Hydraulic TOB / internal slave Getrag to 4.9 swap. (Page 2/7)
Fieroseverywhere APR 11, 07:27 PM

quote
Originally posted by Raydar:


Signal converter?
This was a Fiero Factory swap. Isn't the signal converter already done when they swap in the 4.9?
I was looking at fieroguru's thread. The ppm signals are the same, between the old tranny and the new. I was thinking that the VSS signals were the same.
I appreciate the offer. If I need a converter, I'll give you a shout.

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The VSS signal for getrag you have should indeed be the same as the 4t60e you are taking out. Thats not the issue. The caddy PCM really doesn't care which signal it gets, as long as it gets one. The problem comes with the fiero speedo. Its setup to read only a 4000ppm signal. Really though if your speedo worked with the auto it shouldn't be any different with the getrag. I think you have it covered and if not you know where to find me.

In my opinion people make too big of a deal out of the manual gear ratios. Yes, first it short, but it was with the 2.8 also. First is for launches only. I never down shift to first. 2nd and 4th are the most fun. 3rd is often skipped with the 4.9. 5th is for cruising, ~2100rpm @65. I still drive my getrag 4.9 daily and it really isn't as bad as some seem to think. The advantage to a short first is insane launches, if you can manage to keep traction. On a nice warm day the front tires almost lift off the ground on a good launch. With a 5500 rpm redline and a 25.7 rear tire diameter I can get to about 32mph in first. Thats not too bad at all.

EDIT: Oh the O2 and reverse light connectors are the same (the pins are just reversed so they can't be plugged in wrong). FYI. I have some brand new ones at work with new pins. We use them on the helicopter fire tanks and spray systems. Carquest right up the street here also sells them.

[This message has been edited by Fieroseverywhere (edited 04-11-2011).]

fieroguru APR 11, 08:01 PM
Most people like to focus on first gear when dissing the manual transmissions, but there is a lot of fun to be had rowing through 2nd through 4th around town speeding up, slowing down, taking corners... lots of fun, especially with and endless supply of torque so you can really choose which gear you want to abuse. I absolutely loved the getrag (and isuzu for the first 2 years) in my SBC fiero... gave me 45K miles of smiles!

Never been a fan of the autos, and probably would not have sold my 4.3/4T60 if it was a 5 speed (and to think I converted that car from a 5 speed to the automatic... live and learn).

Another friend of mine just switched from the 4T65 to a getrag on his 3800SC for the same reason... bored of the auto and wanting to row through the gears.
fieroguru APR 11, 08:14 PM
Raydar, as far as your passenger side axle movement, under extreme compression it can almost touch the passenger frame rail... depending on elevation of your engine, the balancer bolt is normally 1 to 2 inches below the frame rail, so if you can accommodate the axle moving upwards about 2" above the balancer bolt, then you should be OK.

If you need to rework that mount, you could always just install and 88 lateral link like this:
Raydar APR 12, 09:52 PM
Thanks everyone for the comments and info!

Paul, I'll have to check the axle tomorrow. (Went out to eat tonight.)
I was looking at the relationship between the tranny, the tripot, the axle and the bracket.
I'm thinking that the bracket is near enough to the tripot that a 4 inch deflection at the wheel will produce much less than 2 inches of deflection in the area of the bracket. Probably a huge non-issue.
Cliff Pennock APR 17, 02:36 PM
Moved to GFC by request of OP.
Raydar APR 17, 02:41 PM
Thanks Cliff!
This wasn't turning out to be as "technical" as I had anticipated. Hence the move request.

Updates to follow.
Raydar APR 17, 06:53 PM
A couple of things that I ran across...
I decided to add the front O2 sensor to my 4.9. Of course this is going to require additional wiring and another O2 sensor connector.
All of the catalogs and parts stores show a single wire connector for the Caddy O2 sensor when it is, in fact, a 2 wire connector.
The correct connector is a Delco PT605. 12125694. Rockauto lists it for a '97 3800 Camaro

Also, the Beretta/Corsica Getrag uses a different reverse light switch.
Delco part # D2246A. 10094661. It works just like the supposedly hard-to-find and expensive Fiero reverse light switch. Costs ~$10.
It does require a different connector. Delco PT1357. 15306302. It's ~$16. You will likely have to extend your wiring a bit, since the original switch has a 6" pigtail.
americasfuture2k APR 18, 02:04 AM
i really like the idea of the HTOB. much cleaner looking. what is the gear ratio difference between that trans and the fiero 282?
Raydar APR 18, 10:13 AM
I believe the ratios are identical.
One other positive aspect to this tranny is the sturdier diff gears.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 04-18-2011).]

donnie072003 APR 22, 10:18 PM
Very cool! I'll be keeping an eye on this build. I want a V8 really bad in mine! LOL I think I will be keeping my 4 speed though.