Nissan manual gearboxes

[Swedish Mike]

What do you think of the S13 and S14 manual gearboxes? Strong enough? Ok to shift?

The last years I`ve had both S13`s and S14`s, from MY1991 to 1998, they all had one thing in common.The gearboxes are pretty boring to shift, feels like a stick in macaroni`s... Anyone tried a short shifter kit? Better?

Many S13 guys at home break their boxes around 300 whp and mount S14 or BMW gearboxes.The BMW`s are probably the best choise but it would be nice to find a direct fit box, strong as hell.

What do you think? Opinions? I`m trying to find "the golden gearbox swap".

/Mike

[Hijacker]

i have yet to see anyone blow up a nissan trans unless their going for insane horsepower goals.

As far as shifting goes, I've found the nissans to feel smoother than most and still offer great feedback for input. Most of that is due to the way the linkage is designed inside the gearbox.

[Swedish Mike]

i have yet to see anyone blow up a nissan trans unless their going for insane horsepower goals.

As far as shifting goes, I've found the nissans to feel smoother than most and still offer great feedback for input. Most of that is due to the way the linkage is designed inside the gearbox.

We have a bunch of transmission killers in Sweden but we got sooooo many 5-speeds on the streets and many are high milage.

Yeah, no problem to shift. Smooth but sometimes too smooth, do you know what I mean? Like jelly.I`ve never mounted a short shifter, maybe it will help.

/Mike

[Hijacker]

i'm not a fan of short shifters. They're too clunky and finicky to get in gear (at least on my friend's mazda). The amount of time i save in the shift throw is wasted in trying to find that exact spot in the pattern to get the forks to shift the gear. Of course that could be a side effect from the way the linkage is set up. Nissan has a more direct linkage design thanks to the trans being closer and in the proper orientation to the shifter.

MOre than likely with those high mileage trannies, they're blowing their countershafts. The countershaft bearing seems to like to give out at higher mileage.

I wouldn't say that my trans feels like jelly. I definitely know when I'm in gear. I get a small clunk right as the synchros are meshing for the gear to engage.

Worst trans design ever was the one used in the last gen Mustang before the redesign (haven't driven the knew ones, so I don't if it has the same shortcomings as its predecessor). It was horribly placed, you had to leave your seat for 5th, and with the rotation of the trans I would get 1st and 3rd confused.

[dfw240_EE]

i have yet to see anyone blow up a nissan trans unless their going for insane horsepower goals.

On a forum I frequented a long time ago, one of our members detonated an S13 transmission when he shifted from 4th to 3rd instead of 4th to 5th at somewhere well north of 100mph.

Good guy too, really loved that car. Even then he didn't get rid of it!! He just fixed the car and got it running again.

[574-240sx]

I destroyed a 70K mile trans in a year. It took about 6 drift days and a year on non stop abuse though. Stock trans are fine until you start making 400+. Take a look on the KA-T section and you will find out how long they last.

[HashiriyaS14]

Stock S13/S14 trannies are pretty bulletproof, although I suppose the "golden" transmission swap would be a Trust/GREX 6-speed sequential dogbox, which can be had for the S13 or 14 for about $15,000 shipped to your door.

Seriously, stick with your stock trans, it's one of the best things about the car, very worry-free. Take it from an ex-Subaru owner who's used to worrying about his gearbox.

[koukiKA240]

ive seen a clutch rated at 500hp let go before the transmission did. I think you can reliably run 500+hp on the stock KA transmission. Any more hp and you better upgrade to a CF simply for a faster ET.~Sam