So im going to replace my transmission tomarrow, and need some imput if i should go with a automatic (like the one i just had break) or a clutch, also if i decide to go clutch 5speed or 6speed.

the advantge is see with going clutch is better gas mileage, and easier to fix/replace if i ever need to.

dont really see a advantage to automatic other than im a first time driver so it might be easier to learn in.

automatic will outshift a human 9 out of 10 times in a race. At the same time there is something to be said about rolling your own gears. I have a 700R4 but when it dies I think I'll go the TKO manual way... OD's in autos do well on mileage these days, so I wouldn't get one or the other strickly based on the mileage.

Have to agree with Matt, but regarless I wouldn't trade my 4 speed for any automatic tranny out there unless of course it had an entire 1st Gen wrapped around it and I could keep my car too. Then I might consider it.:)

Just old school thinking on my part I guess.

Have to agree with Matt, but regarless I wouldn't trade my 4 speed for any automatic tranny out there unless of course it had an entire 1st Gen wrapped around it and I could keep my car too. Then I might consider it.:)

Just old school thinking on my part I guess.

My guess is you would trade it for a 5 speed though. My father-in-law had 4 speed in his 66 vette and swaped it for a TKO 5 speed. His mileage went through the roof and he can actually hold a conversation at 70 mph.... If you go manual then 5 or 6 speed is the way to go.

My guess is you would trade it for a 5 speed though. My father-in-law had 4 speed in his 66 vette and swaped it for a TKO 5 speed. His mileage went through the roof and he can actually hold a conversation at 70 mph.... If you go manual then 5 or 6 speed is the way to go.

LOL... Yeah actually thought about that right after I hit the submit button. That one extra gear would be nice, doesn't take long to get through the four.:thumbsup:

the clutch seems like it would be more fun to drive, but im basing it mainly on how much easier it would be to replace if i ever had to.

it was a pain to get the Automatic transmission out today, and then it wouldnt even fit out from under the car.

I'm strictly a Manual Tyranny guy and have broken every Automatic I've ever owned.

Blown up a few Clutches but never a Manual that I couldn't service myself.

it was a pain to get the Automatic transmission out today, and then it wouldnt even fit out from under the car.Yes, getting the car up high enough to remove an auto trans from underneath is the key. Standard jack stands aren't high enough.

Four speeds/manuals are nice for the street and as you are envisioning, repair in the future is doable. When was the last time you bench pressed at least 100 lbs?

I have 16 inch tall jack stands on 12X16 timbers and the rear tires on 10 inch high ramps to change out the trans, I still need to bring to the front the trans up to the front tire fender to clear.

Hot rods have 3 pedals.

Call one of our site sponsors and order up a tko600 kit.

It is kind of useful to know exactly what car we are talking about when we give advice, but...

From Justin's other posts, I see he is a proud new owner of an 85 Z28 with a later model 350 swapped in, reportedly from an 89 IROC.

Justin, if it was OE, the trans you removed is a 700R4. The 700R4 is a decent trans when built correctly, but the OE 700R4 trans of that vintage (roughly 85-87) is known to have some issues.

You have a torque arm that runs from the rear axle to the rear of the trans (primarily keeps the rear axle in place during acceleration), and whatever trans you decide to install, you'll have to make sure it either has a torque arm mounting boss or there is an aftermarket torque arm mount available.

Again, if the trans was OE for the car, and was originally behind a 4bbl or TPI 305, the person who swapped in a 350 did not do the trans any favors. With the "rebirth" of performance in the mid 80s, GM was cutting a very fine line with regards to the ability of drivetrain components to withstand even the "original" engines. Throw in more power and/or just abuse the drivetrain, and KABOOM.

So, which trans to choose depends on a lot of things.

1. Personal preference. Because you're just starting out, you don't really have a feel for this, and that's one of the reasons you're looking for suggestions :) As noted by others above, a lot of us think any car is better with 3 pedals (manual trans). A manual is generally a lot less complicated, and all you have to worry about is the clutch wearing and the slave cylinder going bad. I don't think learning to drive a manual is hard, but if your hopelessly uncoordinated or just not wired right mentally, it can be hard (like riding a bike). Once you learn, you never forget, and being able to drive stick is a nice skill to have because you can drive just about anything with wheels and an engine. I had dirt bikes and farm tractors growing up, so I learned young and no one had to teach me. If you have any similar experience, you'll learn with no problem.

