Poor Shifting and Bad Syncroes No More

[Good240]

Unfortunetly there is little one can do once a transmission is rubbed the wrong way too many times or ran until it's dried up. The syncroes can get to a point where you simple cannot even slam the ***** into the next gear without gridage or failure to even make it in. I put up with the crap for up to a year now but recently pulled out all the stumps to make smooth shifting a reality.... hopefully.

One single site made getting a replament transmission the easiest thing in the world: Car-part.com. I found a used 1993 Nissan 240SX tranmssion with 53K miles on it with a 60 day warranty for a mear 100 bucks. Since they lived in North Carolina and I lived in Oregon they shipped it UPS ground for a remarable $60 right to my doorstep. Next came a beefy clutch the could give me the satifaction and life as well as the streetablility I craved.

I order an ACT Street Clutch rated at 267 lbs/ft torque for about $290 on a random site that came up on yahoo.com. I also ordered an OBX short throw shifter for $100 from a similar website on the same day. They arrived a day apart and then came the transmission seven days after I placed my order. All 110 LBS were stored in the garage until this recenet weekend and I went to work.

Let me tell you, if you've never installed a transmission in any car and only have one helper who hasn't ever installed a transmission eigther you are going to learn one hell of a lot. It is mad work if you don't have a few warnings like I didn't. I spent nearly 10 hours through out the entire swap and testing. The clutch part was cake thanks to the tools supplied in the ACT clutch kit. I filled up the transmission with 2 quarts or Redline MTL to make sure lubrication wasn't going to be at any fault. After I got it all in it almost blew my mind that it worked and worked well.

I took the car out for a spin right away. The throw was significantly reduced. I measured 5.25 inches of distance from 1st to 2nd if measured at the top of the threaded stick w/o any knob or handle on it. After the OBX unit was on it was almost exactly 3.5 inches. So approximatly 33% less throw is what the OBX offers but honestly it feels like even more distances was reduced. The ACT clutch engaged quickly at a point but I didn't kill it once turning out of the garage and pulling out of the driveway. It felt immensely grippy like I could chirp em in any gear at first. I ran around mildly feeling how direct the shifts now were. Then came the test I had been losing sleep over. I ran the 240 up to redline in first gear and slammed 2nd, and almost like the shifter shifted itself I lunged into 2nd getting remarable tire spin. I kept it floored through 2nd and hit 3rd quick at redline. The front of the car immedietly jumped skyward and snapped back down a ways. I was hooked just testing it. The syncroes in this used 240SX transmission could not have been better. The clutch couldn't have felt more direct and streetable for it's powerholding.

Not only was the car just begging to be speed shifted and raced, but just sporting around town was much more pleasant and linear. Downshifting was improved and even finding reverse was no problem.... EVER. All I gotta say now is that you can easily find a great used transmission online and end the headaches or a worn transmission quickly. I have friends I've yet to race since the swap but I'll post with result about how much the ACT clutch and extra control helps my nearly stock 91 in a drag race. Since It's that time of year I also plan on getting up slips made up at the local Firebird raceway and putting them up online against my old numbers.

Thanks ACT, Thanks car-part.com, Thanks OBX, Thanks Nissan.

[LaureltheQueen]

very well written!

[skydragoness]

excellent.a transmission for $100!! now i know what i need to do with my transmission. although i have about 92k, the transmission isn't in tip top shape but it's not horrible either. ocassionally they'll be grinding which can be embarassing if i'm cruising thru, and finding reverse is an issue at times. (although i have records that the original owner took the car to the dealer reporting she had trouble with reverse sometimes. )

but anyway. thanks for reminding me!

[UncleBen]

woah woah woah, where did you find the ACT Street for 290?!?!!?

[Good240]

I purchased from the following site caused they listed all that was in the kit and had a good price:

http://www.mvpmotorsports.com/...hYN=N

I wanted to make sure the whole deal came through and it sure as hell did. :-)

So I guess the price is actually $298 without mention of shipping which came to I think $15.

[Good240]

Skydragoness, If you want to save as much money as I did I'll push you to copy my investment. My 1991 240SX had 55K miles when I purchased it and had a few shifting issues including reverse. It got worst after that up til about 65K miles. That transmission was dry as a desert when I changed the fluids for the first time in it's existance. Shame on me. The entire life of a manual transmission can be cut short by not keeping it wet. After changing the fluids it got even worst yet because of the syncroes grinding regardless of lubrication and wearing themselves further. Got to a point that going 2nd to 3rd gear at anything over 4K would cause imminent grindage.

As of 3 days since the installed:Maybe 30+ attempted Redline shifts0 missed shifts

:-)