Klaptrap24
Hey guys,
I currently have an auto 240GLE which I was intending on selling, but after looking at the prices of other RWD cars, I honestly feel that swapping a manual transmission in, although tough (especially for someone like me), would be cheaper.
As a result I have a couple of questions.
1. What would you guys recommend for longevity and beatability: M46, M47 or a T5 (v6/v8)
2. Does a T5 out of a Ford fit onto a normal B230F?
3. Where are the BEST resources I could find to help me do this task?
4. If i were to have it swapped, how could I get it registered as a normal car?
5. Approximately how much would it cost?
Thanks guys, any help would be appreciated
Spac
T5 is considerably stronger than a M46 or 47, but is a much more involved conversion. You have to be rough to hurt either of the Volvo gearboxes with a standard NA redblock.
Personally, I'd buy a cheap manual 240 and steal the bits out of it. If you break the box, then look at converting to a non-Volvo box.
Klaptrap24
Spac;71050 wroteT5 is considerably stronger than a M46 or 47, but is a much more involved conversion. You have to be rough to hurt either of the Volvo gearboxes with a standard NA redblock.
Personally, I'd buy a cheap manual 240 and steal the bits out of it. If you break the box, then look at converting to a non-Volvo box.
any manual 240 is not gonna be cheap at my stage (uni student musician life lel) - would rather a solid reconditioned gearbox than pulling one out of an old 240 with a billion k's on the clock
GingerNinja
A reconditioned gearbox probably won't be that cheap either. What are your plans for the car? Just a daily drive with B230F, or do you have a massive Holset turbo to go on the side of it?
Spac
If you're tight on money, then buying a whole car is the ONLY way to do it.
Price the bits individually: it will quickly add up to more than $1k. If you buy a whole car, you can probably even test drive it to prove it is OK.
Basically, what I'm saying is do the maths carefully first. The sticker shock of having to buy a $600 car will pale in comparison to what you'll end up spending on individual bits, particularly if you want reconditioned parts.
Don't get sucked in to the idea of "I saw someone advertising a gearbox for $100, so I'm sure I could do the conversion for $250"...
Klaptrap24
Spac;71073 wroteIf you're tight on money, then buying a whole car is the ONLY way to do it.
Price the bits individually: it will quickly add up to more than $1k. If you buy a whole car, you can probably even test drive it to prove it is OK.
Basically, what I'm saying is do the maths carefully first. The sticker shock of having to buy a $600 car will pale in comparison to what you'll end up spending on individual bits, particularly if you want reconditioned parts.
Don't get sucked in to the idea of "I saw someone advertising a gearbox for $100, so I'm sure I could do the conversion for $250"...
Good advice, I was under the impression that manual 240s were 4K...
Klaptrap24
GingerNinja;71071 wroteA reconditioned gearbox probably won't be that cheap either. What are your plans for the car? Just a daily drive with B230F, or do you have a massive Holset turbo to go on the side of it?
Sports exhaust, and little bits and pieces...cam eventually
familyman
Klaptrap24;71075 wroteGood advice, I was under the impression that manual 240s were 4K...
Yeah, I never see cars for that price either. When I do see something "close" (if $2000-$3000 can be called 'close'), it's often earlier models - i.e. the wrong year - and/or an overdrive type, not M47.
Klaptrap24
familyman;71079 wroteKlaptrap24;71075 wroteGood advice, I was under the impression that manual 240s were 4K...
Yeah, I never see cars for that price either. When I do see something "close" (if $2000-$3000 can be called 'close'), it's often earlier models - i.e. the wrong year - and/or an overdrive type, not M47.
I had a mate buy a 1985 244 with 400,000 on the clock with the 4 speed for 3.5k. Ive read on some other threads as well that it might be cheaper swapping a manual tranny in rather then buying a whole new car, Im just not sure how to go about doing it
Klaptrap24
How about a supra 5 speed swap?
Spac
Supra box is a lovely thing, but the boxes are just too hard to get/too expensive nowdays.
I'd buy a complete conversion or a car with this conversion already done, but I wouldn't bother trying to piece the bits together myself.
The cheap cars are still out there. I recently paid $100 for a running 244GLE with a Celica 5-speed conversion.
There is/was a manual 245 on allclassifieds for $300.
They pop up semi-regularly on the BSS pages on FB (both the local "everything" pages, and the automotive pages).
Etc etc.
5-speeds are definitely better, but a good old M45 is still a better thing than a bloody auto.
carnut1100
I paid $100 for a rough 4 speed once. Needed a new clutch master before you could do a conversion though.
My sister bought a rough but registered M46 car for $200 amd drove it for months.
My brother bought a tidy 86 wagon with dead fuel pumps and the handbrake cables missing for $500. We spent another $500 sorting it and servicing everything and he's still driving it two years later with M46 running strong.
I was given am M45 car tat still had rego as well as a bit of rust. I drove it for a year before i sold it on.
Rough unregistered cars aren't worth anything.
familyman
Oh I've seen cars with M46s cheap enough, but not 47s. I don't want overdrive. Have that on my current auto box, and it's acting up intermittently, meaning I can't pinpoint where the problem is. As I understand it, I also need a later model, because mine is a 1991. Forget why, but it's in a thread on here that I've bookmarked. Dished flywheel maybe.
Vee_Que
You need the lh 2.4 dished flywheel. If you cant really afford a parts car, save until you can. The tailshaft length is different on the 46 and 47 but everything else is the same, so a m46 car is a good beginning and then buy an m47 and have the auto tailshaft shortened...
Lel? Is lol too hard?
jamesinc
I bought a non-running 1984 244GL with an M46 transmission for about $300, that's how I did the conversion for my own 244 and because I was pulling parts from a factory manual 244, every single part is original spec, right down to the little bypass plug for the starter inhibitor circuit.
Klaptrap24
Vee_Que;71098 wroteYou need the lh 2.4 dished flywheel. If you cant really afford a parts car, save until you can. The tailshaft length is different on the 46 and 47 but everything else is the same, so a m46 car is a good beginning and then buy an m47 and have the auto tailshaft shortened...
Lel? Is lol too hard?
M46 looks like the way to go!
sorry for hurting your feelings! I hope you're ok.
Klaptrap24
jamesinc;71102 wroteI bought a non-running 1984 244GL with an M46 transmission for about $300, that's how I did the conversion for my own 244 and because I was pulling parts from a factory manual 244, every single part is original spec, right down to the little bypass plug for the starter inhibitor circuit.
Do the M46 and 47 have the same gear ratios?
Spac
Close enough. An early M46 has a slightly tighter spread than the later ones & the M47.
They're rubbish ratios, regardless.
It does sound like you're hugely overthinking this, particularly if your budget is tight.
Klaptrap24
Spac;71123 wroteClose enough. An early M46 has a slightly tighter spread than the later ones & the M47.
They're rubbish ratios, regardless.
It does sound like you're hugely overthinking this, particularly if your budget is tight.
I had to consider my options, definitely a volvo to volvo swap would fit my budget.
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/orange/cars-vans-utes/1986-volvo-240gl/1105353507
Hows this for a parts car?
Philia_Bear
M46
Otherwise solid value for the parts you need