2. Engine. Is the engine in the car now really a 350, and has it been left stock or is it modified? There should be some numbers and letters stamped into the pad in front of the passenger side cylinder head which will tell you what the engine started life as. GM did not put the OE type 5-speed (Borg Warner T5) behind the 350 in the 86-up 3rd gens, because it (the T5) could not handle the torque the 350 makes. So if you do have a 350, even stock, just finding a T5 setup from a V8 3rd gen is not really a good idea, because it will not last.

3. Computer. I am not real knowledgable on the 3rd gens, so I don't know if there were different ECMs (Electronic Control Module) for V8/A4 (auto) and V8/M5 (manual) applications, but I suspect that they are different. So if you have to swap ECMs and harnesses to make the change, that adds to the complexity and cost of the swap.

4. Rear axle ratio. If the rear axle is OE and has not been changed, the ratio is either 3.08 or 3.23. If you were to swap in an older 4-speed with something like a 2.52 1st gear, you're probably not going to like the acceleration off the line. The 700R4 has a 3.06 1st gear for a reason, and that is to get the car moving when such a high rear gear is used for fuel economy purposes. A 3rd gen V8 5-speed would have roughly the same low 1st gear, but as noted above I doubt that a 3rd gen V8 5-speed is probably not an option for you.

5. Budget. Again, whatever you find you have engine-wise is going to dictate the budget and somewhat drive the decision. If you do have a 350, even if you decide to install another 3rd gen 700R4, you'll want to look for a later one that can handle the 350, or buy an aftermarket 700R4 with a torque arm mount. Even using a newer or aftermarket 700R4 may mean you need to change the ECM or harness (I don't know). If you decide to go manual, you'll want to look at a T56 (6-speed) or TKO (5-speed) swaps for 3rd gens. You'll need the manual pedal set up, the slave cylinder/hydraulic clutch setup, plus the trans and mount, and possibly need to shorten the driveshaft and change the slip yoke. It is not going to be a simple or cheap swap, and unless there is some cheap T56 setup sitting in a junkyard near you, I think you will find that a swap to a manual trans is going to be $2K to $4K.



So, lots of stuff to think about.

And I am not trying to run you off from Team Camaro, because I think we have the best group of folks around and there are folks here good with 3rd gens (see the 3rd gen forum down toward the bottom of the main forum page), but there is another site I have found to be good for the 3rd gens, www.thirdgen.org . I am going to give the link directly to their transmission forum, because they have some stickies on swapping in a T56 and other transmissions, and I bet a search or new post over there will get you a lot of good info to consider.

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/transmissions-drivetrain/

I looked on the engine for the numbers, i seen A37

can you tell what engine it is from that?

A37 is just a date code. Depending on where you found it, it may be just for that part of the engine. (Intake manifold etc.)

Look here :

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii152/tjs69_photos/location%20of%20engine%20numbers/endinedetail1.jpg

that makes it easter.

V0130ATA

I love my manual transmission and I wouldn't have it any other way, but if you do a lot of stop and go driving, holding down the clutch pedal can get tiresome. Red stop lights at the top of a hill can be particularly daunting for novice manual transmission users. It does separate the men from the boys, however. :)

V0130ATA

V = Flint (engine)

01 = January

30 = 30th day

ATA = ... 1989 ... 305 ... LB9 ... F ... 190 HP ... TPI Firebird

Get your 700r4 rebuilt at a professional and reliable shop. As said the transmissions were updated in 1987 ? If you get a good transmission, you should never have a problem again ! In 100,000 miles or so !

http://jakesperformance.com/Home_Page.html $1100. Bring us your 87-92 core and save $100. Jakeshoe is a board member here. Give him a call.

Alright, so much for it being a 350...

Since it is an LB9 engine, you can likely find a complete T5 setup (pedals, clutch hydraulics, bellhousing, clutch, and trans) for about the same money as a rebuilt 700R4 and converter.

So it gets back to what YOU really want...

3 pedals, 3 pedals, 3 pedals (no pressure) :)

i found a transmission today, its a 700r4 from a V6, anyone know if it will work? i think i heard somthing about the v8 and v6 models being different.

Yes, the V-6 and V-8's have different bolt patterns on the Transmission. (Bell housing to engine)

Hot rods have 3 pedals.



Hot Rods are pre '49.. Get with the times man. Auto! :D

You indicated you are a first time driver and it sounds like your learning mechanics like most of us did, by experience. It would be much easier and much less expensive to replace the transmission you have with one identical to it. Switching from auto to standard requires a lot of different parts and to do it correctly is time consuming and can be expensive. Good luck.