box go bang

[d21demon]

Hi guys, just wondering what other vehicles had the d21 box, because the the old nav decided she didn't like the taste of her gearbox and spat it out. The cheapest replacement I have found so far is for $1,500 from the wreckers and I just dont think the old girl is worth the trouble anymore.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Ta Scotty

 

[Pinelli]

In 4wd, the pathfinder, terrano.
In 2wd, there were a number of cars, you might find that you can split the rear off of yours and tack it on to the back of the 2WD gearbox.

More modern navaras too will use a gearbox that should swap over fairly easily

What engine do you have? What year? Different engines, different bellhousings, same gearbox. The Z24, KA24 and RB engines all used the same bellhousing. Diesels used another (not sure of SD and TD were the same or different), and the VG30 used a different bellhousing again.

$1500? I was quoted between $500 and $800 locally, (for a 4 cyl petrol 4WD gearbox box) . I was quoted $1500 for a Pathy, minus the panels!

 

[Dave]

I thought the TD27 used the same gearbox as the Z24/KA24E. Obviously the belhousing is different.

Dave.

 

[Pinelli]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the early D21s all used the same gearbox, just with different bellhousings. Same gearbox with different bellhousings and a different tail for 2WD purposes in a bunch of cars like the 240SX and 300SX, I think pintara as well, but same internals. 5SW71C or something like that.

Obviously automatic boxes were different

 

[Leprechaun]

I would expect a 2WD gearbox would have a smaller input shaft.

Where's Dion when you need him.

 

[Pinelli]

I hooked a 2wd motor to my 4wd gearbox no worries.

 

[d21demon]

engines the old z24 and the utes 4wd

 

[Pinelli]

Then any Nissan 4cyl petrol 4WD gearbox should do the trick, from 1986 onwards. Anything using the Z24 or KA24E. Not sure when they stopped using the KA24E. Dave might know.

 

[Dave]

What Pinelli said, a TD27 gearbox will work to but the ratios will be slightly different.

Dave.

 

[Dion]

Where's Dion when you need him.

Sorry guys, other side of the world.

It depends how greasy you want to get and how much you want to pinch pennies.

You want an FS5W71C with Z/KA bellhousing, fitted to:
D21 4x4 86-96 Z24/KA24E
D21 4x2 86-92 Z24/KA24E
WD21 4x4 86-96 Z24
D22 4x2 97-04 KA24DE

Mildly useful:
E23 4x2 ?? column shift Z24
E24 4x2 ?? column shift Z24
(^Urvans)

Obviously a 4x4 box is less of a risk than a 4x2 box but you can always swap the gearset across and hope the tolerances are similar between the two casings, IF you can't easily swap the casing to accept the transfer case.

You don't really want an FS5W71C with TD bellhousing, fitted to:
D21 4x4 88-96 TD27
D21 4x2 88-96 TD23
WD21 4x4 86-88 TD27
WD21 4x4 88-96 TD27T

But the gearset will interchange.

You could also scrape by with the gearset from a FS5W71C with an SD bellhousing, fitted to:
720 10,000BC-86 SD23/25
D21 4x4 86-88 SD23/25
D21 4x2 86-88 SD23/25

You definitely don't want an FS5R30A with any bellhousing, totally incompatible, as fitted to:
D21 4x2 VG30
D22 4x4 QD32
D22 4x4 ZD30
D22 4x4 VG33

I would steer clear of buying one that hasn't been rebuilt from a wrecker unless you get a sizzling deal, as you'll be back at square one pretty quickly, 200,000 to 300,000 is when these usually spit fifth gear. You can have rebuilt exchange boxes from eBay for about $1500 from time to time, I think that would give you the best bang for buck. And run synthetic gear oil in your new box.

 

[squeak81]

Hey guys, same prob here but i think my old girl is worth it. Rebuilt box less than 2 months ago and now she has thrown a bearing plus possibly more. My question is would a auto box out of a terrano more robust and will with stand a thrashing??

OP sorry for hijacking.

Don't always drive her hard but is always carrying a load.

 

[96navara]

Hey Dion
What about a FS5W71C box fitted to a TD71C Bellhousing connected to a QD32 with dts Turbo. Mine keeps killing the gearbox. Any ideas?

 

[Dion]

Hey Dion
What about a FS5W71C box fitted to a TD71C Bellhousing connected to a QD32 with dts Turbo. Mine keeps killing the gearbox. Any ideas?

Put in a FS5R30A, the FS5W71C should never be behind a QD32T, it's not up to the task at all.

 

[Pinelli]

Why do you say that, Dion? They used the 71C in the early Z31 300ZXs with the VG30DETT. They also ran them behind the VG30E in the D21s in the states.

Not saying that you're not right, maybe Nissan shouldn't have used the 71C for those engines. Just saying that they did.

 

[Dion]

Why do you say that, Dion? They used the 71C in the early Z31 300ZXs with the VG30DETT. They also ran them behind the VG30E in the D21s in the states.

Not saying that you're not right, maybe Nissan shouldn't have used the 71C for those engines. Just saying that they did.

I'm aware of these applications and the 300ZX guys say the 71C is a good box for their cars. There's two differences - firstly, there is something about our Japanese built FS5W71Cs from 86 to 92 (change to KA) which makes them weaker - might be the oil grade specified or a OE bearing supplier's quality control, not sure exactly but these fail like clockwork. You might have noticed they kept fitting the FS5W71C well into the D22's model run - these don't fail like the early D21 boxes do. Overall same design, but Nissan corrected some minor problem and voila, less than 100% failures.

Also, the application in a fast 300ZX is very different - these cars weigh nothing compared to 3.8T of D21, payload and trailer. Nothing will kill an underspecc'd box better than high torque and a high resistance to that torque, again and again and again and again (traffic lights with a car trailer)... and these utes do real work.

As for 96Navara's car - you could comfortably tow three tonne with a QD32T. That's somewhere in the range of 5T GCM, well beyond what the 71C was designed for. My advice in a nutshell is to fit a FS5R30A so he can avoid stressing about a box rebuild every time he hooks a trailer on. What he saves on rebuilds will pay for a 30A, even at wrecker prices.

 

[96navara]

thanks dion
do you know if any mounts have to be changed to fit the 30a to my d21 and will it fit my bellhousing td71c and transfer case.
thanks again budy

 

[Dion]

do you know if any mounts have to be changed to fit the 30a to my d21

Mount holes on transmission cross member need to be filled and redrilled, I think the total translation is about 30mm or 40mm (the 30A is longer than the 71C).

and will it fit my bellhousing td71c and transfer case.

Doubtful. What you're looking to buy is a gearbox with bellhousing and transfer case. It's still a TX10A transfer but the flange pattern is different.

thanks again budy

No worries mate.

 

[bloodviper]

Hey dion i have a td25 with a 5speed and i have a auto off a z24 can i just switch boxs and keep the bellhousing from the td and use the auto box

 

[Dion]

Hey dion i have a td25 with a 5speed and i have a auto off a z24 can i just switch boxs and keep the bellhousing from the td and use the auto box

Not sure mate, assuming that your torque convertor bolts to your TD25 crankshaft, you might be able to bolt them together. If you've got both sit them side by side and have a look. I've never had an auto Navara trans even just to look at.

 

[Pinelli]

I've got an auto here to go into my Nav instead of a manual. I think the belhousings come off differently. I suspect you can't do it easily.