84 fieor-- 94 N* swap (Page 7/24)
Will JAN 06, 09:41 AM
You don't need to replace the main bearings unless there's a problem with them.

In addition to the case half seals, you should run a bead of anaerobic gasket replacement both inside and outside of the case half seal. This is CHRF's recommendation to prevent oil leaks. I did that on my engine and have not had any leaks.

You will need a new oil plate as confirmed above.

There are two different styles of oil plate, windage tray and main bolts. These items all need to match. However, the older style oil plate is NLA. You'll need to switch to the newer style (I *think* '96 was the first year of the new style) windage tray and main bolts.

Pics of the differences:
Old:


New:



Detail of replacement: http://www.realfierotech.co...php?p=149323#p149323
mcfrandon JAN 06, 12:30 PM
okay I see the differences after reading the thread haha. I guess i dont see why you would need to change the windage tray and hardware when using the new oil manifold.. does it put the windage tray to close to the crankshaft or something?
Will JAN 06, 12:56 PM
Did you really read it?


quote
Originally posted on RFT
Here's the big difference. The old style had cast-in-place steel bucks against which the main bolts tighten. The new style plate doesn't have those. Instead the main bolts tighten against the steel windage tray




Also, the oil pickup tube needs to match the oil plate in order to have the seal in the right place.

[This message has been edited by Will (edited 01-06-2015).]

mcfrandon JAN 06, 01:24 PM
haha yes i read that. i just dont understand why that would dictate a new windage tray or hardware. The parts stores list the oil manifold as interchangeable as well.
Will JAN 06, 05:33 PM
The friction under the heads of the main bolts can gall and damage the aluminum in the new style oil plate. Also, aluminum that's subjected to high contact stress and elevated temperature can creep and allow the bolt to relax. Having a steel surface for the bolt head to tighten against and which spreads out the contact load over a larger area avoids both of these problems.

They're engineered as a group, the designs were changed as a group, and they should be swapped out as a group also.
mcfrandon JAN 06, 09:52 PM
Is there any place to buy this stuff or should i just go to the yard? i hear you cant get the oil pans off on a caddy with the engine in the car :/

[This message has been edited by mcfrandon (edited 01-07-2015).]

IXSLR8 JAN 07, 02:35 AM
Yeah, that dang stock exhaust crossover pipe is in the way. To get that crossover pipe off, you have to take the transmission off the block or cut it in places which is not easy to do IN a caddy.

Just buy the new manifold set. Forget a used one. That way you know the seal is good especially around the pickup tube.
Will JAN 07, 09:40 AM
Pretty much all the oil seals on a Northstar are single use. They swell when they come in contact with oil, so they seal great, but then don't seal well when they go back together because of the swelling. This is especially obvious on valve cover and oil pan seals, because they won't fit back in their grooves after use.

In fact, the whole point of the parts swapping operation I detailed above was to replace my old re-used oil plate with a new one because it was leaking.
mcfrandon JAN 13, 01:33 PM
is 3546580 the correct part number for the oil pickup?

also will i see you are using that solid intermediate axle housing for the passenger side axle... any idea where i can pick one up? these transmissions are hard enough to find already
Will JAN 13, 09:40 PM
That's actually the Type II "naked" shaft.

http://www.fiero.nl/forum/F.../000121-18.html#p702



There's still an axle seal in the side of the transmission. I had to very carefully fabricate the support bracket in order to make sure that the axle was straight out of the transmission and wasn't slightly out of alignment, as that would wear the splines rapidly.

GM went to intermediate axles in manual transmission FWD cars pretty much across the board, I thought in the late '80's or early '90's... maybe as early as '88 for the Type I shaft and then a few years later for the Type II. I'm not sure which apps had the Type II shaft vs. the shaft you were mentioning... I found this one in a junk yard a long time ago.

[This message has been edited by Will (edited 01-13-2015).]