What did you do to your BG(part 8)

[ChillinZX]

I think the bracket will hold fine, but I feel like the radiator support will keep flexing and crack. It would be better with a gusset on the top or a bar bolted to both tow hook spots and the mount attached to that.

I still have that traction bar system from fe3 to put back on, it would probably sandwich in the front plate to the bottom radiator support.

[Kitty]

BG is down to a 3 speed after loosing 5th. Three pops out of gear too on occasion. This boxes demise is coming a bit to hard and fast for me.

[atomicEGT]

I did that to my pink GT, only it lost second and fourth.

Figured out how to get the speedo assembly apart so I can start making the mileage match the car, this **** is gonna take forever.

[boosted94]

Slammed the pistons in, slapped on the oil pump, main seal, came to a stand still with the MBSP (windage tray) interfering with ARP main studs. This has to be some kind of joke. I can just mail the MBSP to ARP and they can correct their mistake, right?

[FamiliaGT]

AWD Pros down for the count. New transmissions puking gear oil everywhere due to bad diff bearings. Decided it was a good time to collect parts and make it even better. Will be installing my PLX gauges, EDM Leveling headlights, JDM Power folding Mirrors, New timing belt/water pump/valve cover, plugs and wires, cap/rotor, JDM manual belts, Closable vents, Mazda/MOMO steering wheel, Front rear Rotors/Pads, Ball joints, Calipers, Wheel bearings and hubs, Clutch master and slave cylinders, Brake Master Cylinder, Maybe a clutch and flywheel...... woah, that's a bigger list then I thought it was. Oh and of course the transmission.

[FE3-323]

Slammed the pistons in, slapped on the oil pump, main seal, came to a stand still with the MBSP (windage tray) interfering with ARP main studs. This has to be some kind of joke. I can just mail the MBSP to ARP and they can correct their mistake, right?

i can't recall fully, but they were designed for the miata.... which i think might have more clearance in that dept.
either way, grab a small holesaw & make it clear

[atomicEGT]

the rubber stopper for the brake light switch fell apart on Friday, leaving my brake lights stuck on. repaired it today by using epoxy to glue a couple of nickels to the brake pedal assembly because who cares (did this repair on my 240 after the same thing happened)

[ftjandra]

Slammed the pistons in, slapped on the oil pump, main seal, came to a stand still with the MBSP (windage tray) interfering with ARP main studs. This has to be some kind of joke. I can just mail the MBSP to ARP and they can correct their mistake, right?

i can't recall fully, but they were designed for the miata.... which i think might have more clearance in that dept.
either way, grab a small holesaw & make it clear

Yes, I believe they were designed for Miatas, which didn't come with a MBSP until 2001. Before that, Miata's had a windage tray that did not bolt to the main caps and did not interfere with the ARP studs (the MBSP in the Miata has the same problem as in the Protege).

--Ferdi

[boosted94]

Sorry for the outburst, took a cut off wheel and dremel to the windage tray. Managed to find a junkyard Escort BP05 flywheel covered in rust for $25, went straight to my machinist from the junkyard, $40 and two hours later he calls me with a like-new OEM flywheel for less money than the Chinese knock offs. AND it's the pot-style OEM flywheel, not the flat-style China sells.

[Kitty]

I've always wondered how the clutch fork responds to the flat(non-stepped) aftermarket flywheels in the BG.

[boosted94]

For reference, the Fidanza is stepped, identical to OE. I sent that back because build money got tight. Rock auto ATP is flat. Didn't want to find out how it worked out, saw it was different and sent it back.

[Kitty]

Finished up the gearbox replacement in the BG. Some notes.

Drivers side mount is trashed, I don't recall if I've ever replaced it.

Rear mount was trashed after only being on the car a year and a half. Front one was looking okay. Filled front and rear with window-weld I had left over from the 240s quarter window replacement. I think the delrin cross-member bushings on non-filled mounts is not a good combination for longevity. Aside from a bit of teeth chattering vibration at idle with the a/c on the ride quality hasn't taken much of a hit. I'd say it feels better than filled mounts and stock blown out rubber bushings.

Whatever factors that were causing my erratic vibration on hard lefts has fixed itself. I wouldn't be surprised if it the old gearbox wasn't to blame for a part of it, the amount of metal I removed from the 5th gear housing alone was impressive.



I'm liking the new box so far, although first is a bit finicky but I need to bleed the clutch again and I have generic 90w gear oil in it because I wasn't putting $50 worth of redline in an unknown condition box.
New box came with OEM output shaft seals which is a good sign. I butchered the drivers side one getting the remainder of the CV shaft I asked them to leave in for shipping. I bat about 50% on getting those to be reusable. I threw the old passenger side seal onto the new one. It's only a year old or so and those never get damaged from cv removal/install.

Came with a speed senor that fixed my 30mph oscillation.

I don't think the neutral switch it came with is working proper. I didn't think to check it before installation. I might of just plugged it in poorly.

The throttle lift shifter vibration is back with a vengeance. I'm going to have to jam more socks in the mid-console.

The gear selector arrived with a rubber sleeve bushing inside the bolt area. I've never noticed that on parts diagrams and I'm wondering if this wasn't a shop fix for a loose shifter. I installed it. I was also glad to have another one of those offset shoulder bolts as mine was on it's last legs.

I definitely went over the recommended shop hours for a pull and replace, but it was humid as hell and I took my time

[boosted94]

Made a long block today.

[boosted94]

Finished up the gearbox replacement in the BG.

Kitty, did you have this on a lift? I started mounting the bell housing but called it a day before I damaged anything. Input shaft is tricky to line up without a trans jack. I can't see doing this with the engine still mounted in the bay with the car propped up on jack stands.

[Kitty]

Today I did the polishing touches on the gearbox swap, fixed the leaky clutch line by cutting a bit off and re-flaring it, put in the passenger engine mount damper, skid panels. and adjusted the clutch free play.

I need to do an alignment as well.


I'm debating about removing the loop in the clutch line, with where the rubber line is located it's really not needed for additional flexibility and I think it could increase clutch pedal feel if removed. Similar to removing true mechanical clutch dampers.

Kitty, did you have this on a lift? I started mounting the bell housing but called it a day before I damaged anything. Input shaft is tricky to line up without a trans jack. I can't see doing this with the engine still mounted in the bay with the car propped up on jack stands.

I use to own a GSX so I'm use to jamming large square pegs into small rectangular holes. I did this swap all in my driveway with just 2 jackstands and a slimline jack under the engine. The trick is to not raise the car or the engine too high. If the trans is on the ground, and you can slide it under the front of the car, it's too high.

I rest the trans on my chest and then just push it up and have someone topside of the engine bay guide/align it up. It took about 20mins of fighting with it this time to get it in.