Tranny shop says my transmission is done for, the internals blew up along with the clutch. Shop says they can only find one Getrag 5spd USED out of state, not Rebuilt just USED for $1000!!!! WTF I have heard that you can use the Getrags from the early 90s FWD Berrettas and Quad 4 cars but I don't think the guys know that. Also I have seen NOS transmissions (5pd) on Ebay, will these work??
------------------ '86 2m4- Auto, Daily Driver '87 GT - 5spd, Project Car -------------------------------------------------------------------------- So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins, For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing
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03:22 PM
PFF
System Bot
Will Member
Posts: 14288 From: Where you least expect me Registered: Jun 2000
ManTrans ( http://www.manual-transmission.com/ ) sells rebuilt Getrag 5-speed transmissions for about $1000, including shipping. They get good reviews from other PFF members. You might want to check into it.
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03:26 PM
86GT3.4DOHC Member
Posts: 10007 From: Marion Ohio Registered: Apr 2004
I got my last one for, well actually, they gave it to me for free, but the normal price is $50. It was a FWD getrag with a quad4 housing, I just swapped the bellhousings, tweaked the shifter a bit and it was good to go.
You dont even need Rodney's conversion kit if you still have the old Fiero transmission, you can just swap the parts, clearance on a bit, and add a washer or two. Works flawlessly.
I would be extremely interested to know how a clutch could take out the internals. I guess maybe if the internals went out first and locked up, it might have hurt the clutch when the engine didnt feel like stopping.
I dont know, its not something that happens everyday.
From the eBay description that isn't a Fiero transaxle.
I know how you feel, I was in the same spot you are in about a year ago. You just really have to search local junkyards, internet and newspaper. You could also post a WTB in The Mall. The decision you will have to make is do you want to pay top $$$ for a rebuilt or install a used transaxle and hope it will be ok. I bought a used one and got lucky, it was fine. By the way, $1000 is way too much for a used transaxle.
They currently show 2 rebuilt transaxles available, 1 year warranty, $987. 3 other used transaxles are listed.
For me, finding a transaxle was half the battle. Mine was shipped FedEx Ground for about $50, Fla.>Mo. The FedEx gorilla must have been working that day, they cracked the bellhousing but I had it repaired.
Good luck, Mike
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04:19 PM
kawana Member
Posts: 2329 From: Abbotsford, BC, Canada Registered: May 2007
you can often get used ones from Fiero Factory... email or give them a call. I can't comment on the getrag, but I got my 4 speed used and shipped around $450. This after buying one locally that had a syncho go out in ~9 to 12 months and paid 500...
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07:16 PM
falcon_ca Member
Posts: 1295 From: Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada Registered: Dec 2007
Thanks guys, I am going down to see my car and talk to the shop about some of the options you guys gave me. I will let you know what they say, cross your fingers
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08:43 AM
Will Member
Posts: 14288 From: Where you least expect me Registered: Jun 2000
ManTrans ( http://www.manual-transmission.com/ ) sells rebuilt Getrag 5-speed transmissions for about $1000, including shipping. They get good reviews from other PFF members. You might want to check into it.
I've had a customer who got the wrong (VERY WRONG) ratios in his box from them and the only other mention I've seen on this forum of someone getting a box from them ALSO had the wrong ratios. Beware.
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10:56 AM
PFF
System Bot
Isolde Member
Posts: 2504 From: North Logan, Utah, USA Registered: May 2008
Originally posted by Will: I've had a customer who got the wrong (VERY WRONG) ratios in his box from them and the only other mention I've seen on this forum of someone getting a box from them ALSO had the wrong ratios. Beware.
That's odd, because several forum members (including me) have transmissions from ManTrans. This is the first time I've seen/heard mention of them shipping transmissions with incorrect ratios. That's not to say that it didn't happen. But the picture you're trying to paint is not the right color.
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02:04 PM
Will Member
Posts: 14288 From: Where you least expect me Registered: Jun 2000
How many is several? I know of two that were delivered with the wrong ratios. If there are six people who've had the right ratios delivered, then that's a 25% screw up rate.
