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Transmission Identification Help


ejydryd

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I purchased my 510 years ago and forgot to ask the seller which transmission was in the car.  From all my research I believe it's either from a ZX or 720 pick up.  I would post pictures but do not know how.  

 

It is a 5-speed.  The trans is a long (roughly 32 inches long), L1 is marked on the bell housing, and below the shifter, on the right side, there are also markings #Lb29.

 

It also looks like the drive shaft has been modified to be shorter.

 

Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you.

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Look where the speedometer cable enters the transmission. This won't tell you exactly what it is but it will tell you what it ISN'T. There is a 10mm head bolt that secures it. If the bolt is on the underside of the cable (6 o'clock) the transmission was built '80 and newer so it could be an

 

'80-'83 280 zx close ratio

'80 2wd from a 720 (only that one year 720) wide ratio

'80 810 mid ratio

'81-84 Maxima mid ratio. Start there.

 

 

 

If bolt is at the 12 o'clock position on top it can be from the following...

 

'77-78 280Z mid ratio

'79 280zx (non turbo) mid ratio (only the '79 had this, '80-'83 were all close ratio

'78-'79 810 mid ratio

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If you are standing behind the transmission looking forward if the hole is on the right of the ridge it is napZ series engine type, if on the left of the ridge it is L series type.

 

The problem is that if you are looking at the transmission from the front then the hole is on the left side of the ridge, and if you say Z series folks could think you were talking about a Z car which has an L series type, so it is best just to say what it appears to be and leave it at that.

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So here's a question. Assuming all I have is what I have. no junk yards in new England still have Datsuns to raid. I have a regular 4speed for an L series and I have this one for a napz. Is there a way to piece both together to get a 5spd? Or is it a cut a weld process of swapping the bell housing?

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Since the bell housing forms the front half of the trans body, you could do a want to buy thread for one meant for a L-series, that has internal damage, and try to buy the front casting.

Someone must have a DOA unit around, that they destroyed the gears on.

Any 71B front half should work.

 

It would be a lot easier than cutting and welding.

I only do that when I'm building a half breed, like a Toyota engine to a Nissan trans.

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So here's a question. Assuming all I have is what I have. no junk yards in new England still have Datsuns to raid. I have a regular 4speed for an L series and I have this one for a napz. Is there a way to piece both together to get a 5spd? Or is it a cut a weld process of swapping the bell housing?

There are a lot of vehicles with L type transmission cases other than the 720 which only had the L type case one year in the 4 and 5 speeds, the Z cars(Datsun/Nissan) had L type engines with L type cases, the 620 had 4 and 5 speeds with the L type case you need, I personally have never used a 620 case in any of my builds, others have.

When and if you do find someone that is going to sell a front case to you, make sure you get a photo of the case too make sure it is an L type case.

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It's from a 720. Only they had the 26" long 71B transmissions. You can measure to confirm as pictures can distort and sometimes hard to tell. Looks like 26". This transmission would be a great 5 speed for a 521, 510, 710 or the first year 620 as they also had 26" four speeds. This would save you shortening the drive shaft if you were to get an L series front case.

 

Only the front case from another 71B 4  or 5 speed would swap onto this Z series transmission.  

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Thanks for the extra info.... it's definitely 26".. didnt even think this was possible, but it definitely make sense about swapping to an l series 71b front case, and your sure even the 4spd would work?... I really don't know how the internals are different between the 4 and 5 speed.. and can the bell housing come from possibly a longer 71b?

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It has to be the 71b type of 4 speed, the front cases are the same, the tail shaft housing is slightly different, it has 6 bolts in front of the shifter holding a cover on like in the photo below.

DSCN2154_zpsdcb43c26.jpg

You can see the hole is on the left side of the rib in this photo.

DSCN0448.jpg

As far as I know the 720 only came with long shaft 4 speeds.

Your short shaft also has the large cluster gear bearing, you will need to buy a small bearing as all the L type cases have the small bearing as far as I know.

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