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How to identify 5spd trans?


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So I got my new Brat home and I played around with it a little today. I'm planning a 2.2 and 5spd swap and it's missing several engine components so I spent some time today getting the engine ready to come out. I was checking out the shifter to see how sloppy it was and I noticed that it seems to have a 5th gear. The shifter will go into "gear" when pushed up and to the right, straight above reverse and it's not in neutral. I'm not sure if it's just from sloppiness in the shifter, or if I'll be wasting my time swapping in another 5 spd. Is there any easy way to tell if it has had a 5spd swapped in?

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So I got my new Brat home and I played around with it a little today. I'm planning a 2.2 and 5spd swap and it's missing several engine components so I spent some time today getting the engine ready to come out. I was checking out the shifter to see how sloppy it was and I noticed that it seems to have a 5th gear. The shifter will go into "gear" when pushed up and to the right, straight above reverse and it's not in neutral. I'm not sure if it's just from sloppiness in the shifter, or if I'll be wasting my time swapping in another 5 spd. Is there any easy way to tell if it has had a 5spd swapped in?
If you're doing an EJ22 swap you might as well go with the AWD 5MT.

 

If you want to check if you have a 5 speed d/r, take it out on the open road (without traffic) get up to speed in 4th and note the rpm at that speed, shift into 5th and check the rpm, if it goes down you've got a 5 speed, if it goes up, you're in third again.

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Yea, I can't really get it out on the open road and drive it without a running engine, and I don't want to drop in the 2.2 and find out I only have a 4 speed when I have a 5 speed dual range that I was planning to swap in anyway. On the other hand I don't want replace the trans if I'm just going to be replacing it with what's already there. Is there anything stamped or cast into the case, or a measurement I could take or an identifying feature or something?

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5sp has the clutch lever on the left side of the box while 4sp has it on the right. The low range lever which is right up at the bell housing of the box is on the left side for 4sp and right side for 5sp.

 

5sp also has a shifter plate with two rods connecting to the back of the gearbox. 4sp has the shifter mount into the top of the longer extension rear casing of the gearbox.

 

It may be a 2WD EA81 gearbox, in which case it will be very short physically, have no propshaft output but will have 5th gear and a shifter plate. Pretty obvious to see if you look underneath.

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If you can't drive it, after you take the engine out, just jack up one wheel, and manualy turn the input shaft one revolution in 4th, and see how far the wheel turns. Then do it again in "5th" and compare.

 

I believe the 5 speed is shorter than the 4 speed... but I do not know exact measurements.

 

IMO, low range is a much more desireable feature than AWD -- so the 5MT D/R is what you want, not the 5MT AWD that mates to the EJ22. But... if you aren't doing bumpy off road stuff, then maybe the AWD is a more desired feature.

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5sp has the clutch lever on the left side of the box while 4sp has it on the right. The low range lever which is right up at the bell housing of the box is on the left side for 4sp and right side for 5sp.

 

Huh... I may be rembering incorrectly (quite possible), but I thought I remember both the 4 speed and the 5 speed having the clutch lever at the very top of the box.

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They are at the top, but because the casing is two hlafs left and right the hole is in one side. Only slightly, but it is. Enough to effect clutch cables. As with the 5sp conversion in that RHD Australian cars you need to replace the cable with the longer 5sp cable. If the levers were the same you could just use the same cable.

 

Yes, the physical size of the 4sp is about 17cm longer then the 5sp The 5sp AWD EJ boxes are shorter again, by around 40mm I think

Edited by Phizinza
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5sp has the clutch lever on the left side of the box while 4sp has it on the right. The low range lever which is right up at the bell housing of the box is on the left side for 4sp and right side for 5sp.

 

5sp also has a shifter plate with two rods connecting to the back of the gearbox. 4sp has the shifter mount into the top of the longer extension rear casing of the gearbox.

 

It may be a 2WD EA81 gearbox, in which case it will be very short physically, have no propshaft output but will have 5th gear and a shifter plate. Pretty obvious to see if you look underneath.

 

Thanks for the input. It's a 4wd box. I'm sure of that much. Just to be sure are you giving left and right from the perspective of sitting in the car, or standing in front looking under the hood?

 

Thanks again.

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They are at the top, but because the casing is two hlafs left and right the hole is in one side. Only slightly, but it is. Enough to effect clutch cables. As with the 5sp conversion in that RHD Australian cars you need to replace the cable with the longer 5sp cable. If the levers were the same you could just use the same cable.

 

Yes, the physical size of the 4sp is about 17cm longer then the 5sp The 5sp AWD EJ boxes are shorter again, by around 40mm I think

 

Ah, I get it now :)

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