Nissan Z-Car Manual Transmissions
The Z31 and Z32 are models of Nissans Z-Car series. The Z31 designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Datsun/Nissan 300ZX.
The Z31 offered three different manual transmission designs of manual 5 speed transmissions over the years it was produced. All manual shifted non-turbocharged Z31’s were equipped from the factory with a model FS5W71C 5 speed Nissan manual transmission which is durable and suits the character of the beast well.
A Borg-Warner T-5 5 speed was the best choice at the time for the 84-86 manual turbos. The T-5 is one of the most common manual transmissions of all times, used by many manufacturers such as General Motors and in the Jeep C.J. series. The 87-89 manual turbos are the same units that came in heavier applications like pickup trucks, and pathfinders.
All manual transmissions discussed in this article are constant mesh, fully synchronized units on all forward gears. Respect your transmission by changing the gear oil periodically and not beating the heck out of it.
It has been suggested that the FS5R90A transmission found in the 84-86 turbo 5 speeds is not strong enough for all out club racing. At a certain power level, or if you are an abusive driver, the gears can break a tooth off, although it is up to the task when driven appropriately. A plus side is that these transmissions are fairly inexpensive and plentiful at the recycling yards.
My second choice in terms of strength and functionality for a Z car is the FS5W71C 5 speed non turbocharged engine, Z31 unit. This transmission is internally the same as the transmission used in the some of the other ZX models of cars like the 240, except for gear ratio variations. People with repetitive transmission failures may want to consider the FS5R90A units. I have heard of Z31 cars having tranny problems being swapped to the FS5W71C transmission with no problems and plenty of positive results.
I read a small piece of information where many 240SX enthusiasts have the 240SX version of this transmission mated to their SR20DET engines and KA24DET engines, some running up to 400 horsepower with no problems.
The FS5R30A is considered to be the strongest and best shifting transmission out of the three units. This transmission is very similar in design internally to the transmission used in the Z32 300ZX models, although a little more beef has been added to critical components. The most desirable feature of this unit is it’s strength and the factory tailored each transmission to meet the specific demands of any engine and rear differential ratio combination.
So there you have it, a brief history of the manual transmission offered in the Z31 or 300ZX Nissan. The nitty gritty technical details are fun, but generally not important to someone looking to buy transmissions of this nature. The most important factor should be dealing with a reputable outfit intent on selling you what you need and the best available product.
Allow us to decipher the ifs, ands and buts concerning which transmission bolts into your Z31 or Z32 if you are on the broken end of your manual transmission. It is our job to outfit you with some form of quality manual transmissions that suits your needs and budget when you call us. Give us a shout at 866-320-1182. GotTransmissions.com
