Manual Transmission for my Northstar

[Identity Crisis]

As the title says.

What transmission would you suggest.

I have used the 2000 izusu transmission for the 3800 swaps but I am not sure about the N*? Maybe a getrag from a 94 Z24 with hydraulic release?

Thoughts opinions discussions?

THanks guys
BULL

[crzyone]

6 speed F40. Nice newer transmission and the extra overdrive gear will be nice for cruising.

[Aaron]

My best friend used the factory Getrag with his N*, no complaints really but a 6-speed would never be a bad thing.

I thought you said you wanted an auto?

[The Dark Side of Will]

Getrag 282, F23, and F40

The Northstar will end up wound pretty tight on the highway with any of the 5 speeds. It will turn ~3000 RPM at 80 mph, or about 2000 at 55 with either the 282 or the 3.73 F23. Most F23's are 3.94, so even more RPM at a given speed.
Both of the 5 speeds use the same axles.
The 2006 F40 has a 0.62 6th gear with a 3.55 final. This is the tallest top gear available in a manual transmission for a Fiero. The 2007 F40's have shorter shifted gears.

[fieroguru]

My old SBC/Getrag fiero was fun, but spending 8 hrs on the interstate turning 3K RPM's and getting 22 MPG got old.

The lower cruise RPM's with the F40 is nice and helps the MPG for the larger engines. I am up to 29 mpg with my LS4/F40 combo at 70-75 mph.

The V8 car I am working on has the F23 and I took it for some shakedown runs before starting the work. The F23 shifts much better than the F40, but that's it.

[crzyone]

My best friend used the factory Getrag with his N*, no complaints really but a 6-speed would never be a bad thing.

I thought you said you wanted an auto?

I had a Getrag on my N* and for driving around it was ok but the 3-4 shift killed it in the 1/4 mile. If you can swap out gears for something with a smaller 3-4 ratio it would be a good transmission.

The town I live in is a couple hours away from everything, so a nice tall 6th gear would have been much better for me personally. In Edmonton or surrounding area I don't think the 5th or 6th gear ratio really matters that much.

My EVO at 75mph is spinning around 3400rpm on the highway. Needless to say a few hours of that and it gets old. Plus the mileage SUCKS.

[Aaron]

My BMW turns 3500 at 80, but it's surprisingly smooth and quiet, I guess that's a BMW for you. It's nice having power on the highway for hills and passing, but the gas mileage would be a lot better if that was 2,000rpm. My Jeep SRT8 turns 3200rpm at 80, and that gets old. The tall gearing and close ratios make the Jeep downright lethal in acceleration, but the highway driving takes a huge hit, especially when it has the torque to cruise at 2,000rpm without any problem.

[crzyone]

The ugly little Veloster turbo has a 6 speed and a 1.6L engine. Turns 2600rpm at 75mph and I have yet to find a hill it won't climb and maintain speed. 35-40mpg as well.

The EVO has a very short ratio gear box, probably good for racing but I've never had it out.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I had a Getrag on my N* and for driving around it was ok but the 3-4 shift killed it in the 1/4 mile. If you can swap out gears for something with a smaller 3-4 ratio it would be a good transmission.

The town I live in is a couple hours away from everything, so a nice tall 6th gear would have been much better for me personally. In Edmonton or surrounding area I don't think the 5th or 6th gear ratio really matters that much.

My EVO at 75mph is spinning around 3400rpm on the highway. Needless to say a few hours of that and it gets old. Plus the mileage SUCKS.

I have the 2.19 second and 1.02 fourth in my Northstar car. Those relatively small changes help a lot. The 1-2 shift is better, the 2-3 shift isn't any worse, the 3-4 shift is much better and the car pulls way better in 4th. With a 7K redline, I can still clear 60 in 2nd and hit 105 in 3rd.

With the F40, you can mix/match and put together a box with 1.43 third, 1.05 fourth, 0.81 fifth and 0.62 sixth. First and second will always suck unless you spend beaucoup dollars on custom gearsets, but the result *should be* a 5+O gearbox with a pretty sporting set of lower ratios + a nice tall overdrive gear.

The drawback is that GM changed the 3rd-6th gears for '07, so you have to get the later 3rd-5th and the earlier 6th.

For a long time, the only FD's available were 3.91 from the '03-'04 Saabs or the 3.55 from the G6.

However, GM is now offering the F40 in a number of turbo Ecotec platforms, including the new Turbo Buicks (Yes, a stickshift BUICK!). There's a 3.76 listed on GM's website now, and I *thought* I had seen a 4+ there at some point.

[Unsafe At Any Speed]

My BMW turns 3500 at 80, but it's surprisingly smooth and quiet, I guess that's a BMW for you. It's nice having power on the highway for hills and passing, but the gas mileage would be a lot better if that was 2,000rpm. My Jeep SRT8 turns 3200rpm at 80, and that gets old. The tall gearing and close ratios make the Jeep downright lethal in acceleration, but the highway driving takes a huge hit, especially when it has the torque to cruise at 2,000rpm without any problem.

Yeah, I hate that about my SRT8. Only being a five speed with that gearing sucks. 2500 rpm in my V is like 94 mph.

[The Dark Side of Will]

It's nice having power on the highway for hills and passing, but the gas mileage would be a lot better if that was 2,000rpm.

The 2.5 just doesn't have the torque to pull steep hills at highway speed at that RPM.

[Aaron]

You're right it doesn't, but that's why it has 4 gears below the 5th.

[Identity Crisis]

Very hard to find an 07 F40 around here. Hell it is hard to find an older Getrag.

[Identity Crisis]

I think I read that there is an issue with the water pump on the N* and the F40 slave or selector interference.

[Identity Crisis]

My best friend used the factory Getrag with his N*, no complaints really but a 6-speed would never be a bad thing.

I thought you said you wanted an auto?

I did until I found that the programming of an Auto 4T80e was impossible or near impossible.

[crzyone]

www.car-part.com

Find a car with an F40 and you should be able to find something locally. Or pay a little shipping and get one that's not too far away.

[Emc209i]

Auto 4T80e

It's also a stupid heavy transmission. Might as well use a standard gearbox with a high reving V8.

[Shaun41178(2)]

Just use a 282 and call it a day. They are still plentifull especially up north and in canada

[Identity Crisis]

Just use a 282 and call it a day. They are still plentifull especially up north and in canada

Not where I am they are not.

[crzyone]

Just use a 282 and call it a day. They are still plentifull especially up north and in canada

Not where I am they are not.

Yes they are.

I found 3 on my first search using http://www.car-part.com in Alberta.

The V-6 FWD late 80s Chevys used the 282 as well. Try searching for a V-6 Chevy Cavalier manual transmission. You can get shift linkage conversion parts from http://www.rodneydickman.com

My Northstar swap used a FWD Getrag and Rodney Dickman's conversion parts. Worked like a hot damn.

Found a bunch of F40 transmissions in the States. If you are willing to pay shipping it's a great option.