29 replies to this topic

[Adam]

Whats involved.
How much does it cost.
Can i do it at home (providing i buy the tools)

General discuassion on the topic, please!

I have a crunch into 3rd. A whiney 4th, and even whinier 5th! Don't really want another 2nd hand box, and cant afford a 6 speed!

[Marv]

You're going to spend almost 6-speed money if you drop the car off and pick it up with a freshly built 'box in there, and you'll be without the car for a week or more.

I've helped people remove the gearbox from their car and strip/split it, get it reco'd and then refit it at their house the following weekend. This greatly reduces the cost, but you'll still be up for well over $1k by the time you've paid for new synchros, possibly some new gears and labour to put it all back together. Then if there's OTHER stuff borked/worn in there you'll have to pay for that. Also, you'll have to do without your car for a week - can you do this?

Removing the box is labourious (3-6hrs for removal depending on rusty bolts/etc), but can easily be done at home on a garage floor. If I still had my wagon I'd offer to drive down and help you in your shed, but I can't fit the tools in the Wristy and it's one of those jobs where sometimes you need handles/odd tools that I have in my garage but can't take with me. If you wind up buying a cheap 5MT of the same diff ratio to jam in while you get yours built, then I'm happy to host a gearbox swap at my place if you wanted to drive up and do it one weekend (peeps can overnight at my place).

But, non-DCCD 6MTs cost well under $3k now.

[Adam]

Iain,

I have hosted a gearbox swap at my house before. So that isn't a problem. (this is my 2nd gearbag on this thing!)

It's more what's inside the case, that I'm concerned about.

1k is still less than 3k. Which is why I'm weighing up my options for the rebuild. Which also means, I basically get a 0km gearbox to thrash my k's onto for a few more years.

The other option is just to throw another second handy in there. Either another 4.11 box. Or a 4.44 box and diff.

[portugese_gorilla]

This might not be helpful but they do exchanges where you trade your box for a rebuilt one, might bring down cost

http://www.alldrives...nsmissions.html

[Marv]

Ah cool - if you've done one before, that's 11ty times easier.

Options, IMO, are as follows:

1. Buy another cheap 4.11 'box, jam it in on a Saturday, send other 4.11 off for rebuild, swap new 4.11 in and sell 2nd hand cheapo one.
2. Buy a 4.44 box and diff (I know of a box/diff available) and get it rebuilt, then swap them over on a Sat and sell off old stuff
3. Swap 2nd hand 4.44 box/diff in

Personally, I'd go #2. Those 4.11s are too weak and notchy for my liking and you're throwing away good money rebuilding them as they're not worth anything to sell, even reco'd.

[Alex]

Just to echo Iain's sentiments:

Gearbox work is labour intensive, and most of the costs at a mechanic's workshop will reflect this.

A lot of the cost is in the removal and installation of the gearbox.

If you can knock a lot of that out yourself, you're ahead by a lot.

Also, when looking at the nitty gritty costs, 6 speeds (non DCCD) make for a wise economical investment, especially if you intend on keeping your car for more than twelve months.

Having assisted and done this a few times, I'd be happy to lend a hand.

[Marv]

Oh yeah, and gimme some notice and i'll 90% be in to help.

[Ren-dog]

Mech and tech day in the making

[Marv]

Mech and tech day in the making

Hell no. Too many people standing around/instructing is a recipe for disaster.

[Adam]

Cheers guys! Will give yas a call. Might talk to ichiben and see what he has/can get aswell.

Hopefully it holds out long enough to save! Do want a 6 speed so bad! Haha.

Wish I bought your old driveline Alex!

Also. No mech and tech. My car isn't going to get stuck on a hoist again!

Iain, can you shoot me a pm of the price for that 4.44.

My 4.11 is the v2 sti box btw but the diff is pretty noisy too.

[Marv]

I'll find out what he wants for it.

Early STi was same/same as early WRX, adam. Only STi RA and WRX RA were different.

[ADZY7]

Adam a mech tech day at yours would be ok. There is no hoist their to get stuck on.

I'll lend a spanner hand if needed.

[Adam]

Oh ok Iain! Thought the STi had synchros on extra gears or some shit.


I know nothing about gearboxes. Good at breaking them though!

[Ben_20EJT]

i have a randome gearbag in the shed if its any help to you for parts, dont np ratios or anything but we can work something out if you want it.

[Adam]

This might not be helpful but they do exchanges where you trade your box for a rebuilt one, might bring down cost

http://www.alldrives...nsmissions.html

Sorry, just saw this. Have it in mind as another option. Cheers gorilla!

Ben, I would prefer to buy just new parts. Thanks anyway

[alexGT]

have you dropped the oil yet? tried the nulon shift additive?

[Adam]

Oil was changed less than 30,000kms ago. I'm not worried about the crunching. That was there before and after the oil change, and it's intermittent. Would an oil change help a whining noise in 4th and fifth about 3krpm?

[alexGT]

the original box started whining and whirring bad when i had it, turned out to be rear transfer case bearing. soon as i changed that out it was dead quiet... might not be terminal.... what oil are you using?

[Adam]

Yeah, I'm thinking it probably is a bearing of some sort.

Running the Fuchs oil in it

[alexGT]

titan 80 or 75-90?