Considering that my customer's box also had assembly errors such as case bolts that weren't correctly torqued, I really do have to say that I consider Man-Trans to not be a safe bet.
[This message has been edited by Will (edited 10-15-2008).]
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03:34 PM
PaulJK Member
Posts: 6638 From: Los Angeles Registered: Oct 2001
The getrag is the most expensive stock fiero trans you can buy. About 5 years ago (when ALL fiero stuff was worth more), used getrags were going in the $900 - $1000 range. Lately i've seen them occassionally in the Mall for $500 to $650 (trans only).
quote
Originally posted by FIER086:
What in the hell am I supposed to do...
Stop beating the car (?)
[This message has been edited by PaulJK (edited 10-15-2008).]
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10:33 PM
FIER086 Member
Posts: 1021 From: Michigan, Grand Rapids Registered: Apr 2006
First off I DID NOT DO THIS TO THE CAR, THE PREVIOUS OWNER DID!!! And he did beat the absolute **** out of it. Sorry I am really pissed.
I went to look at the transmission today and it looked like a grenade went off inside my bellhousing. The shop said they have never seen a pressure plate/clutch disc destroyed that bad. The bellhousing looked like string cheese from the holes and dings (will post pics later) and the gears of the transmission had little metal shavings in between all the syncros. I guess it was trashed.
Anyway I told the guy about the FWD 5spd Getrags could be converted. If I understand, all they have to do is swap the cable bracket from my old 5spd RWD to the FWD??
------------------ '86 2m4- Auto, Daily Driver '87 GT - 5spd, Project Car -------------------------------------------------------------------------- So now you'd better stop and rebuild all your ruins, For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing
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10:48 PM
PaulJK Member
Posts: 6638 From: Los Angeles Registered: Oct 2001
well, i don't know for sure, but the gearing in the 5 speed isuzu is supposed to be a little higher than the getrag (slightly better mpg ?) and the 4 speed munci is supposedly stronger if you have to choose between either of them. Unless you get rally lucky, both of these will be cheaper than the getrag and might be worth considering. Some guys are using either of these with V8 cars.
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10:56 PM
KurtAKX Member
Posts: 4008 From: West Bloomfield, MI Registered: Feb 2002
That's odd, because several forum members (including me) have transmissions from ManTrans. This is the first time I've seen/heard mention of them shipping transmissions with incorrect ratios. That's not to say that it didn't happen. But the picture you're trying to paint is not the right color.
I handled one of the ones Will is talking about. They sent a trans that had a 3.94 FDR in it IIRC. That's a pretty big ****-up. Not only that, but as Will said, there were plenty of assembly mis-steps. For example, before I could put the shift linkage on it, I had to take the bronze bushing off the shift shaft because Man-Trans had put it on upside-down/backwards so the select arm on the shifter mechanism wouldn't engage it.
Not only that, but when we went to put it together, bolts wouldn't go in many of the holes, so I ended up losing an hour to the process of cleaning all the sand (yes they sand-blasted the case halves rather than hot-tanking, and I must have removed a shot-glass worth of sand) from the bolt holes and chasing all the holes with a tap to get them useable.
Just because something might happen to work for you doesn't mean that its a great product or that quality is consistent. Think Hyundai cars.
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11:15 PM
Oct 16th, 2008
Isolde Member
Posts: 2504 From: North Logan, Utah, USA Registered: May 2008
If you go the fwd route, save your trashed getrag until you get the fwd conversion working correctly. I think you have to swap a select arm. But don't rely on us, contact Rodney for yourself. It's not that hard, or that scary. He's a good guy. www.rodneydickman.com
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11:19 AM
Oct 17th, 2008
FIER086 Member
Posts: 1021 From: Michigan, Grand Rapids Registered: Apr 2006
Well they finally found a transmission for me. It's a used 81,000 mile transmission for $960 shipped to the shop. That seems a bit steep for a used transmission but hopefully it is good and the previous owner took care of it. They told me my car will be ready this coming Wednesday, I am so excited to get this car on the road!
Also I will post pics of my tranny (dad hasn't emailed em' to me yet) you gotta see these pics, simply remarkable.
