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question before i swap transmissions


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I am ready to swap my push-button 5 speed for a dual range 5 speed. I just have a question before I do that.

 

I pulled a transmission out of an XT a couple weeks back, because I like the shifter handle better than the one on the DL/GL. I have wrenches, and a jack and stands and a place to do the work. I just need to reassure myself that it will fit.

 

--The drivetrain on a Loyale...will I need to shorten or lengthen it?

 

--Will the axles fit? (Are the splines and lengths a straight swap/match).

 

I wouldn't worry from another wagon, but I'm not familiar enough with the XT to know these tiny but important details. I don't want to get knee deep into swapping this thing to find out the tranny I got won't work. Call me yellow, but I'd rather get the right one the first time!

 

Thanks for any responses.

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what car is this going into? 91 loyale as your user name?

 

what kind of XT? FWD, PT4WD, FT4WD, what year, etc? were the rear lights in the bumper or above it (trying to narrow down if you can't tell us year/etc).

 

a non-turbo XT manual trans will bolt right into your 91 Loyale with no axle or driveshaft worries.

 

a turbo XT will still work but requires different axles - either Turbo axles or just swap the inner joint to your axles. not a big deal, just an extra step.

 

you may have to rig up different vacuum lines/control (easy) if it's a FT4WD XT transmission which would be newer 88-91 XT's.

 

older XT's have the same push button trans as the 85-87 XT's.

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what car is this going into? 91 loyale as your user name?

 

what kind of XT? FWD, PT4WD, FT4WD, what year, etc? were the rear lights in the bumper or above it (trying to narrow down if you can't tell us year/etc).

 

a non-turbo XT manual trans will bolt right into your 91 Loyale with no axle or driveshaft worries.

 

a turbo XT will still work but requires different axles - either Turbo axles or just swap the inner joint to your axles. not a big deal, just an extra step.

 

you may have to rig up different vacuum lines/control (easy) if it's a FT4WD XT transmission which would be newer 88-91 XT's.

 

older XT's have the same push button trans as the 85-87 XT's.

 

The donor car was a Turbo XT with optional 4wd (pull the lever up). It was NOT full time, I'm pretty sure. It does have a switch next the the 2/4 selector labeled "differential lock" if that makes a difference. Afaik the transmission is a 5 sp d/r, though it's not labeled. It has the same linkage setup as the DL/GL d/r trannies I've seen. The turbo was missing but I checked the exhaust and found the air routing stuff on there/the engine intake, just the turbo itself was gone. I could go back and check the taillights if you need more.

 

My car is a '91 Loyale wagon with a push button 5 speed.

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I'm trying to finish up a swap myself. I put a 86 Turbo XT 5mt in the daughters 93 Loyale wagon. It's a non turbo car. Swaped out the 3at. I am working on a FWD car so not sure if my info will help but there is a differance in the clutch and pressure plate size between the 2, Turbo is larger diameter,and has a higher spline count. Didn't realize that when I ordered the new replacement parts. Make sure you get the flywheel. Don't remember the spline count. The Turbo clutch kit I got came with pressure plate, disk,throwout bearing, bearing clips, pilot bearing and clutch alignment tool.Came from NAPA. And as already mentioned the shafts are differant. I had the shifter as well and I swear it didn't look like the thing would work, don't know for sure as my girl didn't like the look of the XT one, so I didn't try.

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Later I will be swapping the motor for a 2.2, but right now it's only the transmission. Both cars produce the same part number when you try to pick up a clutch, so I am not too worried about the motor side of things. The shaft should fit fine. Later when I do the 2.2 swap the flywheel bolt patterns do have to be changed, though. Is that what you're talking about? EA82 transmission have the same mate set up to the motor afaik (the XT does have a different pressure plate, but I'm going to keep mine for the moment and the shaft opening is big enough it won't be a problem).

 

It's more the other stuff that does vary between the cars--distance between the end of the transmission and the rear diff, axle spline counts, that sort of thing.

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The donor car was a Turbo XT with optional 4wd (pull the lever up). It was NOT full time, I'm pretty sure. It does have a switch next the the 2/4 selector labeled "differential lock" if that makes a difference. Afaik the transmission is a 5 sp d/r, though it's not labeled. It has the same linkage setup as the DL/GL d/r trannies I've seen.

 

My car is a '91 Loyale wagon with a push button 5 speed.

 

Yes, it is full time 4x4 if it has the "diff lock" switch. That switch runs the solenoids that switch the vacuum to the big vacuum can on the side of the transmission.

 

That also makes it a 3.7 final drive transmission, instead of the 3.9 final drive that your loyale has so you need to swap the rear diff too. It also means you need the 25 spline front axles instead of the 23 spline that the loyale has.

 

You will get worse gas mileage because you are now a AWD car instead of a part time 4x4. You have power going through both differentials which creates heat and drag, rather than just the minor friction from an unloaded rear diff coasting along for the ride like the part time 4x4 normally is.

 

It also will spin whichever wheel has the least traction, so it's a pitiful AWD with 3 open differentials. You can lock the center diff, but you might as well leave the pushbutton 4x4 in there at that point.

 

The low range in the FT4wd's is also less of a low range than the part time 4x4 d/r's, and the final drive gives you even less gear reduction on top of that. The transmission is kind of a bundle of suck. Will it fit? Sure, buy why would you want to?

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:0

 

I had no idea...which is why I asked. 91Loyale just increased my knowledge substantially. Thank you.

 

Would it be better, then, to go with a d/r out of a wagon despite the less appealing asthetics? Less work and more benefits?

 

Mine too. I did a d/r swap in my s/r 90 Loyale. With the matching 3.9 ratios it was simply a transmission swap. I was also able to take the best bushings from both linkage sets and get a better feel at the shifter with less free play.

 

Members of this board sent me the 3 pieces I needed to make the nice d/r console, where the s/r had only a boot and carpeted floor hump.

 

My donor car was an 87 GL wagon. Everything was a straight across deal, you do have the vacuum ports on the left fender up by the wiper motor to cap after you go to the mechanical linkage from the previous vacuum set up.

 

btw, I used that time to pull the engine and re gasket it, just dont ask me about the one gasket I DIDN'T change, the rear main, that let go two weeks later :rolleyes:

 

so, uh, if you have it all out anyway... you might as well change the ONE gasket that requires the engine to be removed to change it

 

inspect your clutch, yadda yadda yadda

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Hadn't thought about the rear main. I do plan to change the clutch plate, though, and work out linkage kinks (mine is very loose at the moment).

 

Mine did not appear to be leaking, I was driving the donor engine around and knew how it ran. It had a lot of weepy gaskets, valve cover, valve grommets, oil pan, etc etc. I'm just throwing that out there, I'll never move another engine without changing that again. It was the ultimate burn, and it crapped all over my nice clean engine crossmember too. it drips like he// on the cat and gives that ultra sexy cloud of oil smoke when you stop and comes through the vents to perfume the interior. IT was SOOO not worth the hours to remove and reinstall the engine just to spend 15 minutes replacing the gasket.

 

Rant over, I hope you get a D/R going. Good people here, they'll help you through it.

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