Iknow, I know- auto trannies suck...

527 Views 19 Replies 13 Participants Last post by Junkyard280Z, Oct 15, 2004

Junkyard280Z

Discussion Starter · Oct 10, 2004

Hello all-

Here is my latest acquisition- an '81 ZX with 3 spd auto:

Does anyone in NorCal have a 3 spd auto or 5 spd manual trans they want to get rid of?

Ron
Sacramento CA
'78 280Z
'81 ZX 5 spd manual
'81 ZX 3 spd auto

Muscle car? Ricer? boxy commuter car? I don't care! As long as you're passionate about driving-

Post Edited (Mar 26, 5:23am)

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280zxreigns

· #2 · Oct 10, 2004

OI MAN!!!!! 3-SPEED AUTOS KICK ASS!!!

nar, depends what you want, as far as an auto tranny goes i think its good, if you love manuals then of course its going to suck.

akeizm

· #3 · Oct 10, 2004

Auto = better for drag (quicker shifts). But I love my manual for the fun factor.

280zxreigns

· #4 · Oct 10, 2004

Also, i wonder how much hp/torque/neglect it take to break a stock NA 3 speed auto!

lol

MAt.

theghosttanker

· #5 · Oct 10, 2004

at least you know the motor in that car has never been over revved. Of course, it's still a zx.

steves280

· #6 · Oct 10, 2004

Those are tough trannies. I rarely see a bad automatic even in the turbo cars. The overdrive versions they used in the 300ZX weren't that stout but these 3 speeds are almost as bullet proof as the engines.

FlipFlop

· #7 · Oct 10, 2004

Post Edited (Oct 10, 8:23am)

ElaineZ

· #8 · Oct 10, 2004

Hey, I have an auto....and I love it. Sure, I want a manual---a control trip, ya know?

) But, as said above, its as stout as the engine.....and Im not easy on my Zel... Dont worry, be happy!!!

Junkyard280Z

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 10, 2004

Don't get me wrong I have both and like both for different reasons- I just
figured I'd get a slew of negative replies after saying that I had bought an automatic.

I drove the ZX today and after about 5 miles of city driving(not freeway)
I pulled over to check the tranny fluid level (car idling in park) and the dipstick showed that the level was appx 1.5 inches above the "H" mark.
I read somewhere that you shouldn't overfill the tranny fluid or it can cause damage to the trans. Is this true? If so what can I do besides draining the tranny fluid and refilling (which I was planning to do anyway)
to keep my auto trans shifting smoothly?

Thanks all for the input.. This is the best Z discussion board I've found thus far!

Ron
Sacramento CA
'78 280Z
'81 ZX 5 spd manual
'81 ZX 3 spd auto

Muscle car? Ricer? boxy commuter car? I don't care! As long as you're passionate about driving-

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ElaineZ

· #10 · Oct 10, 2004

I wouldnt change the auto in my Zel, but would definetly consider a manual in the zx... they are fun!

briann510

· #11 · Oct 10, 2004

i have a 3 speed auto out of our 73Z just sitting collecting dust! came out at 70K miles and it worked fine. i have the flexplate and torque converter also for it and the auto shifter and T handle for the console.

$50

i am 1 hour from Sac towards SF.

Post Edited (Oct 10, 4:57pm)

GrahamBCZ

· #12 · Oct 10, 2004

The Jatco 3N71B is about as bullet proof as a tranny can be, it's kind of a miniature rip off of a Ford C-4. Pretty hard to break unless you want to.

lastRebel

· #13 · Oct 11, 2004

The deal with over filling automatic transmissions is that there will be too much pressure built up inside. It makes it much easier to blow out a front seal during "spirited" driving, or, like in my '94 POS Ranger's case, just driving.

