. At this stage it looks like that petty 5sp is not going to be any use to me Jeff's doing some ringing around for me to see if he can find a diesel 5speed. Without that, I think I'm a bit buggered.

Heathx4 wrote:

V8Patrol wrote:What adaptor is used for the current chev to 4 spd conversion ?????

Between the motor and g'box there's just a 170mm long alloy bellhousing. I just noticed it actually leaves the bottom half of the flywheel exposed! What do you think of that?

Sounds like a CRS bellhousing ......... any pix

The exposed section is an "inspection" port and is usually covered with a steel cover plate using either 5/16 or 1/4 whitworth bolts ( depending on the vintage of the bellhousing ).
A cover plate can be made from 1.6mm steel sheet easily enough, can send u a template if required and if its a CRS bellhousing ( i dont have anything to do with Marks addaptors ).

The insection port is handy for cleaning out the bellhousing after a big days wheelin and will help keep the clutch pak clean and clear of shyte that ya dont want in there.

Kingy

Heathx4 wrote: At this stage it looks like that petty 5sp is not going to be any use to me Jeff's doing some ringing around for me to see if he can find a diesel 5speed. Without that, I think I'm a bit buggered.

no not really .........

Its childs play to change the 1st gear ratio over to the diesel ratio


its the huge expense of doing it that makes it phuckin hard


Kingy

from wat i can gather its a castlemaine rodshop bellhousing.... either that or a dellow... its def a full bellhousing,

heath you will be right, let me know when ya want that gearbox bud

i run a 350 chev with the turbo diesel 5 speed but also running the petrol diff ratio's & running 35's on road & 36's offroad i barely need first which is nice because that way when i do need first in low range its really slow even without crawler gears which aren't available for mq/mk's. So yeah get the 5 speed & a set of diffs from under a petrol & go wheelin

Ive got a spare bell housing adaptor too if anybody else is thinking of converting

I think i already talked about it with you, but have you considered an auto option. I know you have the adaptor and stuff there, but it might still be an option, and will be pretty sweet for crawling offroad, though might be a bit thirsty on the road.
Layto....

Yeah auto would rock on the rocks. But would suck pretty much everywhere else. I simply don't like autos. Bump starting, dropping the clutch, engine braking, locking into gear, locking out of gear, changing gears, keeping revs where I want them, preparing for speed changes. Just can't give these up and go auto at this stage. And yeah, I bought this Chev cause it was already converted to drive a Nissan manual box.

iv also got a full conversion if anyone is interested marks adapter heavier flywheel twin system with extractors radiator x over petrol 4 speed and transfer 3.9 diffs offers above 600