Have you personally experienced or witnessed bearing or synchro failure in an Isuzu 5-sp transaxle used with any engine (4,6 or 8)? Please, no hearsay - I'm only interested in hearing about failures you've seen for yourselves, or heard about DIRECTLY from someone who experienced the failure.

I'm trying to ascertain whether the Isuzu really can take the power of a V6 (or V8, for that matter). Thanks in advance for replies!

Chadman,

This is somewhat heresay... but Denise (Del-val Fieros) off of the Fiero-list has an Izusu hooked up to her 2.8L. She claims that it has been that way for over 10K. I could probably get her address if you would like to speak with her. I am not sure, but I think that Ed did the installation for her.

I too am VERY interested in this transmission because of the added gearing options it adds.

William T. Thorn, III

Years ago we built a really tricked out 3.2 (2.8 bored and stroked) for a guy in Nevada named Bill Prince. His car was a rebody 87 4 cyl with the 5 spd you speak of. When we were finishing the pretty pieces of his engine he had come over and told us about how he really like to beat up on cars and that if they didn't break than he wasn't abusing them enough. That was how he knew what had to be reengineered. He looked up at us and didn't understand why we had such a look on our face and how we looked at the engine we had just built for this guy.

We have not heard of one problem from his car since. He still shows it also. What Im trying to say that from that I can say that the 5 spd can take up a pretty good amount of power. I would hesitant to hook up a 3.4 or turbo on the 5 cog...

Any tranny will fail if abused enough. I had a buddy with a 68 GTO who had a 4 speed Muncie "rock crusher" which is known for it's strength. He was able to strip out second gear. My brother had a B/W Super T-10 4 speed in a Trans Am and he was able to reduce it to a pile of scrap. I tore up a couple trannies in my day too. I found out the hard way that side stepping the clutch at 3,000 RPM is hard on them. Do you think I do burnouts with my V8 Fiero? No way! Having said all that, the Isuzi 5 speed will probably work ok, if not abused on a regular basis. Forget the power shifts and smokey burnouts. I'm not saying you have to baby it, just don't get radical.

WT3,

I have seen Denise's setup personally. She had a Jasper long block hooked up to the isuzu 5. I havn't heard anything about it blowing up yet. The gear ratios seem to be pretty right on too, because I was having trouble keeping up with her in some parts of a cruise we did. I'll tell ya what, that woman likes to drive fast. heh

Syncro failure, in any tranny, usually is not a power issue. It's usually a wear and abuse issue.

The Synco ring doesn't transfer power. It's job is to speed match the splines with the coupler. The syncro is a little brake of sorts. Once the coupler is engauged the synco is totally unloaded.

You have to remember that when you shift you don't move any gears. (Except for reverse which may move an actual gear in some trannys.) What moves is a coupler on or off a set of splines. If the speed of the splines and coupler don't match you don't get into a gear.

Your question is more an issue of the bearings gears and couplers. All of these can take a good bunch of power as long as the tranny is in good shape to start with.

If the tranny is good, and you are going to push it hard, then you want a very good oil in it. You should also consider having it pulled apart and any questionable items fixed. Odds are good any 10-15 year old tranny has some worn things in it.

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 03-10-2000).]

Check with SCCA Fiero. I asked this question a short time ago. (For a '88 Coupe to GT conversion.) He has the Isuzu 5 Spd bolted to his 2.8L and basically told me he beats the tar outta it. So far no problem.

Guess this is hear say too...So ask SCCA Fiero!!

Ozzy

So...five positives for the Isuzu, no negatives, and an informative post from the Ogre. That's encouraging!

I'm still looking for V6 Fieros and considering a couple I've already looked at. But I just may decide on a 2.8 swap for my trusty Coupe if none of the others pan out - its 5-sp Isuzu still shifts like new.

what is the "feel" of the isuzu, compared to the getrag? i have never drivin one.

I've been at least 12k with my isuzu mounted to my 2.8 V6 and have had no prob. I love the gearing and power I get on acceleration. I have never driven the getrag though. The tranny has 160K on it and shifts great. So I say use it.

FYI!

The Isuzu 5 speed transaxle has some options that can be added ...

The Fiero's Isuzu has a FDR of 3.35:1
There is three other FDRs available

4.117 : 1...PN GMIS411...$ 374.00
3.833 : 1...PN GMIS383...$ 392.00
3.578 : 1...PN GMIS357...$ 382.00
(from Bill's Isuzu Performance web site)

AND a Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing Limited Slip Differential for $1195

Yes, expensive BUT it is available. Have you seen the availability of gear sets for the Muncie/Getrag? 3.61:1 and 3.94:1 (if you can find one ...) and the Thorsen LSD which is made of unatainium ...

Paul
88 Coupe w/HO Quad 4 & 3.83:1 Isuzu 5 speed.
or
88 Coupe w/TPI V8 & 3.35:1 Isuzu 5 speed.
and
88 Formula w/TPI V8 & 3.35:1 Isuzu 5 speed.
or
88 Formula w/HO 3.1 & 3.61:1 Muncie 5 speed.
and
88 GT w/HO 3.1 & Automatic.
or
88 GT w/stock 2.8 & Automatic.
or
88 GT w/HO 3.4 & Automatic.

None are finished and only the 88 Coupe has the engine/transaxle actually bolted in at this time so I still have options on what engine ends up in which car.

Decisions, decisions, decisions ....

Anyone want to buy any of these? It might make the decision making easier The wife has told me that at least one has to go.

Paul

[This message has been edited by pherder (edited 03-12-2000).]

Hello! Gee,,, didnt' think I drove that FAST! This is cool! Thanks for providing the service Mr Pennock.
I've now about 13,000 miles on the jasper 2.8/Iszsu Trans, it's great! my fav gears are 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th! although first is hard to get in at time. funny thing though, it's easier to get in 1st while moving to a stop then when stopped. 2nd is really hard to get in on a downshift, The Cable adjustment (the shifter and cables from my old 2m4 for nostalgia) is still a mystery to me. the sloppiness in the shifter is also a mystery. I will be getting new cables eventually. I'm happy to have be invited to the list.

Denise,

Hey, I am glad you found this forum! I don't know if you remember me, but I was at the cruise with my '87GT (which is in bits and pieces right now, getting ready for a serious bead blasting and a repaint). I am glad to hear your car is still running well!

I have a 2.8 V6 in my 88 Coupe strapped to the Isuzu tranny for about 5 or 6K miles or so.

good to hear the 4cyl tranny is that strong. what if i finally got to do a swap then found a getrag? besides the cable change(i've read they're different) would there be any major change issues? would it be worth it to still look for one?

Hey Denise,

Did you find the forum from my reply to you on the fiero mail list? Cliff's forum is so great I hardly talk on the old mailing lists now. Thanks cliff

[This message has been edited by TheFiero64 (edited 04-27-2000).]

The cables for the Getrag are different. I got another (extra) Isuzu tranny and also have a Getrag from an 87GT sitting in my shed. I am thinking of selling the Getrag because I'm perfectly happy with the Isuzu (never thought I would say I was happy with anything that came from Japan. Call me old-fasioned, but I believe in buying American)