I have had the tranny rebuilt 3 TIMES in that truck, and it's already leaking again. BTW, I've only owned it for close to 2 years, from 32,000 miles to 102,000 miles (a lot of driving, eh?). The last rebuild was a hard parts rebuild, including the bellhousing, while the other rebuilds covered the clutches, bands, solenoids, etc... That's kept it shifting for around 8 months... but like I said, it's leaking again. These transmissions suck, BAD.

Anyway, the relevancy is that the second time it was rebuilt, it had too much fluid in it (came back to me that way - their fault). Needless to say, after a couple of nice 120+ mile daily journeys to work, school, and back home, it blew the front seal again. I wasn't necessarily driving it hard (****, it's a truck... come on), but just city driving before and after a long expressway haul at around 75 mph.

You mentioned draining the fluid and refilling it, good idea. Go ahead and put in a new filter screen too. If you take it to a shop to have it "flushed", all they do is hook a machine up between your tranny fluid cooler and the tranny that does nothing more than circulate the fluid backwards and filter it, cleaning the filter screen. In other words, you'll still be over-filled when it's said and done.

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Z240zdude

· #14 · Oct 11, 2004

How tough are the 4 speed autoboxes?

Dave

280zxreigns

· #15 · Oct 11, 2004

i read a post before saying the maxima 4-speed is not as strong, but Tony-D recommended the Mitsubishi Starion turbo 4 speed box

What i want to know is, is there a difference between the auto tranny on the turbo and the NA? u'm un certain whether to use the Turbo torque converter or muck around during my swap and use the NA torque converter?

Thanks

Mat.

Bernard

· #16 · Oct 11, 2004

I've got an auto in my 83 2+2 turbo. The I'm pushing over 300 at the wheels and my auto isn't liking it. What is happening on my mine is that the 2-3 shift is slow or sometimes I have to back off completely in order for it to shift. If I back down the boost it works great. I've found 2 places in Australia that make manual valve bodies so I'm looking into those. I should mention that I had the tranny rebuilt about 4000k's ago and it's never liked the higher boost. If any tranny guys here know how to speed up the 2-3 shift I'm all ears and willing to try stuff to make it work. The valve body needs to be modified to make it happier with the extra power.
Bernard

ElaineZ

· #17 · Oct 11, 2004

Last Rebel, I found your post interesting. Last year I had my tranny serviced ..as it can be... new fluid and stuff. That very evening the fuel pump died, left me on the side of the road. While under it, I found tranny oil everywhere.....seemed it had blown out. Feed back was a front seal, however, that wasnt so. Never had a bit of trouble with it, never leaked again. Not sure exactly why there was fluid everywhere, but there was. Not sure if it was ever figured out, but it was a mess. I think someone told me that sometimes the seal expands or something expands, but settles into place....? Does that sound possible? As I said, never really had a problem with my Z tranny shifting, though its done a few funky things.....lol!

77 260Z

· #18 · Oct 11, 2004

There are 2 things that will kill an auto. #1 Heat, #2 Dirty fluid caused by heat. Put a good aftermarket cooler on it. I love my autos. I've had 2 81 turbos and they worked flawlessly.

briann510

· #19 · Oct 11, 2004

personally i hate autos unless they are strictly for 1/4 mile racing. any car i bought that had an auto in it for whatever reasons i changed over to a stick.

i could see if you commute in traffic all day long an auto would be esier, but other than that...naaaa

Junkyard280Z

Discussion Starter · #20 · Oct 15, 2004

I've been reading through the archives and have come across several posts that warn against changing the fluid in an older auto tranny. They mention something about the new fluid causing the clutches to go out.
Is there a way I can just siphon some of the fluid out through the dipstick tube?

Any help will be greatly appreciated- I don't want to drive the ZX until I have this problem resolved.

Thanks in Advance!

Ron
Sacramento CA
'78 280Z
'81 ZX 5 spd manual
'81 ZX 3 spd auto

Muscle car? Ricer? boxy commuter car? I don't care! As long as you're passionate about driving-

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